The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1899-03-25
MANILA, P. L., Feb. 10, 1899.

MAGlLAy 4. III = cUs lOs lo00s
EDITOR SILVER BLADE:
Thinking short description of the
part that Company B took In our inl-
tial fight with our erstwhile Filipino
allies would, perhaps, be of interest
to your readers, l shall attempt to
give 1t as saw it.:
The officers came over to the mems
quarters on Saturday evening and
ordered everybody to be ready to fall
in at a moments notice. Everyone
saw to it that his hayersack contained
an extra one hundred rounds Of ammu-s
milton; that his blanket, shelter tent
and p0ncho were properly rolled, and
that all OF his equipments were IN
good condition, the proper place, etc.
We had been called out so often
and nothing had ever come of it,
that we considered this scare like all
Its predecessors, nothing but fake.
l lay down and went to sleep, but
was aroused about $3.50 by someone
bawling out Company B, Fall inl"
The companies Of the End battalion
I'D, b, G and G were formed and
marched TO the Pace church, where
we were held In reserve during the
greater part Of the night. We did
not know at this time that the church
contained two hundred well armed
insurgents. or we would have had a
gay night OF it with them.
For FIVE hours we remained station
ed there with nothing to break the
monotony Of the scene save the fash
from the guns Of the enemy, answer
ed quickly by those Of our troops, and
the heavy peals from the batteries
which reverberated from the walls Of
the ancient edif1ce where we stood.
Toward morning we were moved up
to act as a support to the Washington
regiment, which had been holly en-
gagged during the entire night. 1t
was here that we heard the bullets
sing for the first time. I don't know
how the other boys felt, but nearly
broke my neck trying to dodge the
first few that came really close.
| Sergeant Scott and Private Hall
were wounded here, Halls wound
proving fatal. Inc command was
marched in for breakfast and imme-
diately returned to the Pace church.
After lying there short time we
were ordered up on the firing line, and
right here occurred one of the most
exciting little experiences that it has
ever been my lot to pass through.
The church was filed with armed
insurgents and as soon as we arose to
leave, they opened fire on US. The ali
was filled with singing lead and had
they possessed any skill In the hand
ling of fire arms, many men must
have fallen; but thanks to their poor
Workmanship. not man was hurt.
We were moved short distance for
ward, halted few moments and was
then ordered to charge the church,
After firing over a Thousand rounds Of
ammunition into it, with only now
and then the head of PHILIPPINE tt
aim at, the enemy were not dis
lodged until the torch was applied
and the building doomed to destruc
tion.
/ When the flames drove them from The
church they attempted to make theil
escape across rice field to the
Passig river. It was here that thu
boys who had practiced shooting jack
rabbits on the run got ia their deadly
work. A PHILIPPINE would start from
the church on the dead run for the
river, but before he would get ont
hundred yards away he would LEAF
high in the air and come down tt
earth In heap. A few surrendered
but the majority either perlshed IL
the flames or were shot down while
trying to make their escape. Seventy
nine bodies were buried between thu
church and the river.
When we again came upon the fir
ing line we witnessed a never to- be
forgotten battle scene. One gun Of
the 9Th artillery was located near Z
bridge and was paying its respects tt
the enemy in very effective manner
We could see long lines OF men ad
vancing upon the insurgent lines an(
firing as they went. Companies l