The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-03-31
A Manila Letter.


first battle:
La the field safe and sound. Feb. 9th
suppose you have heard of the battle
we had yesterday. Saturday evening
about ten O'clock we were ordered into
the trenches. About eleven o'clock
the Nebraska boys were having ii
heavy. They were camped about
three miles northeast of US, and two
miles east OF Manila. About twelve
the tenth Pennsylvania were shooting
quite a bit. They were just north OF
town. AT three We were doing little
shooting, and from that .ime we were
peppering for the rest o. the night.
The Insurgents began it la every case.
AT about four We were all shooting as
last as we could; it lasted until six,
when it let up little. 1t makes a
| person feel queer to have the bullets
go zip, and the shells rattle past, but
none OF us finched a bit. We would
all duck when bullet went past. but
did not duck until the bullet was long
past, but we could not help it.
AT daylight we had breakfast. Our
quartermaster went back to quarters,
and the Cinnamon had some hot
coffee, hard tack and a little canned
stuff for us. After breakfast we all
filled our haversacks with ammunition
again and did little shooting. Then
the Colonel ordered charge and away
we started. First Lieut.. Southern in
charge, for the Colonel had ordered
our Captain back. into town to act AS
Colonel and take charge OF things
the:e. Parts of our regiment had al
ready tlanked the Insurgents on both
sides, and we went straight at them
under a heavy fire. We crossed a
river about waist deep and ran for
about $50 yards to a raised road or
bank, where we stopped and began
firing again. We stayed there nearly
thirty minutes. There Private Mackel
and second Lieut.. Joseph Smith were
wounded, Mackel IN the head and
Smith in the leg. We then made an
other charge of hundred yards and
lay down behind an Insurgent trench,
fred little and got our breath. We
then charged about five hundred yards
across an open field and never stopped
until we took the fort at Santa Anna
and the convent. Another hov, who
had got lost and attached himself to
our company, was killed. Thus we
drove them before us, and took their
headquarters and big barracks. We
also captured two Krupp guns, about
four inch gun, lately improved. We
got here about eleven o'clock Sunday
morning. Part of the Idahos were on
our left, and Company X. First Cali
fornia were on our right. The rest of
the California came up behind us as
support.
There we're about forty u S. soldiers
killed and hundred wounded. About
four in the morning the heavy firing
began, and from then until we took
Santa Anna, seven hours, we were un-
der fire, and only two of our company
were wounded. will not tell you
about the after part, it is too awful.
We run over the dead and wounded
bodies in horrible shape. 1 do not
know whether we are done yet or not,
but ] hope so. The after part is too
awful. Company A got cut up pretty
badly. 1t is estimated that there were
about five thousand Insurgents killed
and wounded and about two or three
thousand taken prisoners. The In
surgents captured one OF our officers
and cut him all to pieces.
This pen, paper and Ink yesterday
morning belonged to the Insurgent
soldiers; now they are mine.
Feb. 9th, Thursday. 1 have, not
had my belt off, let alone shoes or
clothes since last Friday night, and I
am nearly worn out. Saturday night
we got no sleep, and Sunday, Monday
and Tuesday nights we had about two
hours sleep, as we have been busy run
ming around getting things fixed up
and guarding prisoners all day and
making them work. Between times
we have been moving our things OUT
here from our old quarters. We are
going to stay here at least for awhile.
We will never go back to our old
quarters. / cannot write any more, /
have nearly an hour before supper and
am going to take nap.
Feb. 10th, got last night into bed
and will try and write some more /
do not feel very good yet, my nerves
feel as if they were all mixed up, and
it seems as if when / write my hand
won't go right. Mackel, who was