Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-03-25

ont where / told him.
After l left the hospital l started TO
find the regiment which had by that
time got to the woods and shacks of
Santa Ana. was making along the
road when sharpshooter from our north
of the road lent me his compliments.
The bullet came near enough to me to be
recognized, aud stopped and took out
my "old Colt and told him to crack
away again until got him located and l
would try and amuse him. He shot again
aud | could not locate him, that smoke
less powder is hard to see. Then a funny
thing happened, l said to myself just
as though l was talking to another per
son, You had better get under cover;
get behind that tree or get under this
bank, for lie has got your range and he
will get you the next shot" And then
answered back, 81 don't believe he can
hit me, )" and leaned my elbow on a lit
tie knot and stood close 10 the tree, but
in full view, waiting for the next shot.
1t came pretty soon alrl he struck the
tree by the side Of my hta and knocked
the bark off the tree against my head so
hard that il started the blood, and then
said to mysef. There, l told YOU so;
now get down, but still stood there and
found myself saying, 81 will get him
next time" And when it dawned on me
that l was industriously giving myself
good advice and, that ! was just as bull
iheadedly refusing to take it, had hearty
laugh at myself and went on and left my
PHILIPPINE friend still shooting at me- If
| couldn't beat him shooting l would give
up the gun,
The first battalion swept everything
before them to the river, at least mile
and half. They took quite number
of prisoners, and the field was pretty
| thickly strewn with dead insurgents.
They had none killed but perhaps a
dozen wounded How they escaped is to
me mystery. Several narrow escapes
occurred, like holes through the hat and
the gun or the clothing cut with bullets,
and the like.
Adjutant Roos located a sharpshooter
i'll a tree and, taking up a Springfield
tive exchanging shots regularly. The
| adiutant got disguised with the rifle and
taking out his belt revolver, he stepped
up where he could get better view and
the first shot he got his man. II was a
foolishly brave act but illustrates the
spirit and bearing of the members of the
First Idaho, both officers and men.
The Second battalion under Major Nc
Conville was ordered to cross the bridge
over the lagoon and deploy to the left
and advance companies B, c and G conf
posed the battalion. They were met by
a fearful fire. There were more Of the
enemy i'll their front than on the right
side of the road, and they were better
entrenched and were between the fire
from our boys and the river and they had
to fight or die or be captured. They
made desperate fight and the mystery
remains unsolved why all our men were
not killed As it was we are today
mourning the loss of Major McConville
and six of our brave Idaho boys, and we
have some twenty-five wounded, more or
less seriously,
I No hrox 1iuA1 nr died than
Major McConville. When he was shot
he had Just fired musket which had
dropped from the hand of fatally
wounded soldier before he had discharged
it, and at the same time bullet pierced
his breast and another his shoulder. He
| fell, and Adjutant Roos, who was fighting
in the line with B company, and the cap
tain of B company ran to him and did
lup his wounds and carried him off the
field.
met them carrying him to the rear
and when he saw me his face lighted up
and he said with a smile, Sergeant it
| was glorious. The Idaho boys are cover
ing themselves with glory" He never
thought apparently, Of his own fatal
wound.
My eyes swim in tears as l think OF
his death and our great loss. After the
battle went back to the field hospital
is see him and got there just in time to
see him pass away. His son, Harry, was
by his side clasping his hand, and closed
his eyes when he passed away. He was
made brigadier general before he died
in recognition of his bravery.
f! His brave men fought the battle
through and achieved a great victory
lThey captured the cannon spoken Of
previously. The two companies, L and
c, lost the most heavily of any in the
regiment, company c being extremely
fortunate as they were under as heavy
fire as any company in the fight, but lost
but two killed and three wounded
The impetuosity of the charge drove
the rebels before them pell nell and
soon they were huddled together in a
grove of bananas on the bank of the
river, They we're panic-stricken and
many Of them jumped into the Pasig
river and attempted to save themselves
by swimming across. But the Idaho
rabbit hunters were on the bank above
them and none reached the other side
There was some beautiful target practice
i .i,are and some mood nractica in puessina