Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-28

/ the insurgents unless fired upon first
The regiment was holding a position il
| front of the Filipino ntrenchment, par
OF the command guarding road thai
| forked midway between the two lines, tn.
forks extending into the Filipino lines
by an agreement with Aguinaldo. the
American outposts We're to occupy Tho
forks Of the road and the Tlipnos were
not to go near there. If they wanted tc
send any troops from one road to the
other they We're to cross the country
and not attempt to march down to the
forks. a dozen stalwart Montanians were
on outpost duty at the forks one day
when about thirty Filipino soldiers rode
down the other. They yere halted and
after long parley. they turned back in
the direction from which they came But
they soon returned bringing with them
felntofeements until the party numbered
fully 15O They insolently demanded that
they be allowed to pass. but again the
handful of Americans barred their way.
In those days our soldiers were under
strict orders to salute the Filipino officers
and any infraction of these orders that
was discovered met With serious punish
ment. The mountain men We're polite
but firm in their stand. The Filpinos
became threatening but the White men
did not frghten so anybody could notice
it, They could not begin hostilities, but
they could defend themselves from at
to nd -,
numbered a dozen to one did not strike
them as being at all out of proportion
Bayonets We're fixed and their guns
brought to convenient position for in
slant use The Filipinos We're not will
ing 10 inaugurate actual fighting; that
was against their policy. But they We're
more than anxious to have the Ameri-
cans open fire. The constant indignities
heaped upon our men by Filipino soldiers
and even their women and children,
without retaliation had led to the belief
that the Americans We're towards at
heart and would not fight.
Emboldened by this belief and by their
desire to force the Americans into the
position of having begun the fighting.
they crowded forward, forcing the brave
lads back step by step. There was no
break in that little line. no turning of
backs to She insolent little brown men.
but instead sullen backward move
lnent that filled them with widest rage
because they We're compelled by orders
to make it. Fingers pressed triggers
nerVously. and single shot. one sabre
hash. thrust of bayonet from the
Fillpinos would have been the signal for
a conflict short, sharp and with only one
result. That outpost would never have
oeen abandoned. But the signal for
strife did not come, although the natives
pressed 60 yet closer to the tiny line of
steel while vlest insults were heaped
lpon the little band
Two days later Aguinaldo Withdrew h:s
orees from the forks in the road and
'poioglzed for driving out the Ameri |
ans, saying it Was done by an officer
VINO dld not know of the agreement The +
Montana men never forgot that episode I
ma their turn came later to wipe out the /
insults. But could anything better serva :
o illustrate the discipline of the man oe |
Montana? Their bravery was unmos-
loned; the greatest heroism was show,
u 'oe ihs thelr orders under such try
ng circumstances
0nNONEL kESSI.k;R BELOVED
These We're the men Colonel Kess,o,
I'd into action time and again. and to !.
i'm is due the credit for the efficiency of !
hat splendid body of men that has added /
the dignity and honor Of Montana.