The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-16
THR fIRST MGHT

command of the First Brigade Of Cen
eral MaeArthur's division, preparatory
to entering the Second Reserve Hos
pitag, to undergo an operation for an
old injury received in the campaign
with Garcia, General Frederick Funs-
ton gave the following account of the
most dramatic scene of the Filipino
instruction, says the correspondent at
San Fernando, LuEOn, P. L, of the st.
Louis Globe-D Democrat:
"For some days previous to this time
the insurgents had almost hourly
grown more insulting in speech and
daring in manner The conflict 50 soon
to occur had been nearly prectpitated
on the I'd by an insurgent oficer with
detachment Of about forty natives-all
armed and very drunk-attempting to
pass the line held ~ the Nebraska reg.
iment. on that occasion only the tact
and soldleFly attitude Of Colonel stot-
sehburg prevented fight,
But to come to the might Of the 9Th.
Thrice challenged and told to halt by
o sentinel near the Santa Mesa bridge,
party Of four armed insurgents at
tempted to force our lines and eStab-
| lIah an outpost actually within our
territory. Il was about $3.50 o'clock, and
as a good soldier obeying orders. that
man Of the Nebraska fired, and Aired to
kill, and the fight Was'on.
The Nebrnsknns, having reinforced
their line, awaited results. They had
not long to wait-nerhapS thirty min
utes. AS they q ,od in the deepening
darkness, from across the river there
broke out q long horizontal sheet OF
flashes. marking for brief instant the
line Of insurgent trenches. Volley fol-
lowed volley with deatenihg crashes. A
desperate attempt to cross the bridge
over the San Juan and inthe immediate
front Of the Nebraska was soon made
by the rebels, and very nearly sue
ceeded. They were checked only when
well near our side.
/ had tust gone to bed when. Major
Metcnlf knocked on my door and said:
Colonel, It's on! It's ONT"
To tumble out. strike q light. and
hastily dress took but a very few min
utcs-all except the dresslng-I couldn't
find one boot. You would think man
could find boot In lighted room in
two seconds-I'm afraid that was
somewhat excited. II found, called
the orderlles to saddle the ponies. and,
going out on a rear balcony OF my
headquarters with the major, far away
10 the cast and working to the north
we could hear the pnc-oww-pac-oww.
that unmistnkable double report OF
MnUsers, Az we stood, even for that
brief while. the pops grew Into dull
rom. My own regiment, though quar-
tered IN town, maintained strong OUT
post OF seventy men on the Caloocan
road, and felt that in but o short
time they. too, would be engaged.
The horses brought, down into the
street We clatterea. And strangely
quiet and deserted that street was
not a sound. not nntive-all gone. In
hiding. The three short blocks to tho
reRlmental headquarters required but
little time. There we found the regi-
jokinR, and all Impotence to move.
They had stood much IN those
last weeks. but that Ind been n person.
al grievance. Now It whs the nation
that was being made target. Taking
two battallons we broke into column OF
fours and took up the route to our pre-
vIously designated positions.
"The men continued to chan and
comment and were positively gleeful.
They couldn't be kept quiet, Their
eagerness was unbounded. Arriving
near our outposts, the firing that had
gradually crept towards our front
from away on on the right broke out
ahend OF US. We could hear, Captain
Clark with the greatest GOODNESS giving
his commands for volley firIng-and
then, sst! spat! The bullets from the
enemy sped by or landed In Nipa huts.
II was odd how quiet had crept over
the men; and II crept so quickly. too;
no more laughter-now II was business.
But their eaEerness was not abated,
and the check on their chatting was, in.
deed. but temporary; they soon broke
out again.
To add to the Facket-there was no
conEusIon-at Irregular intervals theirs
tore over our heads shrnpnel from the |
old smOoth-boTe that the rebels had |
planted about three-fourths OF n mile |
TO our front. But on IN the narrow
through gardens, behind walls and |
houses, we were In position: battalion |
on either side OF the street. That old |
cannon kept ripping out It's internal |
roar and the men were fairly crnZy to |
locate its position.
Once established we opened in VOL
leyB, firing slowly and well under con-
troll. but the insurgents with plenty OF |
ammunition kept the scenery pretty |
thoroughly punctured with their rife !
flrc. They were using individual IRE |
md were reckless in extreme In their
expenditure Through the long night |
their IRE kept up-now ragged and |
slow and then bursting into quick, !
fierce volleyF. Morning. no longed for, |
finally dawned. What long night Il |
was. We made q slow, steady advance |
OF about four hundred yards, followed |
shortly by n Hecond Of two hundred. |
Then got word from the Third Artil- |
lery on our right, that they were
cramDed by the ground and Intended |
making forward movement to get In
to better position.
Daylight showed us n line OF the |
enemy some eight hundred yards away,
behind a bntricRdo-and daylight also
brought with II a terrific fire from the |
navy. But my two advances had |
thrown the left Of my regiment pretty |
we'll up into the linz Of their IRE Bbell-
indeed. II looked n bit on II the navy |
were Smelling my left Happily but one
slight injury was received by our men,
The navy fire having ceased, I encour-