The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-31
BREAsTWORKS OF DEAD.
Member of the Red Cross Tells of
Horrible Slaughter of the Filipiuos.

Washington, March 31.-The follow
ing extracts are furnished from a. report
just received by the Red Cross from
Mr.. F. A. Blake, of California, in charge
of the Red Cross work at Manila. The
report is dated February Is. 1t says:
Just one week ago did the fighting
actually commence, and the past week
has brought about changes little dream
ed of. The insurgents have been pushed
back all sides until our circle and
outposts have advanced in some d1rec-
tiOns as much as twelve miles Our
boys fought like tigers and made such
a name for themselves for bravery, en-
durance and strict discipline as Will be
handed down to posterity for ages to
come. With the thirty-three wounded
last night at Malabay, II brings our
total dead and wounded up to date
trifie over 200. never saw such execu-
ton in my life and hope never to see
such sights as met me on all sides as
our little corps passed over the field.
dressing wounded legs and arms nearly
demolished, total decapitatiOn, horrible
wounds in chests and abdomen, show
ing the determination of our soldiers to
kill every native in sight. The F'ilipinos
did stand their ground heroically, con-
testing every inch, but proved them
selves unable to stand the deadly fire
of our well trained and eager boys in
blue. I counted 70 dead natives in one
small field and learn that on the other
side of the river their bodies were stack
ed up for breaStWOrkS. The blOckhOuSeS
filled with natives were stubbornly held
and only taken after bayOnet charge.
Here is where we had so many wounded.
You see, they seek shelter behind the
densely wooded localities while we must
advance in the open, and many times
only guess at their location.
II witnessed many daring deeds of in
dividual soldiers and officers, absolute
ly defying death under a perfect shower
of bullets. This kind of fighting and
pushing forward has completely para
natives. Spanish
simply make a sortie and return for a
Siesta and smoke, wait for anOt Ter week
or month and repeat. A Spanish officer,
surveying the field, made the remark
that the Americans had no etiquette in
warfare, not allowing the troops to stop
for week after an attack. This rush
is putting the fear of God in the natives
and 1 think when Aguinaldo's headquar-
tiers is attacked they will cry enough
and surrender"
Blake goes on to tell of arduous work
performed by Dwight, Tanner, NurrowS
and himself; how the Filipinos fired on
wounded being carried from the front,
and adds:
1--WE found all we could do dressing
wounded FflipinoS after first satisfying
ourselves our own had been attended to.
The moral effect it had on the natives
to see their wounded being so humanely
looked after was electrifying. Had the
order of things been reversed. our
wounded would have been treated to a
Inachete stab.
"Our surgeon CDR. Young of Utah)
while actually dressing wounded man
on the field was entrapped and his throat
cut from ear to ear, fingers cut off and
otherwise cruelty slaughtered, showing
the treachery of the natives and utter
disregard for Red Cross attaches
Yesterday was with Colonel Smith
of the First California and in the name
of the society presented with 81 900 for
the regiment and 81 900 for Ernita hos
pltal. Both were most grateful"