Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-08-10
THEAMERICANs CAPTURED PAR
AEAQUE, WHICH THE SPAN
IARDs COULD NOT DO.
/ LETTER FROM FRED LUCKIE.
The United States Troops, Eight ol
Ten Thousand Strong, Fought
Long and Hard Planted
Old Glory in the
Captured City.


GUADALUPE ,kIDGE, LUz0N, Ps l.,
June 13.--As am in the humor for
writing thought you folks would
like to know what is going on in the
Islands and what the boys are doing
at this time in the far east, also Of the
late battle of Paranaque, whice oc-
CURED on June 10 and ii and is still
continuing at this writing.
Our company Is very well in health
and has been sihce we have been on
the firing line. l enjoy myself in
various ways, such as bathing, ball
playing and taking long rambles over
the country and prying into the In
surgents' shacks, whore the enemy
had held full sway, but have vacated.
looked for relics OF all descriptions.
Some OF che boys have been quite
lucky in finding some very rare ones.
Could you see me now you would
say was the healthiest boy you have
ever seen, but l am getting sick Of
this camp. Just think; we have been
out on the firing line just forty eight
days, and standing out in outposts,
where 1t rains regularly. 1t does not
rain here like in the United States,
but comes down in torrents, and with
bullets whizzing around you 1t Is not
very pleasant, but our outpost guard
is all over, as the enemy is about ten
or twelve miles away from us, and
we don't expect any trouble near our
lines for long time.
I will give you brief description
of the battle of Paranaque, which lie
l2 miles from our lines. Saturday
morning broke bright and clear and
the bugle sounded about 4:2O. We
ate breakfast soon after and filled
our canteens with water; we then
strolled about camp waiting for our
orders, but as yet had not received
any when, to our surprise, we saw
Gen. Lawton and staff coming up the
hill from San Pedro Macati, closely
followed by the artillery, who pro-
ceeded about 15O to 200 yards and
made circle and then opened FIRE on
the enemy's trenches. They first
signaled to the boats Of the bay and
lakes. Directly behind the artillery
came the infantry, 1000 strong, then
there we're others coming in on our
left and right that would make IL l.
900 stronger. They all looked tired
and worn out, but they meant busi-
ness just the same.
AS soon as the infantry had passed
our lines they were deployed as skir-
mishers, the Fourteenth Infantry on
the right and the Colorado volun-
teers on the left. The volunteers adj
vanced rapidly. In the meantime the
artillery was firing. Very little re-
Hiatance met our boys until they got
within a mile of the lake, where the
enemy opened a cross fire on the boys
from ambush and wounded about IS
who we're brought Immediately to our
camp, Cinnamon doing the carrying
OF the wounded, and they did good
work. The boys OF Company d acted
as nurses and everything possible was
done for them. The battle was being
carried on in earnest and steady firing
was going on all the time, and as yet
no orders had come in for US and we
were looking blue.
The troops fought all day, charg-
ing through grass taller than the
men. The heat was terrible on them
and many were overcome. This is
said to have been the hardest bat
tie which has taken place. The enc
my stood up and did good fighting,
but they were soon running for their
lives. The men camped for the
night outside of town and early in
the morning Sunday marched tri-
umphantly into Paranaque, planting
Old Glory on the soil, which makes
the fourth time 1t has waved at Par
anaque, but this time there wasn't >
shot fired, for none OF the enemy
was in sight. In the meantime (Sat-
urday morning) we received orders to
60 out and look for the enemy, who
were cutting the wires.