Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-04-21
North Dakota Boys Are Accustomed
to the Whistle Of Shot and Shell
in Battle.
Musician Pettee Writes of the Expert
ence of the Flickertail Regiment
in the Trenches.
The Inconvenience of Outpost Duty
A Month in the Field Exposed to
Enemy's Fire.

Of this letter is correct. We have
been out here in the jungle, five miles
from our quarters, nearly Il month
now. In fact u company has only
slept under a roof n night since the
v of the battle Feb. 4th, a month ago.
We are out in the country, about
three miles southwest of Fort Malate,
on the road from Pasai to San Pedro
Macati. We are on the firing line
II every night We sleep in our rifle
pits waiting for the ''niggers." Last
night did guard at our extreme out
post, that is three hundred yards in ad-
vance Of our trenches. The orders
were to halt no one but to fire on any
II who advanced from the front. You
will see that the position of IN outpost
is no easy thing. In case of an attack
his chances are about even to retreat
safely after his alarm shot or he shot
by the enemy before he can reach his
own lines. The natives keep up a
scattering fire nearly all of every
night, but seldom hit anyone. Their
lines are about one thousand yards
from II trenches. On our extreme
left ut San Pedro Macati the California
fellows have Il little skirmish every
day and the way those natives make
their Mausers crack is IL caution.
We've all got used to the sing of bullets
and the rattle of volley firing. l find
myself able to sleep through what
would be considered noise enough for
Il big Fourth Of July celebration at
home. Within IL stones throw from
our camp are two Calling guns and
one battery (siX guns) of light artillery.
They are all masked, however, and
the natives are o supposed to know
they are there, but il they ever attack
II lines here they'll get a warm re-
ception. If those poor blacks only
knew how utterly hopeless is their
fight they would surrender. AS soon
as we get Il few more troops here
they'll be driven like pigs to their
slaughter and if they don't. know
enough to quit they will be educated
with shot and shell.
There have been several severe
cases of small poX discovered here in
the past few days, and we have been
ordered to move across the road far
Their away from the infected shacks.
The natives do not realize how serious
small poX is, but our boys rush around
endeavoring to get away from it.
Every night about shutdown l roll
up my rubber blanket and the big
WOODEN one l brought from home,
buckle on my %six-shooter and cartridge
belt, shoulder my "Long Tom" Chats
what we call our Springfields) and go
out to the trenches. We have carried
out hay to use for beds and most of the
boys have some kind of a shelter to
sleep under. 1 took out Il section of
the roof Of a bamboo shack about ten
feet square, n end of which l placed
on the trench and the other on the
ground. This keeps off the dew
which is heavy enough to drench a
fellow to the skin if lie has no shelter.
The rubber blankets OF pOnchos that
we have are about four by six feet.
In the center is Il hole big enough to
get ones head through so when it rains
While Il man is on post duty he can
protect both himself. and his rifle. We
use them mostly to sleep on.
l hope it will not he long now before
we are ordered home. There will
probably he men enough here to re,
lieve all the volunteers before this
trouble is over
The sick report of iii company is
nearly deserted now. Our fifth man
to he discharged for disability left yes
terday. His name is Noyes. All of
the Bismarck boys are enjoying the
best Of health. Hugh Scott had a lit
tie adventure the other day by falling
into a we'll, but aside from a little
wetting was no worse for the accident.
This country is all cut up into rice
fields and they are irrigated by means
of big wells and bitches. 1t was into
II of these that Hugh fell.
My writing was just now inter-
rupted by a terrific volley which the
natives fired into our lines. The bull.
let's whizzed through the bamboo and
it's a wonder they did not hit anyone.
1 guess the natives are trying to
locate our artillery.
Just now I hear a shell from one of
Dewey's ships go screaming through
the air. When it reaches the end of
it's five mile journey there'll he a few
good" natives to testify to the accur-
acy of the american b%Oom-boom."
We've been very fortunate since we
have been out here in that it has not
rained much. Our rations are just
about as good as when we're in quar-
tiers and I guess We'll stay here quite a
while yet. It's cool enough here every
night SO a man can roll up in a blanket
and wish he had another, but it's pretty
hot in the day time. I don't mind the
heat much any more-when it's ninety
or a hundred we hardly notice it.
Sunday, March s.
We got some mail today and 1 had a
letter dated Jan. 9th. I was amused
by your mention Of cleaning the stove
pipes and fighting Jack Frost. I think
a heating stove and a few lengths of
stove pipe would make a good starter
for a dime museum in Manila.
Monday, March 6.
Last night after I went out to the
trenches Lieut.. Newcomer told me one
Of the men was sick and I would have
to do two hours outpost guard. So l
rolled owe and went to sleep till IL
o'clock. Ben Rose and I had the ex.
treme outpost. We had been out
there about an hour when the natives
turned loose on our lines. OF course
we had to retreat to the trenches be-
fore q shot could be fired but as we
tumbled owe the trench amid q stream
of lead the order was given tn com