Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-23

er which was deep and swift and over
which we had no means of crossing
quickly enough, but that they could
have cut us down while crossing. The
only way out Of it was to drive them.
back or. silence their fire until our
troops could cross and storm their
works. The road along which we were
advancing was bare, not even brush to
shelter us from the murderous fire the
niggers were pouring at us. We were
ordered to halt about half mile from
the intrenchments and Company of
the Fourth infantry was commanded
to go down the road and take position
in front of the insurgent intrench-
ments. This they refused to do unless
the sixth artillery would cover their
movement. The artillery refused to
go and there we were, with the Mauser
bullets raining like hail on the very
spot the men were ordered to occupy.
They did seem to be singing a mans
requiem who would venture into the
fiery zone.
Our company was finally asked if we
would take the position, and we yelled
yes" to man and gave cheer on
top of IT. We deployed as skirmish
line and started for the position on a
run under the hottest fire it was pos
sible for the niggers to pour on us.
We ducked, running in about the same
position as if running in and out of
hard shower and the bullets singing
and pelting around made one feel as if
great drops of rain were falling on our
backs. We got there all right, dropped
fiat on the bare road and our good
captain gave the order to commence
firing and not cease until he gave the
order. He never gave the order to
cease, because just as he finished speak
ing his command Mauser bullet from
one of the nigger's guns gave him an
honorable discharge not only from SER
vice but from life. He died within an
hour. after being shot. His death made
the men furious and we rained steel
shot on those black devils causing their.
fire to slaclSen, and then up came the.
artillery on the run. They numbered
their guns and shelled the insurgent
position until o'clock. We were then
ordered to move back to our first po-
sition where we camped for the night.
A supper of coffee, salmon, tomatoes
and bread made us feel like new men
and we wanted further, vengeance on
the enemy. We got no sleep that
night as 1t rained necessarily from
sunset to sunrise. Early in the morn
ing a few sharp shooters opened on
us but we soon stopped that nonsense.
After breakfast, reinforcements COM
ing up, we crossed the river with two
battalions of the Fourth infantry, six
companies of the Fourteenth, 500 ma
.rines and G troop of the Fourth caval-
ry. just as soon as we came up to the
niggers our boys let out yell and
started. 1t was all over in a few min
utes. The natives ran and were driven
back about eight miles. We did not
lose man in this last engagement. We
did not see any dead insurgents but
there were great splotches of blood in
side their intrenchments so we must
have got some of them. We captured
about forty. We pursued the enemy
to San Francisco de Malabon and then
returned to camp. The loss of life oc-
Cured in the first engagement when.
we took the advanced position and we
lost our captain, corporal, and one
private. "A, number received flesh
wounds.
Our company was praised by all the
men and Gen. Grant told us himself
that Co. ii men are natural soldiers.
Il never thought of the danger myself
but at one time wondered when my
time to be carried off would come.
The hospital corps had trouble to
get the Cinnamon who carry the filters
to come on the field and it was only
after soundly kicking them that they.
would come where the bullets We're
falling thick and fast. | did not
blame the Cinnamon. They did not,
know what we were fighting for.
We will soon be mustered out and
then for home. Gen. Grant told us to
give the niggers hell because we would
not have many more chances at them.
Chas. N. Hanks.