The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1899-03-31
TELLS ABOUT BATTLE
Frank MCLain Writes From Manila Of
the Famous Battle That Occurred
EARLY in February.
YiYidly Depicts the Charge Made on the
Insurgents and How and When
BE Was Wounded.
HAS NOTHING AGAINST Elm
Col. Frost at Manila is Set Right BeforI
the Public by Lieut.. Col. StoVer.-
A Good Officer.
FROM PRIVATE FRANK M'LAIN

FROM PRIVATE FRANK M'LAIN.
He Writes of the Battle at Manila in
Which He Was Wounded.
II. 81. McLain received letter from
his son, Frank, at Manila, Tuesday
which contains some interesting news
of the battle. Mr. MrLaln gave the
letter to THE REPUBLICAN for publ
calion and it reads as follows:
Manila, P. l., First Reserve Hospital,
Feb. IL, 1899. Dear Father: | sat up
today for the first time since | was
wounded, nine days ago, but my right
leg is still liieiess and have to move
it with my hands. l WIS wounded early
in the p,ttle and 80 didn't have the
opportunity to do much lighting, but
while was in line 1 never saw or anti
cipated anything like it, and it WAS
simply grand.
The difficulty arose over insurgents
attempting to place guard on 8 bridge
25 yards from the Nebraska outpost.
They forced the insurgents to go back
and established q guard OF their own
men. This WAS on Saturday afternoon,
Feb. 4, and at 1880 in the evening the
insurgents tried to pass the Nebraska
post and were fred upon, they return
ing the ire and Immediately the steady
roar, which was heard in town, began.
AT about o'clock they opened fire on
the South Dakota outpost and forced
them to fall back, losing three men
killed and several wounded. BY $3.50
our regiment was in line and on our
way to the front. Reaching the former
position of our outpost We laid there
about an hour, when we left two COM
panies of the first battalion and started
back, arriving at our quarters ut 2. a.
m. We had barely got TO sleep before
we were again called out and started off
for the front. We laid behind the
ridge, on which the Colorados were
stationed, for about thirty min
utes, and we got good and chilly, when
suddenly the insurgents opened fire on
the Colorados. The bullets flew like
hail over our heads, but 3 good thirty
| feet above us, and to tell the truth for
half an hour couldn't stop my teeth
from chattering. | wasn't scared, I
hit, but for the life of me couldn't
| sup MI tOCtA lIOu CuoGGOIs
ing, and l noticed most of the boys
way. | noticed q big strapping fellow,
ly shaking his jaw loose and swearing
terribly at himself for his weakness,
but his teeth kept up the chatter.
just at dawn some of the boys at
camp brought out something to eat.
About I. q. ~. the colonel ordered us to
go out on the firing line and our cap
tain started and waved his sword, and
we followed him like. as Lieut. Col.
Stover said, young man usually follow
the devil. All the protection we had
was small ridge, in the open rice
field, and it was about 8 to "a inches
high. We laid there and fired at the
block house No. 4 until 10 o'clock when
the colonel ordered US to stop firing
and a few minutes later ordered US to
advance. We marched steadily for
250 yards and then broke into u double
quick time, the colonel following close
up behind and even was ahead of some
at times, urging us onward, but we
didn't need much urging. was the
front man of the right file and 30 [ was
farthest on the right, or, rather, next
to the last man in our company.
started out and followed Lieut.. Young
Of Co. M and he was bird. He kept
running as fast as he could, he lost his
hat, kept swinging his six shooter and
yelling like Gin. l made up nv mind
to hang by him and l did. Williams,
| who came from Mitchell, stayed with
us. just as we emerged from fringe
of bushes around the block house
and about thirty yards from it, an in
surgent came out of the trenches
around the house, fred at us and ran
We pursued him for Is yards to get &
good shot at him. 1 fred but only
smashed his hand. Williams, how
ever, plugged him in good shape, anc
he died an hour afterward. l was the
first man after Lieut.. Young in the
block house, where we found a Span
lard who claimed to be y prisoner o
the insurgents.
Remaining here until 2 o'clock in th'
afternoon, during which time We say
the 10th Pennsylvania charge and tax,
the Chinese hospital, We started agail
but did not fire until we reached tn,
4 trees, nearly 1000 yards away. Her
we could see the insurgents runnin!
and we opened on them. We lay be
hind thick hedge fence but a shor
time and then broke through into tn
open. When I broke through tn
hedge fell into ditch and nearl
went out of sight in the mud, and by tn
the time could extricate myself l wa
25 yards behind the line and was miss
ing all the fun. Oh! but it was grand
We had them running in the ope
within $50 yards of us, and they wer
trying to reach the church, which wa