The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-10
CAPT. OTIS NOT At FAULT.
HIS Men Physically Uaa1le % CHARGE
Rebels 1t Mosong.
Seattle. Aug. 3. i@.

Seattle. Aug. :. iae
To the Editor: notice In TUESDAYS
paper report from Manila To the effect
that Capt Otis. of the First washingtos..
has been relieved OF his command because
OF the aeeming reluctance OF the companies
under his command to disembark from the
cascoes and wade through tho marshes
under fre. Perhaps a few extracts from
the letters Of my son. James holland. Com
pany b. First Washington. will shed q III.
tie light on the subject.
In letter dated Pasig. June a he saws.
Harry Ia under the weather a little t,,et
now, but Is getter better and will soon
be all right. The way the boys are laid
up IL caution. from continued exposure
We came here with l3o men and now We
haven't over 80 At for duty this morning =
In another letter OF the same date he
says: Company b lined up twenty-seven
men this morning and the boys looked
tough. thin and gaunt. wrecks Of the fine
looking men who left Seattle
Well. mother. ! with tell you Of our
last advance Pasig City y on the lake,
the west shore. and the water works are
directly north OF us and about seven miles
distant Taytay il. or was. rebel stronA-
hold northeast 81 w and southeast OF the
water works. Acting Brig. Gen. whoiley
had our brigade. comprising the First
Washington, the Twelfth infantry and the
North Dakotas and Gen Hall had the
other brigade and We we're 10 move a.
rectiy on Taytay. Gen. Hall was 70 swing
to the sou;h. This would hem them IN
with soldiers on three sides and gunboa,s
and water on the fourth
We started on our saven-mfie march
In blazing sun at , p. m. We tackled
the outer trenches. which We took with
little loss. and the Airing kept up about
an hour. then ceased. and we withdrew,
the Twelfth taking our place. We move:
back 10 Paag and embarked for Mcrone.
twenty-five miles. The Runfsoaf accom-
panying us fired about twenty shots into
the town, and a. there was no replying
shot We disemharked. wading about 500
yards In the hot mud and water Up TO our
waists. We all got 10 the beach and
huddled together. The natives opened
heavy FIRE on III. We formed In skirusixh
line and lay down 10 get our breath be-
fore charging.
'.The xunboat opened up with shell and
rapid-aring guns over our heads aAd say
II you ever saw your little Jimmy bury
his face I'm the mud. you ought tn hav.
seen him then with the srtng coming frcm
all directions The inmsrgent fire slowed
up BIT and our gunhoats opened Up with
everything they had This was the signal
for US 20 charge But charge we could not
as the bows had been at IL all day and al
night before. All we could do was to walk
and tina, very slowly. Last bur not least.
we gave the yell which the Washington
boys have made known all over the ISLAND
and on we rrswied- But the combination
of lead ard yell put them on the run I
guess they are running yet. for that was
the last thing l remembered TIL woke
np in Pasir hospital Nat with sunsroke
This with maiariai fever. played nee out
fer a time but hope soon 70 be all right
other letters from the boys tell the same
sad story 81 strong men. ds5ssi:ased from
sickness and prtvatsan. but no word az
complaint or grumhiing. May God bring
our brave boys home again Is the prayer
OF every mothers heart.
MRS G. AUCKLAND.