Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-06-15
A LETTER FROM THE FIGHTING LINE
Will Wilson Tells of the Movements
of Halls Brigade.
San Fernando, p. l.,
Ma, Il 1900

| ey " NSSS'
DEAR PARENTS AND ALL.
| We are now quartered in San Fer
nando with Gen Wheaton's brigade
which consists of Montana and Kansas
regiments and some artillery. Our
brigade, Gen. Hales', consists of
Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa Inf
with the Utah artillery and Major Bells
two troops of calvary. We left Cal
umpit last Tuesday and marched ten
miles to Apebit and staid over night.
We ran into bunch of 500 Insur-
gents, but they put up no fight to
amount to anything. All of Hale's
brigade went with us except the Ne
braska regiment. We staid all night,
starting back at three the next morn
ing. We got back to Calumpit just as the
sun was commencing to get hot. The
reason for this trip is not known to us,
but we suppose the general had a reason
for making it. We know, though, that
it was hard old march and the best of
the men dropped out. We slept in
some native huts in Calumpit the
night after returning. We were on
the move next morning while the moon
and stars were still shining. Our reg
iment formed the advance guard for
Gen. Hale's brigade. at ten o'clock
we received u flank fire of Mausers
from the woods. Company f on our
right, swung around facing the enemy
and after few volleys, accompanied
10y "a few shells from the artillery,
silenced the Insurgents. We moved
onward for about 200 yards, when we
received a terrible vOlley from the
front. We were struggling through
q slough, but advanced by company
PUSHES until we reached river into
which we waded up to our neckS. Up
on reaching the bank, We halted and
held our ground until the Nevada reg
iment came around our right flank and
the artillery came to our center. Then
we started up again and as Gen.
Wheaton's brigade, which was on the
other side of the railroad track, adj
vanced mt the same time, we drove
them back with heavy loss.
Our third battalion had been left at
Calumpit to guard the railroad bridge
and out of our two battalions we only
had three or four men wounded. At
three o'clock in the afternoon we
reached the Insurgent trenches and
cleaned our rifles with cloth from the
bodies of dead negroes. They were
lying around thick. We broke their
rifles and threw the ammunition into the
river. That night We slept in the town
of st. Tomas. The next day, which
was yesterday, at about nine o'clock,
our two battalions advanced upon San
Fernando. We reached the river
without q shot being fired, and were
just thinking that the Insurgents had
evacuated the city, when, as we
were neck deep in the water
and about half way across, we
got volley from the insurgents who
were upon the bank and only few
yards from us. We knew it would be
death to go back so we dug out and
struggled through and fired on the
niggers who were in the trees and
bushes aud set them going, chasing
them through the city and out into
the open, then we had q regular rabbit
shooting match. We simply slaughtered
them and captured several prisoners
and guns. We were ordered to stop
firing and went to the left flank and
after while we turned and went
through the city again to make sure
that we had missed none of them.
Then we halted and went into quarters
for the night and we were all worn out
too. | think our battalion had only
two men. shot. It seems a miracle
that our regiment has been so fortu-
nate and | hope that it will always be
as successful The other regiments
came into the city today and also the
artillery which had been delayed by
the bridges being torn down. Our
supply train could not get through
either and all We had to eat for forty
eight hours was what chickens and
ducks we could catch, but the bridges
are all built now and the long wagon
train and artillery just came in little
while ago.
We are not allowed to loot anything
at all, but l got few paintings from a
building and also fan which / put
inside the roll of pictures to keep them
from getting soiled and will send them
to you. 1 hope they will reach you
alright. had to tear them q little
1 also got picture of u pretty native
girl which will send. We captured
four Spamiards from the Insurgents at
this place and they were tickled to
death. The said they had been pris-
\ oners for nine months We will adj
\ vance farther tomorrow. You can tell
4 by Otis cable whether L get shot or
not. Don't worry at all. As long as
you do not see my name you will know
that am still kicking. Clyde is feel
ing fine also, but he may not get the
chance to write. l hopo everybody at
| home is well. Don't think that we
\ will be home soon, for we wont. Keep
| The letters coming. l can't tell when
t can write again. Good Bye.
WILL WILSON.