The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-03-25
IN THE TRENCHES
And the Battles Around Manila-George
Bertrand Tells Of South Dakota's
Part in tho Fight Of February
s. Company G Wa In It.

OoWPooy "oo ~ LIZ
Geo. Bertrand OF Go. G, First South
Dakota at Manila writes his brother OF
this city under date of February 10, an
account OF his experiences in the battle. |
George was on u post duty when the
attack wa first made and relates his
experiences about as follows: II was on
out post Saturday night and at 10
o'clock the fight started Of our right
with the Nebrsskans and in less than an
hour it had spread along the whole line.
We were in q cross fire and the Mauser
bullets were coming as thick as hail and
one man Was killed. We were ordered
back to town and u company OF South
Dakotans took ~ place. l went to
quarters and got all the cartridges l
could carry and started for the firing
line. This was about ) u. m. Sunday.
I;could not get TO my own company 80 l
fell in with another company Of So.
Oaks and stood in reserve while the ar
tillery were Smelling block house No. 4
and the bamboo thickets. After driv-
ing everything in sight the colonel ord
cred a charge for the block house. Co.
G charged along a valley add the
company 1 was with had a long thicket
to take and then on to the block house.
After taking the block house. we ate
some Rroub, took q rest and got more
cartridges. The Pennsylvanlans on our
| left had driven the natives back to one
OF their strong holds and had gained
their flank. We had six companies on the
firing line. We then lined up our for
ward sk.rmish line 100 rods long and
charged for San Mesa church. BY this
time l got with my company. We were
in the direct line OF tire. Our colonel Is
q brave fellow aud was right with us in
the front. BY marching ahead and lying
down we reached the bamboo thickets
without seeing suy natives at this time.
After passing some entrenchments We
came to q :clearing around the church
which 10 Q strong. stone building, fixed
up fora fort. As We can to the edge
OF the clearing not q native got away
that was in sight, and what was in the
church got stopped for . she'll struck it
and exploded inside. We kept on after
the natives and back Of the church were
two stone rifle forts. As We came
around the church We formed in line OF
attack and charged on the largest fort,
but the natives had fed. Being out OF
cartridges and tired " went back and
held what We had taken. Yesterday we
moved out halt a mile in front and en-
trenohed ourselves on the main line Of
tire. Va have sentinels out in all direc-
tons and u report from each every halt
hour.
The natives are armed with Mausers
and Remingtons with u brass covered
bullet. The Mausers have q steel brack-
eted bullet and will kill W. far a. they can
sec a man. The Mausers use smokeless
powder and make a report about like .
~ and . man can lie Gown in the grass
and you can't tell whore the bullet comes
from o how far away it il.
Gen. Macarthur says be wants the Q.
8. government to send him volunteers
and Long Tens, (Springdeldsl One
regiment armed with Krag-Jorsensons
has sent in for "Long Tons" During
tho battle Sunday some OF the boys
brought down natives at 500 yards With
SpringHelds. My rifle got 90 hot that
the barrel would burn your hand before
you weps aware Of it. l gave it q drink
and the next dag it took me three hourf
to clean it out. ! have not had my
clothes oil Tor q week aud my cartridge
belt only once in that time, being in the
trenches all the time.