The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-17

During the night of February the
first hostile shots We're fired at the
Montana men. Companies and B
were on duty. Early in the evening the
corporal of the guard, John j. Lane,
had noticed unusual activity in the
native houses of the vicinity. A larger
number than common of the natives
were seen to be about, and about 9
o'clock dusky messenger was seen to
go from house to house. Trouble was
anticipated, and it came. At midnight
the sentries of Company G were re-
lieved by B men. About half an hour
later two shots We're fired at the men
on the foremost outpost. The alarm
was given in a minute, and, directly
Captain Wynne and Lieutenant Corby
had deployed their men as sl1irmishers,
b to the left and G to the right of the
road. Officers and men, long held at
bay, were eager for the fray, but Major
brennan. field officer of the day, of
course, could not permit it. Peace was
restored and hostilities put off a little
while longer. The hum-drum of bar
rack life and the monotony of what
was practically Imprisonment in the
limits of Manila had made all anxious
to strike the blow. The opportunity
came on the evening of February 4.
The long hostile attitude OF
the insurgents eliminated in their
attack on the Nebraskans, who occup-
ed the extreme right of General Mac
Arthur's line. A sentry of this regi-
ment fired the first shot of the war.
The volunteers in the Philippines
had enlisted against the Spaniards, but
fighting was now matter of self-de
Tense and just vengeance, and to
man they were eager for the call of
duty and the orders of their superiors.
When the attack began Companies
M and I were on the line, and D, F,
A and K were in reserve quarters. Cap
tain Hallahan, Company NJ, was in
command of the force at the front. The
night was very dark one. A little be-
fore 8 o'clock he called the attention
of Major Bierer of the Tenth Pennsyl-
vania, field officer of the day, ossome
shots heard in the distance. Being re-
peated, they discussed them and first
thought they might be firecrackers.
Major Bierer finally said: Those are
"They listened moment longer and
then formed the two companies, NJ and
I. and 10 or Is minutes later they heard
the Filipino bugles blow call in the
distance that was new to them 1t
was quite long, and presumably call
to arms. Corporal William S. Lincoln,
Company NJ was then at the cossack
post some $50 PAGES north of the main
body, with a squad Of IL men belong
ing to both Companies M and I. Priv
ate Michael Henry was the sentry to
the left He was the first Montana
man fired upon, and he promptly re-
turned the fire. Soon the entire detach-
ment was engaged
An account of the engae cement is
given in detail. and this is followed by
| a succession of recitals of the fights.
| All OF the engagements receive espe-
| cial notice and much that is not gen.
| orally known is told. One particularly
| interesting paragraph tells Of the very
| peculiar methods of the Filipinos and
| illustrates to what extent they are
| in the habit of violating the most ordi-
| nary rules Of civilized warfare. Com
| pany G was the outpost At the ex-
| IRENE left Corporal Charles j. Lisle and
| Privates Howen. Kincade aud Pier
| storff were on guard. They We're APP
preached by a party of lao Filipinos
| in single file. carrying white flags. The
fact that the party. instead of coming
I'D the road, was advancing across the
rice fields and also the regularity of
their formation. excited suspicion and
led the guards to think they might not
be what they pretended, namely,
friendly natives seeking protection. In
order to test their intentions one shot
was fired at them, knowing that if thsy
We're friendly they would fall to the
ground to wait for identification. In
stead a vol!ey from their concealed
Mauserst ives the response. and they
were thus revealed in their true light
The concluding pages of the book tell
of the promotions and of the orders to
return from the front and prepare for
the trip home. The hook is to be IL
| Illustrated.