The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-07

days. The entire regiment is now on the
| firing line. Gen. Hale and Col. Ames WIS.,
tied our entertainments last Friday. Four
men and myself We're detailed to escort
! a party Of signal corps men while they
repaired the telegraph line along the Mar
quota road for five miles. After fulfill
ing our mission we returned to camp and
were surprised to find the regiment pack
ing up having received orders to move to
the front at $3.50 a. m, which we did.
marching along the Marqueta road. be-
ing deployed as skirmishers. AS gray
dawn broke we made left flank move
ment and a line of skirmishers about
the enemy. After advancing about fif
teen hundred yards or so the enemy dis
covered US and opened fire on our line.
We halted and responded with cheer.
Then the battle ragged. We advanced in
| spite Of the heavy fire, which, by the
! way, was high and mostly went over
but rather slowly at first, taking advan-
tage of every rock and bush to send US
a volley before giving way. They were
soon on the run. however, and you bet
when Gen. Hale ordered q flank move
ment and the Thirteenth swept around
fighting before Malabon and shut off the
retreat of the enemy towards the south.
''In the meantime the entire north line
| was attacking, the. enemy and hard
| fight they had before the enemy gave
way. which was not before noon. The
| Thirteenth was fighting alone and indie
pendently, headed by Gen. Hale and. as
before, our skirmish line was about sew
en- miles Tonga long interval being kept
| between each man and no reserve: In
| charge through bamboo wood our
| third battalion was cut off, but they re-
| joined us later without trouble, having
but three men wounded. We soon halted
and received the good news that Mala-
| bon was taken, which cheered the boys
up. This was really the first time the
| Thirteenth Minnesota had good chance
| to fight together since the battle of Ma
| zoe drox hoo tha tn
| tense heat. Many men were overcome
and dropped. We could see men lying on
| the ground which we passed over, and
| of course thought they were dead or
| wounded, and for short time thought
| our loss was heavy, but we had but thir-
! teen men wounded and none killed Most
| er overcome with the terrible heat. AZ
/ ter halt was called a detail of thirty
men was ordered back to our former en-
! trenchmentS for ammunition, grub, etc.,
| which we had to bring across country for
| eleven miles. Col. Ames said be back be-
| fore 8 p. m, and don't come without it.
| was one of the thirty as before. We
| left the firing line at 1:30 p. M, and got
| to our former entertainments at $780, got
| some bull carts and drivers and loaded
| them with ammunition, grub, water, etc.
| We pushed and pulled those heavy carts
| loaded across streams, down and up ra-
| vines, through swamps, Dogs and rice
| fields, where it seemed almost impossible
! for pack mule to go, but we had good
bulls who were willing enough to go, but
! they could do nothing were it not for the
| generous soldiers, who can accomplish
! almost miracles it seems when it is nee
eSsary to do so.
| owe arrived on the firing line an hour
| before the allotted time. and were COM
| plimented by officers and men. We pack
| ed our extra ammunition in our haver-
sacks ESQ rounds) and after drinking
! some coffee laid down to sleep while our
outposts kept watch over us. We were
good and tired, and must have slept
! sound after tramping almost forty miles
When we awoke we found out the enemy
kept up continual fire all through the
night The boys showed us where their
! Mauser balls had struck the trees all
! around us. I never heard a sound, and,
| of course, they never touched me- We
were again ordered to pack up and go and
| guard the reservoir. We were headed by
Gen. Hale and staff and Col. Ames and
| staff.
Il forgot to tell you in my last letter
! that 1 was with my bunk mate. George
Baker when he got shot. He and / were
| front and to the last insurgent intrench-
| ment Baker was taken back to COM
| panys quarters. I captured a horse a
| little later, rode back and found the poor
| fellow literally covered with mud and
blood, having been shot through the
! neck, the ball entering close to the wind
| all of the war news | will write this time.
| Don't worry about me. I am well, and
| if I should be among the wounded or -
| dropped for my country as thousands
have done before. Everyone must die,
and If it's Gods will that die in battle
so be 1T. notice all kinds of stories
! half of them are lies. We are all right
| and will go home when this war is over
and not before. AT least won't go home
until I go with my regiment. We are
| veterans now. and can stand anything
| that comes along. ] have written q DIFF
ferent kind of a letter in tone to mother,
at least not so much war news in It, so
| don't show her this. With best love to
ALL"