The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1899-04-07
FROM MANILA.
An Albany Boy Tells About the
Insurgent War.

aOtl Dc vi cOtlc lutclC6b W AuC IOtFC ~
home. As you are already aware on
the Atm OF Feb. the Insurgents, VITO
coulr no longer control themselves, at
tackled our on post near the water. works
: which was the farthereet extended out
post OF the American forces. This is
q seven miles from Manila. This post
a was Immediately strengthened by the
2 Nebraska regiment and almost simul-
taneously all the American posts were
attacked but all the posts held their
! gr und until reiniorcemenis arrived.
/ Inc insurgents kept up - ht fire all
l night. The Americans did not return
l the DIRE until thew could do go with good
: effect. Tnev held the positions they
had taken earlv in the evening until
day reak when the Americans dealt
l out little yankee style OF tixh;ing, /. r.,
charged their positions and repeatedly
drove them from their positions With
; great slaughter. l was running fight
with the Irsurrect,.s in the lead and
those terrible American right behind,
, playing the little game OF nip and tuck
ami it was mosilr the natives that got
the "tuck"
The fret hattie the Americans took
ever thing iu front, advanced their lines
about five miles into the insurgents ter
risory, car ur ny several field pieces. o
quantity OF ammunit on and sbout 1000
prisoners, burn d about seven or eight
native TOW ms. in fact laid ~aste 10 every
thing in sight. This one battle com
menced Saturday night at o O'Clock, con
tinued all Saturday night. Sunday and
| AanAay ~
clock This Was continual fighting with
out even stopping tor food. Then fight
ing resumed all the following week The
loss cannot be estimated accurately for
they take as many OF their dead and
wounded from the field as they possib
can "ut their sss in the first battle will
reach in the ueighboFhood Ci 500 10
1000 and in the recent skiTmisk they
have swellsd their loss up to 1900 We
have our lines so far extended At present
that il is impossible to advrncs farther.
/ We now have % miles Of front 90 il is
/ Impossible for us TO do Any thing bat
simply hold our positions. OF course
the firing continues IRON the insurgents
nearly all the time. At night they at
tack the line in some position hat al
xays get the wore of il. Tue Tennessee
and the 18th infantry with the 3rd
heavy q s artiller and Petrol aud Con-
cord. of newsy's q et, are showing ,he
natives point or Two Oh the leland
| PAnay. Thev are doing excellent worK
| with very little loss while the insurgents
loss 10 as usual, very great. One ha.tal-
| ion Of the 23rd U iliantry have EN-
bArked for the Island Cebu. kooE moth
ing OF their operations. The natives on
the Island Of NeR'os have raj sed an Am
erican flag and asked for American pro-
lection. II lie expected that troops viii
next De sent to The Isle OF Minindoa.
There will be plenty OF fighting there
The Spanish could never control this
Island.
will now endeavor TO give ytu q few
| items OF interest about Manila, which is
controlled by ;he cad Oregon Vols, the
2Srd Z regulars and 18Th Minnesota
Vols. under the eommani OF Provost
General Hughes. The above mention
ed troops do the provost quad duty OF
both the old an ! neS town and it is con-
sidertG by the military officials the
most impori ant duty in the Philippines
ALI gates and entrances TO the city arc
very closely RuaFjeI no suspicious per
sons or armed parties are allowed 10 en-
ter, all ttFeels are patrolled. al public |
buildings are guarded and everything is
QQkeu 10 even Ena4E G&EtluAtN NuAn ulF
cities OF .he L S by their police. No pet
sons are allowed on the streets after
O'Clock 10 the evening until 5 O'Clock in
the morning. all persons OF Manila have
TO take out Identification papers OF the
U S Government, 20 you eau see for
! yourselves that We have IL 10 . very hne
point
The insurgents made threats Eome
time Ago tha, they ~ uld burn the citv
| OF Manila over our beads. and on 'he
22pd, WAshingtou's birthday they tried
/ TO carry il into effect Tuey succeeded
| 10 firing the town in sey-rAl diffe' ent
| place.. in tao drf1eFeu' places the IRE
| spread very rapidly IS the buildings ~eTe
very dry and made Of hard wood Il
/ took considerable time 20 get |, under
control. Cos /, of Albany, and Oregon
City and u L, OF Portland, were dis
patched On douole quick 10 FIRE, where
| we sent al a Nj b . differentiation TO
/ get il under conIrl'. The fire n)w COW
! erei About SIX block. We coon had six
or seven streams playing 90 tie IRE and
numerous bucket hrigades we're also
doing good work il wAA pretty warm
work out the il. .surrecsos were making il
! hotter They haI concealed themselves
behind the fire and xeFe sending bullets
all around. ~ome OF them come a liuie
10 close for comfort. Abou' O'Clock IN
| the morning We had the tire reduced 20
q few piles OF Goals. We had put in jnst
10 hours Of good hard fighting. We
| then returned TO quarters and Co 81 OF
| Woodburn aud Co + OF Portland with
two Cos OF reg lars and two Of l3ib
Minnesota we're sent after the insurgents
who fred on us while lighting she FIRE.
They we're known 70 be about 500 in
| number. Our forcee were under COM
maud Major Willis. They succeeded
in driving them from their position,
killing $50 and capturing $50 and burn
ed all houses in eight and Cleaned that
neigh oorbood OF insurgents. Since we
have not had 90 much trouble as before.
You can fight these people all daF and
kill one half OF them and at night the
firing line ~ill be just as strong As il was
when you commenced for two men in
every set OF touFs have wooden guns
while the otter two have either o Maus-
er or Remington rife and as soon as
man falls one that has no gun grabs at il.
some times they have q regular scramble
TO get one 1t puts one in mind OF . foot
ball game. The general impression is
that they are running short Of ammunit-
ion. There is powder WORKS at halo.
los, their capitol, but the powder that is
made there is much Inferior TO our black
uowdeT. Some even 60 30 far as 20 claim
that the back bone oil the rebellion is
broken. The insurgents have 5 Ameri-
can prisoners. We have about 1000 anc
could get more but won'I take them. We
take their arms and kick them out side
our lines.
All the boys from Albany are well ex
cept one or two and they are rapidly on
the mend. We have only four men on
the sick report, the least of any Co in
. the regiment.
Our Capt hae obtained his discharge
n and will leave for home in few days
and then we will hail our iavorite Lieut.
as Capt NJ d Phillips
b We have puzzle that we would like
: the people OF Albany to answer. Why
lie It that when the second call Tor troops
was made that only Ave cut OF the small
number l3 could be furnished from Al.
bany and they had 10 fill their quots
from other towns. You can cay for tbs
boys Of Albany at Manila that we are
} proud OF our native heath
will C ose hoping that ell are well al
home, and you can prepare for US about
, Jaly. Respectfully,
BILL SYKEs,
{ Co !, End Ore.