The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-04-08

Well on the Firing Line.
Corporal Edwards, North Dakota
volunteers, has written an interesting
letter to his father, Maj. Edwards,
publisher of the Fargo Forum, in
which he describes the life of the
Dakota soldiers on the skirmish line.
The letter is dated Feb. 8, and was
written when the regiment was five
miles southeast of Manila. 1t says:
Company B, with the rest of the
First battalion, is still here in the
bamboos in the edge Of n of the
prettiest countries we have seen since
our arrival. For three days now we
have patrolled the road for half a
mile on either side of us, and had an
outpost out in the country some 200
yards. The, entire company is doing
guard duty, each man getting in about
four hours a day. and nOn-cOmm1s-
stoned officers a little more.
When we arrived here Sunday night
1t was very dark, everybody was tired
nut. Maj. White. who had done more
running in t%wenty-four hours than any
ore in the army. l guess. was so worn
out that he could hardly talk enough
TO give the company commanders or
ders. The major. had been imposed
upon by someone, and had taken us
out of our way. He was sOrr yfor our
sakes. and we for him. The company
was divided into halves, Sergt. Thomp-
son taking the outpost with Hathaway
and Lewis as %corporals. Scrgt. Soren-
son had the patrol and was assisted by
Hummell and myself.
1t was hard work the first night. but
1t was all so new and exciting. We
saw ''niggers' on all sides-they would
go by carrying white flags: we would
run EN- all out of the road and make
-'eln stay out of sight.
The boys. some of them. Schlansel.
Davis and Frazer went out after
breakfast before they lay down. They
brought back chickens.
1 was on guard at 4 a. III. Monday
morning. and got to Company G's quar-
tiers in some way. / heard Il noise.
Upon investigation l found Lieut..
1etchell and Sergt. Ellis down on their
knees under a house roofing out chick
ans. So Company G had a good break
fast. too.
When daylight came we corraled the
Neutral 'niggers'' and made them pick
chickens and dig sweet potatoes.
They are willing workers. too. and
never fail to remind us that they are
Dur friends-we believe in utilizing our
friends. Now to-day we have Il little
coast pig. and more in sight.
This morning Sergt. Sorenson was
appointed street commissioner. He
had twenty natives under him fixing
TIP the street or road so that the artil-
lery may o out with greater ease.
We make the niggers clean the yard
and road and do all II police duty.
Feb. 1O.-Several papers have been
sent out to the outlying troops. and
nov we know how the battle started.
The natives insisted on our moving
back one of our outposts-the sentry
shot the man who insisted, and the
natives began to fire. All the troops
IF the city We're notified and 500 We're
Mt their posts. Firing was kept UP all
night and broke out on all sides of the
city but the south. The natives did
not attack us, so we waited until day
light. Soon after daylight numerous
natives were seen in the edge of the
woods. some 200 yards from our in
trenchments. They looked uncon-
cerned. and seemed to be watching
the fight at our left.
When the time came. we were told
to pick out a niger and fire when the
amor on the fort should sound. We
were strung along the trenches and
did as we We're told-and after the first
shot not a niger was in sight, but
their reply came before we could get
two shots at them. From that time on
the fire was incessant.
Some ten Of lis We're back of the
graveyard. and could see nothing on
account of the tall grass, so we moved
to the left and joined Company G.
Here the boys We're pumping away,
across all open country, and just more
than kept up the fire. Maj. White
stood back of the trenches, looking for
things to shoot at. Every once in a
while he would say: "Give me that
gum" he would stand up there, take
deliberate aim and hit what he; shot
at. Lieut.. Getchell and Sergt. Ellis
did good work, and gave the boys great
confidence. 1t Is wonderful how cool
and u~nconcerned Maj. White is; the
boys just love that man.
Sergt. Bradley was on the left of the
line, but being so weak with dysen-
terry, he could not shoot much, so con-
tented himself by talking to the boys
and keeping them shooting properly.
Poor Brad looked badly. and was i'll at
night, but lie would not 60 back. even
after being relieved by Lieut.. Gearey.
The lieutenant himself had quite a
high fever during the early part of the
night, but did not complain. He took
quinfne all night, and by morning was
feeling better, though not quite him
self.
Lieut.. Hildreth had charge Of the
frst platoon Of the brigade. He was
feeling good. and kept the boys good
Inatured by telling stories. Once, after
m exceedingly heavy fire on the left,
about 2 p. M, I heard him yell: That's
IA. lGiveS'em h for mel" and the
laugh was contagious.
After, we had been firing about an
hour, I went back along the trenches,
10 see II anything of special interest
~ happening. On my way Imet
4 young Crum carrying ammunition
s1so1n@thesfeft. Soon after that ne 5se..
4 ssErsdssaasssSn md did some good work
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