Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-04-05

iOiO VI ny COMPANY ohu SNs' VS. Y, ~
f and III ON the right.
The fire was very hot and the bull
let's were thick, but the boys went
forward with a rush. No one hung
back, and we drove them back for
about a mile and were still goingfor-
ward when Lieut.. Dorm SEM word
from the right that thecompany was
to fall back.
/ had not seen a field officer since
morning, and as the colonel had sent
Dorm to tell me to advance, I fell
back slowly with Co. NJ and the rest.
When we were back about half a
mile we met Lieut.. Brown. He said
that Dorm had made a mistake and
that the line vas to go back and
hold the position we had taken; the
colonel sent him to tell us. Well, we
turned back, and Co. NJ got mixed up
and got on our left and rear, and we
went forward again and drove the
nigs back until we were right up to
the line of the company on our right,
and tell you 1t was hot work, for
the woods were full OF the enemy and
they were firing as fast as they could
pull the trigger, and when we went
back they thought they had us on
the run and their reserve line came
down to the front, so that when we
went for them again we had the
whole bunch to fight.
Well, we drove them back and
stopped; in a ditch that gave us a
good position to fire from, and then
we gave them three volleys, as their
fire was too hot for our comfort.
Just as we fired the last volley we
got an awful volley from the Third
artillery, who were on Our left and
thought we were the enemy. They
had struck some very rough ground
and the right of their line could not
advance as fast as the left, and so the
front of the line was facing across
our front, and the volleys were just
awful. The fire swept the ditch we
were In and we had to get up and
run back and to the right about %
yards to another ditch and lie fat in
that until | could send a patrol
around to the real and over to tell
them they were firing on our men,
and while we were falling back to the
last ditch Corporal VIM. Meyersick
was hit, although he did not give up.
but kept on his feet until we got nut
of the fire and could rig up a stretcher
to carry him to the a None of US
thought it a bad wound, for the
Mauser rifle ball is very small, and
we thought it was through the
shoulder, as there was a small wound
on the top OF the shoulder and a
larger one on the side below. put
a bandage on as well as | could and
we then made a stretcher OF two
guns and some coats and four OF the
boys carried him to the field hos
pital.
As soon AZ we could get some am
munition we went forward again
through the woods, across the open
field, up a hill, through n graveyard
and across the top Of the hill. Out
of bitches and houses, from a big
stone church and from a stone house
we drove them. and l am proud to
say that all the time Co. l was at the
front and no n hung back during
the fight. Just before we drove them
from the last block house Corporal
Skinner was shot in the left leg, be-
tween the knee and hip, but it Is only
a flesh wound and he is feeling fine
now.
Yesterday | got word from the hos
pital that Corporal Meyersick died at
12:45 from his wound. was never
more surprised In my life, for the. doc
tor was out here about 4 O'Clock and
said he was doing fine and would
come through all right, and it is a
hard blow to us, for he was one Of
the best boys | have eve met and a
splendid soldier, always doing every
duty In the best possible way, and
was always pleasant-never had any
kicking to do. Every one in thecom-
pany liked him, and 1 shall miss him
very much.
After we had driven the insurgents
back for about four miles we went
into camp for the night, and then
Col. Wallace came around and sent
our company back to the city to get
a good sleep and rest, az we had
been under fire from $3.50 Saturday
night to 5:15 Sunday afternoon, and
he thought we needed rest.
Monday night we came out to the
front again, and Tuesday we went
to the post of honor on the left of the
firing line, with Co. A on our right,
and from then until 3 O'Clock Friday
we were under fire from the enemy,
and on Friday afternoon the order
came to advance and take the town
of Caloocan, and after the artillery
had shelled the place we started. The
enemy was SO close that we had to