Abilene weekly reflector., 1899-03-30
KANSANS UNDER FIRE,
CARL FRY WRITES OF A SOL
DlER'S LIFE.
Kansas Troops Led the Charges and
Acquitted Themselves Nobly-Lst-
ter to Frank Northcraft.

anu unsC oVVA Va WAY
near all the time until yesterday
when the heat got the best of me and
I'got permission to come in until to-
morrow afternoon.
Some Of the officers expected trou'
Bile for some time as the insurgents
opposite the Nebraska outpostS had
tried to post their ontposts inside the
line of the Nebraskas and Saturday
night an insurgent lieutenant insisted
on posting his guard inside and would
not halt when the Nebraska sentinel
ordered him to. As a result the Ne
braska sentinel shot the insurgent
lieutenant and one private and the
others chased back. The entire out
post guard Of the Nebraska turned
out as soon as the shots we're heard
and as there is a signal station at each
outpost guardhouse the operator then
tried to wire to headquarters but the
wires had been cut so he sent up a
signal rocket. Outpost attacked.)
A great many officers and soldiers
were at Warren's circus and an or
derly from headquarters hurried there
and cried, "Outpost attacked, every
body to quarters, " and it was not two
minutes before there was not a soldier
left in the tent. They went out un-
der the tent, through it or any way to
get out and nearly all the seats were
torn down in the rush. Warren's
circus is small American circus
combined with Bristol's Horse show
and has been here about three weeks.
We had a rumor that there was
trouble on the outpost but were not
sure Of it until the boys came from
the circus. 1t was quite exciting to
see the boys getting to their quarters
They would jump into the first vehi-
Gle they met and if the driver would
not 60 fast enough they would tell
him where to find his rig, throw him
out and drive themselves. Some OF
the boys Of the Fourteenth Infantry
had captured street car and when
they passed our barracks they were
holding the driver and conductor and
one Of the boys was driving and an
other whipping the horses.
Signal corps headquarters were next
to our barracks so we found out Just
what the trouble was and were all
ready to leave before the call to arms
was sounded and almost before the
call was finished the men were all IN
their places and ready to leave. While
it was almost impossible to get three
sets Of four or "a men out to drill,
each company turned out about eight
sets of four or GA men when there was
chance to fight. Men that wert
sick in quarters, on special duty
cooks, everybody turned out and be-
fore morning there was any number
Of men who we're in the hospital haC
escaped and joined their companies
As soon as our battalion was formed
we marched to regimental heAdquar
ters about mile from our barracks
but got there just abou. ten minutes
too late as the Second and Thirt
battalions had just started to tn
front. As a result our battalion
Companies A, B, F and L had to pa
troll that part Of town the rest Of tn
night. Co. A after they had beer
around once as patrol were selecte'
to act as an ammunition guard am
made several trips back and fortl
from the line with ammunition tina
night. By morning there was a YER
small company left as quite numbe
Of the men would slip into the firing
line each trip.
There was an all night fight clea
around the city but | can only tel
what the Kansas boys did. Gen
Otis was along the line all night an
once when the boys had ceased firin
for a minute he said, '.Well, boy'
how are you comingP" Only fe'
Of the boys knew and one Of the'
said, "All right, pard, how's YOU
self?" Another Of the boys that kne
Gen. Otis told him to shut up, Thu
the man was Gen. Otis. The gener
overheard him and said, That's a
right, pard is as good as general t
night"
Several Of the boys were woundt
slightly but none seriously that nigh
Sunday Companies L and T und
Captain Watson and Captain Clal