The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-01
ARE ENEMIES NOW
Arthur Phillips Describes the
Change at Manila,
FIGHTING AT NIGHT
Comparative Losses of Fill
pinoS and Americans.

Arthur Phillips, a graduate of Lewis
academy here and son of John Phillips of
Mulvane, who is now at Manila, from
which place he has sent the Eagle two or
three interesting letters, writes as follows
under date of February IA:
Manila, Feb Il, 1899.
My Dear Parents:-I suppose you are all
anxious and are watching the papers for
news from Manila. Well, few days have
made a remarkable change in affairs here.
1t seems as though the United States is in
hard luck. Six months ago we fought
side by side with the F'ilipinos, now they
are our worst enemies. On Saturday night,
February 4, firing was heard on the Ne
braska outpost. Almost Immediately We
were ordered to fill our canteens and dress
in our brown uniforms AT 1910 we heard
shots on our own outpost which was
about two miles from quarters, and we
were ordered to fall in, and in less than
one minute every man was in line ready
to move to the front. Our colonel took
his regiment to our outpost and threw US
into skirmish line half a mile in length
All this time the insurgents were firing
on US. The colonel then called for voIun-
teers, or about every eighth man in a
company, to go about 100 yards to the
front for line of pickets. I happened to
be one, and it was very trying position
to be in. The insurgents fire had ceased
somewhat and we simply had to watch
that they did not advance on US. About
2:SO we heard them coming. but as it was
Il arl-
very plainly, but when they were about
300 yards away the pickets opened fire on
them and they stopped. The fire was kent
mp for about an hour, when they with
drew to their quarters in an old hospital
half mile in front of US There was no
more fighting that night, only now and
then stray shot We were lying down all /
this time, having for protection only what /
little mounds Of earth we could find. be- !
gan to realze then that we were in for
some hard fighting, and to my sorrow I /
was not disappointed At last morning |
came, finding US tired hungry and sleepv.
put how little did we think of our wants. |
for if we arose we would kindly be in /
formed by a whistling bullet that our
place was fiat on the ground. But some
missary sergeant went to quarters and
brought US coffee
Each regiment had outposts and these
were connected like a chain of sentinels
around the entire city When the regf-
ments went out on Saturday night each
went to their respective outposts. and in
side of thirty minutes the CITY was on
tirely surrounded by our soldiers. We
simply held them al bay until morning to
do our work. On the extreme left. next tn
the bay, is the Twentieth Kansas. and =
better lot of soldiers was never seen. They
have done remarkable work here.
On sunday morning this line began 70
move forward. I will only mention what
TOOK place in our regiment. In front Of us
was the old hospital filed with insurgents.
and surrounded by a stone wall. Back of
this is a graveyard. and to the left about
Of a mile. is blockhouse.
On the right, and TO the rear about
mile, is an old Catholic church buiIt If
stone and also surrounded by a stone wal,
The country is rolling and covered with
trees and bamboo brush. Now Won can
imagine what we had to contend with
Every eighth man was ordered to advance
as an advance line. about 100 wards ahead
or the main body Of men. They no sooner
advanced than the insurgents began ~
fire. then the colonel ordered a charge
Such yell as we let forth. and every man
on the dead run for that hospital. amid a
ram OF bullets Not man faI+erad and
not one was hurt How such a thing han
pened is hard TO tell Surely the PROJECTING
hand Of God was guiding us This was
more than the insurgents could stand and
they retreated through the cemetery To-
ward the bIockhouse on the left and the
cd church on the right.
'Thus we made our first CHARGE o,5
capture. In front Of the block hons. and
to the left fthe hospital is an open field
Of forty acres After the hospital was
Thoroughly examined the companies were
at once aligned to their places and we
began to move forward in the same man
her as before. About one-half the adj
vance skirmish was now in the omen field
while the other half extended 10 the rieb+
N the grave ard. When We got half
way across this open field the Insurgents
poured deadly FIRE into Us. We were
ordered to lie down and remained so for
'ver an hour. when we were ordered To
AL back and so 10 the right and flank
hem. This We did and then charged
he church and block house capturing