The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-21
MAI. BELLS DARING ERRAND.
An Exploit just Before Manila Was
Taken.
From Harper's WeekIv.

1dkens
From Harpers Weekly.
In these days of indiscrlminate glorifea-
ton il is a relief to find man who de
serves Communication and gets 1t. Such
man is Maj. Bell of the bureau OF infor-
nation. He was breveted for rsconnois-
days before the taking of Manila. The pur-
pose of the reconnaissance was to find out
the depth of stream which emptied into
the sea between the American and Spanish
lines, and also to discover what intrench-
ments the Spaniards had put up between
the main line of defense and our earth
works. Leaving the trenches on Aug. 10,
accompanied by Maj Strether, he crawled
through the low. brush to within about
three hundred and fifty yards of the enc
my's trenches. Here Maj. Surother remain
ed on watch, and Maj Bell advanced to
the edge OF a small stream which | have
before mentioned. where he met Lieut..
Means and Sergeant (now lleutenanD Clot-
worthy, of the First Colorado Volunteers,
who were bent on the same errand as Maj.
Bell Leaving Sergt. CFotworthy on guard
with his rife, Maj Bell and Lieut.. Means
was forbade near the mouth and for
considerable distance out into the sea. They
then returned into the river, and, crawling
up toward Fort San Antonio Abad, tried
several approaches to a point nearer the
enemy's works, and finally succeeded, by
pushing through bramble thicket In get
ting to within $50 yards of a number of
Spaniards at work on the Notifications. AT
that point, still being unable to see wheth-
a1Na
enemy's works, they determined to swim
out to sea and approach the Spanish posi-
ton from that side. During this portion of
the reconnaissance they were in fun view
of Fort San Antonio Abad, but a heavy
shower favored them by driving most of
the Spanish soldiers under cover.
Taking to the ocean, they swan out,
and then began to approach the fort, but
found that the water was so shallow for
a long distance out from shore that II
would scarcely conceal their bodies while
swimming. In the meantime 1t had stop
ped raining, and the men began to work
on the sandbag barricade. which extends
from the fort to the edge of the water.
Maj. Bell and Lieut.. Means remained
quiet In the water for some time so as
not to attract attention; then when the
Spanish soldiers seemed absorbed in their
work the major and his companion turned
aho SWAMI Jul " SSdi tnSlI pan DelnB 10
dive If any shots were fired, and only to
come TO the surface for breath AS no
shots were fired and the Spanish soldiers
returned into the fort, they determined to
go further out and approach the Spanish
line from the right rear for a nearer view.
They succeeded in reaching a point 200
yards from the fort, when a Spanish SEN
tinel discovered them and gave the alarm.
There was considerable commotion Ia the
fort, and a number Of Spanlards crowded
to the parapets. Some of the enemy also
ran down across the bridge near the fort
as If intending to cut off the retreat OF
the two Americans. but the latter sue
ceeded, by swimming and crawling, 90
reach cover.
During this time, and, indeed, through
out the whole reconnaissance the Span
iards did not fire single shot The rea-
son for this was that some days before
they had fired on Father McKennon and
Father Dougherty, American chaplains
who were trying to pass the lines bent on
Q peaceful mission. The Spaniards regret
ted this incident extremely, and thought
that Maj. Bell and Lieut. Means might
also be priests. In the meantime Mai
Strother, seeing the commotion on the walls
of Fort San Antonio Abad, went back TO
the lines and returned to meet Maj. Bell
with squad of soldiers. Continuing their
reconnaissance, Maj. Bell and Lieut..
Means, with Maj. Strother and Sergt.
Clotworthy little to the rear as guards.
reconnoitered on the right of our lines sew
eral Spanish outpost trenches. During
the time they were frequently in plain
sight of the enemy at distances varyin g
from 800 to $50 yards from the Spanish
| lines