The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-05

armed natives 20 force tbs lire ives q
ruse hv which AglinaiG0 hoped 10 Justify
lis Instruction by saying, as he has said.
that he only fought wen our soldiers
saot down U1aTmed natives" None u
: the natives was injured. however. thanss
u tie troops obeylng the orders given
taeE2 70 tEe letter.
First on the Firing Line.
Hardly had the sound of the FIRST shots
died away when the bugles called the
American troops into action. The wash
ingtoa regiment was the first 10 take its
place on the firing line as q whole TheF
occ 4pied the most dang eroGs place n the
line and would have II bear the brunt
u The battle. bgt Gen. King had watched
the men and trusted them. and 20 select
a them 10 noia the center. They were
rs cool and steady as veterans he
afterw ards wrote.
ON the eve II the frs; battle and be-
fore attempting L brief description u Il.
4 DEPRESSION IS permissible in order -
give ia "a condensed form the war his
tory % the Fighting First since every
gagemeut they fought cannot here b.
described. In fact. the majority OF them,
from 4atk 81 details, can only be- re-
1crred 10 by name.
The var record OF the Fighting First IS
one Of which they may vel. Dc proud. l.
IS ore so glory, and their deeds viii live
II history rs long as lives the nation
Daring their service IN the Philippines
the T'lrst Washington volunteers fought
thirty-ise battles. exclusive OF Skin
mishes. the mpst famous Of their engage
rnents being Santa Ana. Pace Church. San
Pedro Macati. Taguis. Iatecos PaSg.
tainFa. TaytaT, Aoroug, Santa Cruz.
Guadalupe.
H. these battles the regiment lost
thirty sht men. including TWO officers
ID IN e
first months fighting the hardest ara
most g, Instant Cf The war. the kI.iei and
wounded II the Washington regiment was
dnlf.e the casualties Of any other regi
4ront it, the islands IN addition 70 the
thirty eight battles fought. the FIRST
WASH ington at various times. single
handed. ctrrisoned aud held. under con
slant FIRE and constant assaults the
trenches q Pace. Santa Ana and san
Pedro Natau In other words. the rec
ords show that there was not sng,e
might for three months and over that the
NgsfinE:cI boys did not exchange shots
with the enemy. In addition 70 the work
% the regiment a. d whole. towards the
latter part Of its service II was broken
up and distributed TO various regiments
"a lead them in action. an honor accorded
IS no other regiment
But - return 10 the morning % Sun
day. February 3. 1895 and the first battle
IA which the regiment by its conduct
earned the title Of the Fighting First
Washington"
The Battle Of santa Ana.
AS stated. the regiment held The center
% the American line. and IT was their
duty 10 hold 1t and prevent the enemy
| breaking through and thanking the United
States troops. Their position was on
Esteru Concordia creek. opposite the in
surgent trenches, where not only the best
armed and picked soldiers of Aguinaldos
army were stationed. but behind them
was a h!ockhouse in which was mounted
two krupp guns of large callber which
had been furnished Aguinaldo by the
Americans with which to fight the Span
!ards ana which were now turned OF the
Americans themselves.
Gen. Anderson wanted these guns cap
turcd if possible. but at any rate he de-
sired that the blockhouse be destroyed,
as It occupied a commanding position.
At : o'clock Sunday morning, after sew
eral hours ~ desultory firing Gen. King
ordered Col Whoiley to advance on Santa
Ana with his entire regiment. To which
had been added one battalion OF Idahos
splendid men.
The charge was sounded. ana the Wash
inefon boys rushed forward under 4 gall
ing fire from the insurgent trenches. Into