The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-16

much better stand than I thought they
would, but we finally drove them from
their position in the trenches.
As we advanced across the open field.
the enemy apparently couldn't "savey "
it! We advanced so yards at a time,
then fell down behind trenches which
were made by insurgents. We gave
them a few we'll directed volleys, then
advanced to the next cover. AS we
advanced a perfect hail Of bullets fell
all around us, and passed above US,
and passed above us, but not n OF
of my company was killed. but one
corporal was hit on two OF his toes
Our marines landed on the right OF
US, and just slaughtered insurgents.
One of our naval boats was close in
near shore, and was we'll masked" with
palms, so the enemy thought it was
only a merchant boat, and advanced
close to it, when it opened up it's guns
on them, killing 40 at one shot. That
put the fear of our country into them,
d. SAOy 4UA 4S0HS SA
who poured death into them.
We destroyed n Of their block
houses which contained 5000 rounds
of ammunition, and some guns. We
found an insurgent officers horse shot
by about 25 of our bullets. When
night came on the enemy ceased
firing Remingtons at us and fired only
Mausers. Two Tennesseeans fought
by my side, they using Springfield
rifles, and I had the Krag Jorgenson
rifle.
The n who was killed on side
was buried in a Spanish cemetery, in
which many insurgents are supposed
to have been buried. The cemetery
was once a costly affair, and Spain
taxed all who buried in it, eve her
own subjects, and when the family or
friends of a dead person refused to pay
the taxes, their dead's bones we're
taken and thrown in a heap, in the
corners of the cemetery. There are
hundreds Of skulls and other bones
bleaching in the sun. Similar sights
may be seen at cemeteries all over the
country.
There is an angel made of stone and
placed on top Of the tower at the GENE
terry. He represents Gabriel blowing
the trumpet, on the resurrection morn,
but it seems that Spain did some Of she
r~esurrecting in taking up those bones.
There is a house here where images
of Christ were made; We boys found
several OF the images, one of which had
blood emeared on the face, and large
drops Of blood on the body, which is
supposed to resemble the crucifxion of
Christ.
a lieutenant and l went to a house
where Cinnamon made a cheap drink
called ''beno." We found 13 China
men and several barrels Of the drink,
80 We made them empty the stuff into
the street and the lieutenant arrested
all of them, and had me put them to
WORK building breastworks. Several
of them looked as though they never
did any work and they bitterly pro.
tested against having to work.
Several Of my comrades are stuff n
ing from rheumatism, which they got
by lying in the trenches. The sick re
port of our forces is increasing at a
great rate.
must say something for my brave
company commander. He is as fine a
man as I aver n ct, and when he ad
dresses his men, he does it in a quiet
way, not as l have heard some officers
address men. He never brags Of what
he can and will do, but when he arrives
on the battlefield, he acts like q fighter,
and not q talker. While he ordered
ell his men to lie down behind the
trenches, he stood straight up and gave
the commands in a cool, self composed
manner, which won him the admira
ton of all who saw his actions.
Since the battle, we have seen the
enemy hauling their dead in TX carts,
1 think for every one of u men hit,
there were a dozen or more of theirs
killed.
1 wish to . ect two mistakes which
I made IN my first letter toyour paper;
Is, l N listed il the third regular in
fantry and was transferred to 18th :;
M0W nj 4 nv