Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-24
MUCH WASTED LEAD.
1T TAKES TONS OF INsURGENT
BULLETS TO KILL ONE AMERICAN.
OUR SPLENDID ARTILLERY WORK.
scOrning Shelter, Our Cannoneers
Plant Their Guns in tho Most Adj
vantageous Position and Play the
Hotchkiss and Calling Guns.



MANILA, i. l., August 3.-Tons OF in
surgent lead find their way into the earth
again after being discharged from the
barrels Of insurgent rifles, but occasional
~ bullet aimed at something else finds
its way by an unfortunate accident into
the heart or brain or an American officer
or soldier. have somewhere seen a dia-
gram showing how many bullets it took
to Kill one man in tho Franco-Prussian
war. II similar diagram showing how
many Mauser bullets fired by the insur-
gents 1t takes TO lay low one american
were made It would probably be found
that for each killed or wounded man on
our side the Filipinos fire many tons of
lead. But let me tell you about the en-
closed sketches
IN THE RICE-FIELDa.
II was after the Nebraskans had been
lying in the sun-scorched rice-heds for
an hour or more, sheltered as we'll as
could be behind a rice dyke which Of
fered the only protection against the
whistling bullets that were tearing over
head and clipping the bamboo thickets in
the rear. General Hale was near the bat
teries to the left. where they were gradu-
ally demoralizing the enemy in the trench
es. The General knew 1t was hot out in
that field, and he sent an order TO Major
Milford TO retire the Nebraskans to the
shade.
While the Major was reluctantly get
ting his men up for a retreat b. alternate
companies, the Colonel came suddenly
upon the field. hurrying from the Manila
train. Forward is the ORDER" he shou.-
ed "the Nebraskans don't 50 back" and
drawing his revolver and swinging Il in
his right hand while he neryously tugged
at his mustache with the other. he adj
vanced in the rear OF the line Of men.
who went bravery forward in the face Of
cutting stream Of bullets. The Nebras-
kans didn't ego back" Instead, they
cleaned out the trenches. But they left
Colonel Stotsenburs dead, with forty-two
others dead or wounded in the rear, to be
carried Off by frightened Chinese litter
bearers. The Colonel fell just as 7 had
finished my preliminary sketch, ard the
incident of his death was the last thing
filed in on the picture.
OUR DASHING .ARTILLERYMEN.
OF the work of the artillerymen I have
spoken before. but too much cannot be
said of the dash and bravery Of this
branch of the service. The Filipino
have come TO entertain a wholesome
fear Of the artillery, for their aim with
the field guns Is so accurate that
trenches cease TO become the comfort
able quarters they appear when the
artillery music begins. 1t is inspiring to
listen 10 the crash Of the Hotchkiss and
the Gatlings in chorus, when the arlu-
lerymen cut loose with everything they
own and blaze away at the insurgents.
With the big guns dropping shells into
the enemy's midst, AM the Gatlings
pouring in hot shot at the rate of four
hundred minute, it is astonishing that
anything that faces such a he'll Of fire
can live. They stick ar nothing. these
artillerymen, scorn to look for shelter,
just plant their guns in the most aGvan-
tageOus spot and send their awful fire
crashing into the trenches until the Fill
pinos find IL too hot for them ana scuttle
out.
MUCH FIRING AND FEW KILLED.
I'm the sketch where a battery Is
Seen at work the artillerymen have Sc
lected a spot on one side of a river, on
the opposite side OF which are the
trenches Of the insurgents. The only
protection the batteries had was that
afforded by the stumps OF banana trees
which had been purposely cut down by
the insurgents to give their rifles clean
sweep TO the lines OF the Americans.
From the rooted trenches the insurgents
poured in a tremendous fire which lasted
all day and from which IL would have
been thought nothing could come alive
but at the close Of the fight only three
dead artillervmen bore mute testimony
TO the enormous number of insurgent
bullets It takes to kill one man.
WILLIAM BENGOUGH