The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-12-13
A PHILIPPINE SCOOP.
How q Newspaper Man Tared
Under Fire and What Became
OF His Account Of the Fight.
By JOSE DE ALAvAREs.


X4 By JOSE DE ALAvAREs. 81
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Clarence Addington was disconsolate
almost to a degree Of desperation. In
very truth he believed his mental per-
turbation to be entirely without prece-
dence. Moreover. the fact that his ii
companions. who. together with him
self, constituted the correspondents
mess were to man in q similar frame
Of mind tended to vindicate rather
than temper his dejectedness. Until
yesterday a full month had elapsed
since his arrival in the Philippines-a
mouth Of hustling and scurrying from
one outpost to another on the firing
line in the interest Of his paper-with-
out developing single item of genuine
interest. But yesterday q battle had
been fought, q battle embracing all
the elements Of u splendid story. Ten
hours Of steady fighting. wherein ev-
cry foot Of ground, lost or gained, had
been stubbornly contested for by both
sides; then the final indomitable
charge by the American forces and the
utter rout of the enemy.
All, but 1t had been magnificent!
And the opportunity had promised to
amply compensate for the tedious,
wearisome ordeal that had preceded it.
Far into the ensuing night the enter
prising scribes had toiled, reeling Off
their copy by the light Of Pickering,
close screened candles in anticipation
Of being allowed the privilege Of hur-
rying the same to Manila for transmits
sion by cable to their various papers.
But such expectations had early been
thwarted, the general in command hav-
ing issued an order prohibiting allyper-
sons In the American caup from PASS
ing the lines that night. So the eager
correspondents had curbed their i'm
patience as best they could and sleep
lessly bided the morrow. But morn
ing had only brought additional dis
appointment, for reports had been re-
ceived ut headquarters setting forth
the intelligence that portion Of the
enemy's forces had made detour dur
Ing the night. overrunnins the jungle
In the rear Of the American army. Not
withstanding this somewhat awkward
circumstance, not one Of the Is cor
respondents had hesitated in his de-
termination to get his story through
to Manila, even though forced to car
ry it on foot. The commanding Off
Ger, however, had entertained views Of
his own on this subject, with the re-
suit that second order had been an
nounced forbidding any attempt to con-
vey news matter to the rear until q
safe avenue had been developed for the
purpose.
Small wonder, then, the chatting, fret
ting and fuming that agitated the press
contingent Of that particular outpost!
"The supreme eminence Of all that's
ironical!" soiiloquized Addington rs he
stood ruefully surveying the quire and
q half Of close written copy he had
prepared the evening before. "Here's
m account that would go way to-
ward justifying journalistic exist
ence anywhere but ia these iniquitous
regions. What's the sense in tagging
an army half way round the earth to
see fight you emit report? Better
have staid at home and looked for an
assignment on q cooking main. Be-
sides, there's the chief. l can henr
him rhapsodize when this report comes
ambling along q week after the asso-
ciated dispatches"
Here Addfngton paused, while the
mental picture Of his wrathful superior
assumed Its utmost proportions. In
cidentally he allowed his gaze to pen
etrate beyond the immediate latitude
occupied by his moody associates. How
different the rest OF the camp appear
ed. Look where he would, all was en-
thusiasm and expectancy as the SOL
diers busied themselves preparing for
the days work. whatever It might be.
here was battalion Of infantry as
sembled In light marching order I'm
patiently awaiting the command to
move forward to again dispute the
question Of supremacy with the foe.
lery was taking up position prepar-
atory to sheiling O distant point, where
portion OF the enemy's forces were
reported 60 have c0ngregated. A hale
cynical smile dltted over Addington's
features as he watched these prepare
tiors. How often since his arrival at
the front had no allowed himsesf 20 be
carried away. deluded by precicely
such taetics. It was all righx eaough
FOR the soldier, this perpetual tension
and waiting during the long intervals
between battles. for when fght did
come or his martial aspirations were
In measure appeaaed. But how diff
ferent with the feld Journalist, who as
nOncombatant could not fight and as
correspondent was forbidden TO cor
respond! The thought CALLED him. In
the latter case he was clearly hnndi-
capped. But he was a,thorough Amer
ican. And as such was he necessarily
a noncombatant?
AT little distance from where he
stood four Men OF the ambulance corps
under nm nrmy SURGEON were gathered