The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-14
Letters From a Pair Of the
Flag Followers.
HARRY MURRAY IN SERVICE
He Tells Of Fighting Ia sa1 About Tx
Towi - No Country for
White Man.

EXTRACTS from a letter by Harry Muir
ray. First Nebraska Regiment. to
his father. T. y. Murray. OF this Ct;yl |
Manila. p. l.. Feb. IL. 30.
As you know. We did not so to IlO-
lilo. but. nevertheless. have had little
joy anyway. On February 18th. or last
Saturday evening. at $ o'clock. the long
expected trouble with the insurgents
commenced. and with a vengeance. for
il called out our entire force.
II started at our camp At Santa Mesa.
The insurgents attempted to cross our
lines and our outpost shot into them.
Immediately we had bullets flying
around us from all sides. II didn't
take our men long TO get into positions
and hold them against their heavy
ambushed fire. This is the first time in
seven attacks that our position was
ever held. All Saturday night the in
surgents kept up heavy fire. but
could not make us retreat. We held
our positions until Sunday morning.
and after hard fight advanced on the
enemy, gaining foot by foot until We
took their block houses on the other
side of the river. and trenches At Ma
late-taken by regulars and Idahos-
or our old position in Spanish-Ameri-
i can war.
During the charge on Sunday morn
ing We lost two men killed and one
wounded. On Monday We started across
the country to take the water works.
which were in possession OF natives.
who had taken the engines apart and
hidden them in the coal. II was In this
tramp that our company showed them
who we are. We advanced in skirmish
formation across the valley on the left
OF the line and when about half way
over ran upon a large body of insur-
gents who. in ambush. came near trap
ping us, but as we don't know what
retreat is. we. with the assistance OF
a couple of other companies. got away
with about eighty of them. We had
lone man slightly wounded in our COM
pany. and one man killed and few
wounded in the other companies.
Up to date we have lost two men and
had two wounded. and I'm lucky to- say
that yours truly was not even
scratched. Some OF our regiments lost
a good many. but as / don't know the
lexact number will estimate our entire
loss at fifty-seven killed and about one
hundred and fifty wounded. Thstna-
tiveS' loss is about twelve hundred
killed and fifteen hundred prisoners.
They had TO stop the Nebraska regi-
ment or we would have driven them
clean to the sea on the other side OF
the island. As IL Is. there is not a ma
tive for a mile around but those who
have white flags tied to them. We have
been through three or fOur towns out
here looking for fight. but cannot And
any. The latest report Is that natives
are congregating At Malolas. where
they intend to make their last stand.
Have not found out where Aguinaldo
has gone. but God help him IL We do.
Our boys are advancing right along.
The natives want to surrender. but will
not bring in their guns. so we won't
have anything to do with them. We
leXpect To move at any time now. but
believe will hold waterworks until we
start TO advance. "Agi' says It was
all 4 mistake. 1 guess 1t was. The
lSpaniards are not in IL alongside the
natives. who are plucky and can pump
lead for further orders. but they can
not stand charge. Anybody who says
there has not been any fighting in the
y. is. doesn't know what he Is talking
about. II the authorities would let Us
do what we wanted. we'd kill every
thing in sight, because these people are
so treacherous that you could not trust
them even dead. As soon as We lick
them they change their clothes and
come in with a flag "mucha amigo"
There is very little fighting now. but
We are in the field. and as I will not be
able to write any l hope YOU will tell
everybody. also George Martin. that
am well and will write when I get a
lchancs.
Take my advice and do not come TO
Manila. l have told you this before.
but it will bear repeating. IL will take
years for this place To- become any
Thing.
/ don't think that this skirmish will
affect our being sent home soon. as We
have proven that IL does not take so
many men to look out for these people.
Our artillery is what counted. They
drove them out, and we did the rest.
l will close now, hoping to be able
TO write very soon. also hoping that
you will not worry. about me. as I am
going TO have a good time before
lCroak.
Sending my love TO Mama. yourself
and all the folks. also all my friends.
l remain. as ever
Your son.
HARRY
Extract from a letter from Geo. n.