Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-29
Was Received From an Ana
cOnda Soldier.
WAS IN THE BIG BATTLE
Describes the Advances of the Troops
on Cal0ocan--The Bullets
Fell Like Hail.

One Of the best letters vet received in
Anaconda from the volunteers at Manila
is at hand from Private G. P. Brown of
Company X, Montana volunteers. to his
father, T. ]. Brown, who resides at SO
East Fifth street. Mr.. Brown, ST., is an
old soldier and his son., according to re-
ports, is a chip of the old block for the
young man is said to be among the best
fighters in the Montana regiment. Young
soldier Brown is a graduate of the Port
land, Ore, high school, just a little over
IS years of age. His letter is dated "On
the Battle Field at Caloocan, P. l.,
Feb. 10, 1889. He says:
I'VE are now camped at Caloocan
about six or eight miles from Manila.
The insurgents attacked our outposts
all along the entire line about ten or
twelve miles long. Our troops got word
about Z o'clock and the boys were NOV
ing to the front in an hour or SO. 1t was
our company's turn to stay in quarters
and watch the barracks.
About 2 o'clock WE received orders to
move to the front. We were soon on the
road. The fighting was terrific. Tn
warships were Smelling along the beach.
The artillery on the insurgent block
houses and an ~improvised gunboat was
pouring it into them up and down the
Pasig river. Our company was held in
reserve and did not get under fire until
about II o'clock on the morning of the
9Th. The boys had r%egained our outposts
which they had reiterated from during
the night.
w were on a fiat piece of ground,
probably 20 acres, along which We're
bamboo shacks. Companies L. H and *
were in the center of this open space.
Tho rThirf3 apti11ar,- n nd o1cor u-nra ~,
the left of us, the rest of our regiment
and the Tenth Pennsylvania on our right
supported by the Utah battery. Direct
ly ahead Of us the insurgents were hid
den in an old hines cemetery. 1t was
on a hillside about 10 or so feet high.
We We're advancing in a line of skir-
mishes toward this place when all of a
sudden the insurgents poured a volley
into our ranks that would make your
hair stand on end. All our troops threw
themselves fiat down on the ground on
their stomachs and the insurgents pour
ed bullets into US for about three hours.
The bullets came so close that we could
hear them whiz past our heads. The
insurgents We're ben on wiping us out
because we were in the opening. While
were busy doing this the. Tenth
f1anked them on the right
the Third artillery and Kansas on
the left.
Our lieutenant colonel (Wallace)
word to the captain of the artillery
that if he would cease firing we would
take the cemetery. He said boys fix
you bayonets and we will give them one
of those old time American charges We
took the cemetery and poured volley
after volley into them on the plain as
they We're running. The Utah artillery
trained their guns on the church and
blockhouse nearby. We We're charging
them over the field when Major General
Macarthur made US stop. We moved
back down to the place where the fight
commenced and took up a position be-
fore the cemetery.
1.-The fight continued at intervals Of
about an hour during the night and we
did not get much sleep. Early the next
morning we were on the move and oc-
cupied the territory which we had taken
Sunday. The next two or three days
We're spent making preparations to sur
round them. The Kansas regiment took
the woods to our left by degrees, killing
two or three hundred and capturing
ammunition, 10, GOO knives and five wagon
loads Of tin meat cans. The Third ar
tillery threw up entertainments to our
right supported by the Utah artillery
Almost all the time the Kansas regiment
was fighting on our left. One night when
the company had been on the firing line
and the Kansas boys had been fighting
" III VI cNi oiAN IN AAoN io"NS
the insurgents their band struck VI
'There'H be a hot time in the old town
tonight and ollowed up with the Sta
Spangled Banner
"Skirmishing continued during the
next two days. We We're about three
miles from Caloocan. 1t was considered
one of their strongholdS. Two battaliOns
of the Idaho's came up during the after.
noon and the artillery and warships
commenced Smelling the town and woods
Promptly at 4 o'clock the infantry COM
menced to advance. The Filipinos pour
ed a raking fire into our ranks but the
boys pushed IN. Col. Wallace was shot
and came to the rear. Charge after
charge was made by our boys. not a shot
having been fired on our side. Severa,
ridges We're gained and the firing line
was formed. Volley after volley was
poured into them and they began to run
then the boys yelled and charged them
and we had them over three miles, about
q mile past CaloOcan. This is q rail
road station and car shops. We are
using the trains to carry ammunition
and supplies. Our company was very
fortunate. We did not lose any body
Most all of the boys have relics of the
field, some rifles and some knives. We
all carry knives in our leggins for close
work. Our regiment has lost two killed
placed from 5000 to IL 600 killed. This
leaves us all well and in good health.
Company K, First Montana Infantry
U. S. V. GEO. D. BROWN"