The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1899-04-28
From the Philippines.

March II, 1899
Editor of the Herald Advance
| receive the papers
| regularly, or regularly as the boats bring the
| mail, and am pleased to get get them because
get all the news of the Milbank people through
their columns, my mother having been in Michi-
gan all winter.
Well we have struck trouble at last { he war with
the insurgents is 1t opened up about
half past eight In the evening of Saturday, Feb
ruary 4th. The insurgents trying to pass An out
post near ours at the Nebraska lines, and our
sentry tried to stop them, but they would not, so
he fired on them, killing lieutenant and pri
vate. They returned for reinforcements and at
tackled the Ne braska regiment. The attack on
the Nebraskas soon extended to general attack
on the American outposts Ia no time the
streets OF the city were filed with regiments
battalions and companies of soldiers, hurryng
rapidly forward to the outskirts of the city to
take their places the line which had been as
signed to them long before in case any trouble
should arise South Dakota soon arri we'd at her
outposts In front of Block house No. 4, which
was occupied by insurgents and found that thev
had fallen back but were holding the ground
where they were Two companies. and I, were
little strip of timber about $50 yards from the
hiock-house, while the rest of the companies
formed line extending from there to the Color
ad@ lines. The black boys were picking away
pretty steady all this time with their Mausers
bnt our boys held their fire until day break They
Killed two men in Co. that night wounded an
other, and killed Lieut.. Col Stovers' horse
About o'clock our boys charged capturing
blockhouse and rifle pits and driving the niggers
INTO the timber. After dinner they started again
Keeping up a running fight through two miles of
OF rough rice fields bamboo brush woods, ravines
etc. 1t was whoop and yell, run and shoot
charging rifle pit here and running them out of
the brush there. They made a stand at last at an
old church about two miles from the block house
but were soon driven out and on the run towards
Caloocan. We had one man killed and three
wounded during that afternoon our regiment
then retired, taking up its position between
the Colorado and Pennsylvania regiments
The boys then dug trenches and have lain there
ever since excepting whom they have to come in
town and guard quarters, which Is done by the
taking turn about.
During the battle of the 4th and 5th of Feb
rnary the band boys were in their companies, hut
now they are acting headquarters guard at The |
block house.
There IS firing done on the outposts every dav
and night, but the only battle we have had since |
the ith was on the Esd of February when the nh
tlSes advanced on us. 1t was pretty hot fighting |
from I o clock IN the morning till almost noon |
Companies A, and the band during the fight |
got ont of their trenches and charged on them |
In this fight there We're two men killed and three
The three pieces of artillery which |
had been moved up on our line about a |
week before, We're great help in this fight |
There L no use-tha Nigs cant stand artillery /
fire. That makes them cut and run The natives
had an outbreak in town the night of the 22d and |
also on the morning of the 23d, bnt the Minnesota
boys made 1T hot for them, taking prisoners and
burning bamboo huts, leaving thousands of them
homeless, but that is the only way to use them
We have had no trouble in town since. There is
also al order here that no one shall be on the
streets after o clock in the evening except the
patrol, and they have orders to arrest or shoot
any one who is caught violating this order
About the saddest thing that has happened is
the accidental drowning of Lieut. Hartine of |
Company A Of this regiment. He was second in
on the armed steamer, "Lagana de
Bay which has done such efficient service in |
cleaning out natives along the river He was in
q small boat, just as 1t capszed, the poor fellow
drowning in the river. His body was not recover
ed for two days when it was found ten miles be-
low where he was drowned and near our quarters
IN town. He was brave, generous-sninded Of
hcer who had the love and respect of every man
IN our regiment and his death is deeply felt here
AZ well as it will be at home where he has a |
mother and loving sisters
have changed my mind greatly about Col. |
Frost, | don't believe there was ever brayer
man walked battlefield than he. He did not |
stay behind. He went with the BOYS when they
charged. And all the rest Of the officers were
all right, too. They didn't show the white feath |
We have pack train of "a horses carving /
provisions to the field also I2 cariboos and carts
hauling boiled water. Al Caveniss, an old COW
puncher from Texas who enlisted in Company A |
At Pierre, is running the pack train and is doing
the job in good shape.
| tell yen our Chino Chinese cooks are all
right. We have ~ or 12 Of them cooking in our
regiment out in the field. These zone Lungs"
1.-Two Lungs" and "Ling Lungs when not at
work dishing up "chnckr for the boys, are out in |
The trenches taking peck at the niggers They
- SAo"iHS iotS VI ncIhc, more tHhD IlOHglt i
pig tailed Chinaman had.
Lieut. Mowry, Of Company II took small scout.
ing party the other day and went through the In
snrrecto's lines about two miles, having to swim
he San Juan river during their excursion. II
VAS rather risky piece of business but I guess
hey got good bit Of information as regards the
he country, etc. These insurgents are "mucb
nalo" to fight with They don't pay any atten
ion to humane methods Of warfare. They fire
N the DOCTORS on the Red Cross flag and mem
oers OF the Hospital Corps II don't matter TO
hem; al white men look like to them.
loctor In the Utah battery, doctor Young, got
ost and wandered into their lines and when the
'egiment advanced, there he was found hor
IDLY mangled and cut up worse than our Amer
can Indians would have done When there
vas trouble in town here they fired on the hospit-
lls. also on ambulances who were carrying the
wounded from the scene Of action
The ath, 22nd, 4th and two battalions OF the nth
'egs. have arrived, and more are expected eyery
lay, 80 that when this affair with the natives ie