Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-03-30
STORY OF THE FIGHT
A Lengthy Account Of the
# Battle With the In
surRents.
A Member of Company n Tells
of the Valiant Work of
the N. D. Boys.
Terrible and Effective She'll
ing Of the Rebel Trenches
by Dewey.

ing of the Rebel Trenches
by Dewey.
MANILA, p. l., Feb '13.-The expected
has at last happened. Ever since the
issuance of Gen, Otis proclamation of
Jan. 4th and the counte1-proclsmatlon
OF the insurRent chief, Aguinaldo, the
following day, trouble was expected
nightly. The naughty end insolent tone
OF the insurgents forebcded the trouble
that came so suddenly, at shortly after
8 D. N. Feb. 4. So inflated had the ia.
sureente become that they boastfrlly
claic.ed that they could wipe US od the
face Of the earth aEd enter Manila when.
ever they wished. No terms seemed to
suit them. They did not know what
they wanted, or at least did not make
their wants known to our commissioners,
who made every effort to learn from
ARusnaldo's commissioners iust what
they desired.
For month we bore their insults
for month sbe boys slept m their
"6ghting cloehes of brown" eeldom re-
moving their clothing, not even their
shoes, aroused from their slssmbers by
night by the bugle call Ito scms'. while
the came clarion tones raGR out fire..
,quently byday, the boys sImost COD
stsnSly under orders not to leave their
barracks or not to 60 beyond 'buRe call.
But few daya passed that some sneakinR
Filipino did not attempt, under tho
cloak OF uhe treacherous Amigo" (friend)
to murder come Of our boys. But
thanks to the courage, strength. agility
and craftsmanship Of the boys in blue,
after each attempt there was one or
more ,psurgents who woxld never again
answer to roll call.
They were permitted to pass to and
fro freely. il unsrmed, through our lines,
while our boys were often turned back
and given the "horse laugh" for our
paine IT they attempted TO pass through
the insurgent lines which enoircled the
city Of Manila-that ls fcom bay to bay.
Well might our boys exclaim, upon
what does this our Caesar feed that he
has grown 50 great?". All possible con.
cessions were granted to the insurgent
chief but the more he received the more
he wanted. Under the false impression
that We were afraid Of them, coupled
with foolish estimation Of his Own
strength, bis head swelsed. Before him
the little insurgent chief cav visions OF
grand empire. despot,sm, under the
name of "Republics Fllipino'-saw him.
seK sitting on the throne while around
him gathered bis subjecte, numbered by
mlllione, feeling that il they could but
touch bis garment they would be blessed.
In the panorama OF memory he saw the
events of Aug. 13-the fallof Manila and
tho p!under be didn't get. Why should
he vast for the Americans to establish
government Of justice for bis people!
Why should hls magnificent army of
80 ,OOG men be held chatting under the
delay Ia getting the promised plnnder
known to be 10 Manila? HE most Of
his arsay enlisted, il ut all. for plunder
and Roce, so he concluded they should
have it and "let Loose the dogs of war"
Patience had ''ceased to be virtue"
with our boys. The logged to teach the
insurgents lesson that would not be
forgotten by them or their posterity-
not go long as history or tradition re-
cord human events.
At9 9p. "a. the insurgents attempted
to drive back the Nebraska outposts at
Santa Mesa-to cross the well.known
American territory near the South Da-
kota junction, also tried to cut them Oft
from the main body. but our boys would
not have it that way. The Nebraska and
South Dakota boys we're made ofs terner
stuff men "who know their rights
and knowing dare maintain" so the
Filip,nos were sent back at the point OF
the trusty Springields, while the main
body Of Nebraska came to the rescue, as
also did South Dakota, but not before
the insurgents ha3 opened fire from their
main trenches.
In moment. as It were, The call ito
arms" was sounded in all parts Of the
city and in an incredibly short space OF
time al troops OF the Sth Army Corps
were in positlon-the positions formerly
assigned and TO be taken by them in
case of trouble. The red balloon signals
of the insurgents went up also and in a
few minutes fire was opened by them
eli along tho line, their trenches being
but short distance in front Of ours.
For time there was terrible cannon.
aiding sll around the city. Artillery, !