Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-04-14
FROM MANILA.

AFE\Oxvx FtF
John Peterson Writes an Interesting
Letter From the Firing Line Near
Manila.
John Peterson, musician of Co. A,
writes the following letter from Ma
Mia to his parents:
On the Firing Line, Five Miles South
east Of Manila. Feb. p, 1890.
Dear Ones at Home-As you know
by this time, the insurgents have brok-
en- loose. l will write you a few lines
letting you know that none Of us have
been wounded o killed. They started
Saturday night, Feb. 4th. l was on
guard that day and sounded scall to
arms" about 8 O'clock, but the boys
We're sent back to quarters, as they
thought 1t was a false report; but at 10
O'Clock we could hear heavy firing to-
wards Pace. All the boys went to the
except the guards. Co. A was
stationed at the cOnvalescent hospital
FOR three days, when they were re-
1eved by the Wyoming battalion. Our
guard was also relieved Mt the same
tlme. Sunday, Feb. 9Th, there was
hard fighting all around the city. Mai.
White led n gallant charge at TT. Ma
late, driving the insurgents from their
trenches. At the same time the ..Mon-
adnock let go her ten-inch shells: she
scattered native bamboo shacks and
trees IN every direction. The loss Of
the insurgents was heavy, while the
Americans lost none-in the North Da-
kota regiment. The Fourteenth in
fantry lost about eight men killed and
eleven wounded. NJ company got into
an opening between block houses 10
n II and got fire from three direc-
IONS. Lieut.. Mitchell was killed at
ne head of his company. NJ company,
Fourteenth infantry, lost more men
imam any company on the island. The
aDove "scrapping'' was at Malate, be-
tween block house 13 and the beach.
There was heavy fighting on the other
side of the city, near Paco. Nebraska,
Washington, Idaho, Montana and the
artillery We're in it. I can't give the
details in this letter, as l haven't nv
diary with me.
we are now stationed about five
miles southeast of Manila, between
Pasay and San Pedro Macati. There
has been heavy firing all around San
q Macati for the last week. Cali
fornia, Washington and two compan
les of Idaho have been doing the firing.
III ColOrado's have wasted a great
deal OF ammunition; they shoot ut an in
surgent as far as they can see them.
MAI. White gave us orders not to shoot
unless there was something to shoot
at. Maj. White is a splendid officer.
lie is not only liked by our regiment,
but the Fourteenth infantry have
great respect for him. The Americans
nave twenty-siX miles of firing line
now, and Think there is 1880 men
covering 1t, so they can't advance un-
TIL more troops arrive. A couple of
regiments beside the Thirteenth Min
nesota (the gallant Thirteenth. I mean)
are guarding the city. They have been
expecting street fights in the city sew.
eral times, but have been suppressed.
the insurgent prisoners (Which num-
DER about $1,000 are kept in the dun
geons in the walled city. a good
many prisoners have been turned
loose. after relieving them of their
arms and ammunition.
III navy hasn't been asleep all the
time. The Monadnock, Monterey,
charleston, Petrol and Buffalo have
Dombarded a great many native yilln-
ges. have heard everything from u
rapid-fire to a 13-inch since this rrouh,e
began. and have seen all kinds of dead
and wounded insurgents. some with
half their heads blown off and some
with their body half shot away nv Tho
neavy shells from the MOnadnock
One OF the gunners on the Monad.
mock was so interested in shooting h,s
gun ne didn't stop when the order
cease hiring" was given, so the officer
nad TO drag him away by the collar,
me tennessee boys are good fighters
when Col. Smith of Tennessee fell dead
o his horse, the boys almost wen,
Wild. They made a rush at the insur
gents; wouldn't pay any attention /,
their officers, but went after tie ma
tives right and left. They are now a,
llolio. Co. A didn't get into the ;iall
until Feb. 18th. They went to T'asay
Where they stayed for two days, afte]
Whlcn they Went to Il mile this side OF
a Pedro Macati, OH the extreme lef;
OF California. We built some splendid
Ire!cheS there, but two companies O1
idaho came up and took them, and We
nad to move a couple Of hundred yards
70 the right. We can see a great lanny
insurgents from where we are (onca n
u Wh1le) as there is a large penia n
front of us. 1t is an old rice field ann
puts me in mind of Burnt creek nav
bottom. A'
The firing line from the Pasig to the
beach is as follows: On the left,
Washington, California, Idaho. North
Dakota, Iowa and Fourteenth infant.
~; four Of the Astor guns are sta
toned 200 yards to our right, where
they have two guns trained on a vii
lage in the woods, and two guns on
the enemy's camp. We sleep in the
trenches every night so we can't he
surprised. There is heavy firing on
our left almost every night. This is
fhp l1rV and hot coocon co ~ lo~n