The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-06
A GRAPHIC STORY.
Worcester Boy in
Last Engagement
at Manila.
WASHINGTON COMPANY.
Abel Nilsson Writes Home
Concerning the Big
Battle.
Abel Nilsson Writes Home

A Worcester boy who was in the
thick OF the fight at the last battle at
Manila, writes home the following very
graphic and interesting account Of the
great conflict,
About a year ago Abel Nilsson, who
had been employed by Prentice Broth
ers, left this city to seek his fortune
in the west He went to the state Ct
Washington and, reaching there about
the time the war broke out, he enlist
ed, and on Nov. &c sailed for Manila.
This letter was written to his mother.
Mrs. Ingeborg Nilsson. who lives at .
Harlan street, and came as soldier
letter with the Endorsement OF TIE
Captain A. c. Steinman.
He also has two sisters here, one liv-
tng with his mother, and the other,
Mrs. 7. W. Hinchley S7S Millbury
street.
pines, Feb 9, 1899.
Dear mother:
Last Saturday at 9.45 the insurgents
opened up hostilities by shooting Ct
the cossack guard of nine men in the
Nebraska regiment at Camp SAINT L
Mesa. The Nebraskans were not slow
to return the compliment the Filipinos
had paid them. They gave them a
number of volleys. At this time our re-
giment went TO meet the insurgents at
Santa Anna.
The insurgents are said to have been
made up of the cream of Aguinaldo' s
army. They were principally eQuippe l
with Mauser rifles, although there were
g. number of RemingtOns, also tUo
Krupp guns with which the insurgents
attempted to blow UP block house Il,
hot t1a ir1s1 on
were very inferior artillerists. The in
surgents kept up a constant, but poor
" directed fire all the while from the
time they started; the United States
soldiers meanwhile reserving their fife
until daylight, but when Uncle Sam =
boys opened up in the morning with
orders to shoot low, the carnage was
something fearful.
The Filipinos occupied a very much
more advantageous place than our boys
did, they having fire trenches. num-
Der of them occupied the house belong
ing to the Norwegian consul. They
kept up a fire until our artillery op-
ened up on them, dispensing them, and
they vacated the cOnsuPs house on the
run. Not one escaped and the house was
riddled in every square inch where the
fantry could penetrate. The only thing
that escaped our shots was a piano
which had a slight scratch. The me
in our company fired, all told, on an av-
erage of 225 shots apiece.
AT about $50 the order to charge by
rushes was given, and it was imme-
diately carried out. The men never
fiinched but started to ford the cree
ahead of them. Meanwhile the artil-
lery started to lombard the fort where
the Krupp guns were stationed The
infantry made about 700 yards in two
rushes and company H captured the
guns and the fort. The company was
led by the first lieutenant.
The Idaho regiment took possession
of the two KrUp guns our company had
taken by their superb charge. and pla
carded them with big posters stating
that they had captured them. They
are now Growing over the beautiful
work of capturing guns, the garriso
of which had been slain by the savage
H of the Washington regiment. Our
company has, however, the sights of
the artillery pieces in their possession
Company K of the First California re-
giment charged side by side of COM
pany H
I will close for now. healthy as ever
and not scratched. Writing on capt
ured military paper, also captured en-
velopes Only two men wounded in oul
company. The second lieutenant, {
new OTlCef, VINO mas DSSN Win US ABOUT
q month and a half, and was formerly
regimental sergeant major was shot
with a Mauser rife bullet through one
of his legs. Also the company barber
on the nose and cheek. The BARRIERS
wound is very serious, but it is thought
that il will not prove fatal, although
the shock was tremendous. The boys
in our company have now had enough
of fighting and hope the insurgents alsc
have had enough The bows think il
miraculous that they We're not all killed
thanks to the inferior craftsmanship OF
the insurgents.
Abel Nilsson.
Company H. First Washington vol
unteer infantry