The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-04-25

y0N~ Liz
fighting last Au-
gust was SO trief and the victory SO easy.
that, coming soon after the desperate
struggles at Ell Caney and San Juan
ridge, it was looked upon as an unfair
test of the powers of the volunteer of to-
day.
But the Filipino war has supplied the
test, for the regiments conspicuous in
repelling the insurgents last February
and in rushing them in their. jungles
and strongholds since were among the
captors of Manila. The Pennsylvania.
Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Mime
sofa boys now making records with the
crack regulars in charging the Filipino
lines were just taking their baptism of
fire when they stormed the intrench-
ments of the Philippine capital under
Merritt, Greene and Macarthur, the
memorable 18th of August, 1898.
Regular officers are not given to ex-
aggeration in their official reports,
hence it must be taken as compliment
tary that General Anderson, the division
commander in the attack on Manila,
wrote with enthusiasm of the fighting
qualities of his volunteers. The Ameri-
can plan of battle was simple, but the
day would have been bloody had the
Spaniards had the pluck of their foes.
On this point there was story current
in the American camp to the effect that
the only Spanish who can fight are
Irishmen. 1t seemed that a party of
Spaniards held out after the flag of
truce had been run up. and when Colo
mel Hale called upon them to surrender
a voice cried out, "Divil surrenderl"
The speaker was an Irish captain of the
Spanish army.
General Anderson tells in one place
how the Twenty third regulars and the
Thirteenth Minnesota ''carried the adj
vance line Of the enemy in the most
gallant manner. In closing the report
he says: 1.-The opposition we met with
was not sufficient to test the mettle of
our soldiers, but all showed bravery
and dash. The losses show that the
leading regiments Of the First brigade
the Thirteenth Minnesota, Twenty
third infantry and the Astor battery
met the most serious opposition and de-
serve credit for their success. The Colo
RADIO, California and Oregon regiments.
the regulars and all the batteries of the
Second brigade showed such zeal that
it seems a pity that they did not meet
foemen worthy of their steel. :"
In battles with the Filipinos the First
Colorado. First Nebraska. Tenth Penn
syivania and Thirteenth Minnesota
have been conspicuous. These regiments
were among the first in at Manila, and
the result shows that the honor of the
army was safe although resting chiefly
upon volunteers.
From the stories sent home by the
Thirteenth men it appears that the SOL
diers were of the right stuff, and were
we'll led. Private Luxton of Company
f, in letter to the Minneapolis Trib-
une, wrote: ssThe Thirteenth has been
under fire, and not only acquitted itself
with distinction, but with honor. For
three hours we were under steady fire,
and for time the shot was falling
around us like rain. Bullets were whis-
thing above our heads, burying them
Selves in the trees with a spiteful snap
that to ears unaccustomed to the sound
was at first somewhat startling.
Sour boys behaved like veterans, not
showing the slightest indication of fear
from start to finish. This was owing
to great extent to the example OF
our officers. The company commanders
and their leutenants were as cool
throughout the entire engagement as
though on dress parade. Colonel Reeve
and his staff We're here, there and ev-
erywhere. directing the action, and with
such success that we were compliment
ed time after time by the regulars
'sFriday night about 10 o'clock we
were told we were to go to the front
early in the morning. 1t was a gooG
omen. The next day was Aug. 13. jus1
10 days after we had entered the har
Dor. The mystic IS was still with us
At 8 o'clock on Saturday morning tn,
notes of the bugle disturbed the slum
bers of the Thirteenth, and five minute.
later every man was in his coDFEDy
street to answer as his name wa
called. Every person was anxious tt
hear the fall in call. and they wer
not kept uneasy for any great length o
time. for at 6 O'Clock we were on tn
march with 100 rounds Of ammunition
in our belts and rations for "a hours
An hour later we were in the trenches
end the First and Second battalion
were sent forward about mile, wher
the Astor battery was located near
church.
"Twice were the Spaniards drive
back. and twice did they rally. 1t wa
critical time, but the fire Of the re
endorsements was hot and furious, an
the Spaniards reiterated to the bush
leaving their dead behind. 1t was d
this time that the four Minneapoli
companies were marching along til
road. and it was then that Archie Pat
terson of Company was killed. Som
Spanish sharpshooters were in the tree
by the roadside, and as the boys we1