The Topeka state journal., 1899-08-09


diers who had been compelled to fall
out to regain their commands. Those
who had stuck to their hayersacks had
rations, but many of the men had dis
carded everything not absolutely nee
essary in their long march, and were
dependent on others for their dinner
WORK OF OTIS CENSORSHIP.
I never felt the heat so much in my
life as during that long MONDAY ride
across the desert. The soldiers and
the ground seemed to be swimming be-
fore me, and the trees away off toward
the sea looked as tempting as ever
mirage did to a lost caravan.
In the cabled accounts of the Para
naque expedition very little was allowed
by General Otis to go regarding heat
prostrations. Any reference to the
enormous percentage of men who had
been exhausted was cut out, on the
ground that it would worry the people
at home and 3'have the United States
by the ears Anything calculated to
show the people at home that the SOL
diers are suffering terrific hardships in
their campaign here Is always carefully
eliminated. It could not be wondered at
if the United States thought that SOL
diering in the Philippines was a prim-
splendid victories. They hear of the
victories, but not Of the suffering that
is equally as heroic if not as spectacu-
lar.
We eamped in an open paddy field
that night, with paddy ridges or saddles
as pillows. Away in the late hours
there came the sounds of bugle calls in
Las P1naS, marking the evacuation OF
Noriel's army. When we lay down in
the midst of the darkness that night
among thousands of sleeping soldiers
many remarks were made on the possi-
biltty of a night attack, with q conse-
quent stampede of half-awakened SOL
diers, but we were all too tired to
care much whether the insurgents
opened up during the night or not.
OVENSHINE'S BRIGADE STAN
PEDED.
Over in Ovenshine's brigade a stam-
pede did occur, which for a time look
in the night, and while rambling around
stepped on sleeping soldier who
sprang up with a yell. The noise arous-
ed others, who grabbed their rifles and
sprang to their feet. Then someone
started to run, stepping on the soldiers
lying in his path, and in second the
camp was alive with men rushing about
in the darkness.
An officer of the Fourteenth infantry
who described the panic to me said that
it was the worst experience he had ever
had. He was awakened by the yelIs of
the men who had stampeded. The
darkness was intense, but he could see
scores of men outlined against the sky
ruShlng down on him. He yelled to his
own men to keep down, and he expected
every second to hear the first frantic
shot that would set the whole camp in
a panic. One soldier in running over
him stepped on his head. The yells
were increasing and the situation was
as horrifying as being in a, herd of stam-
peded cattle a surgeon in the hospital
quarters fired his revolver to divert the
charge, but not until wounded man,
who died later in the night, was run
over. His wound, which was an alb
dOm1nal one received in a fight during
the day, would have proved fatal any
way, but his death was hastened by be-
ing stepped on. In Wheaton's camp
we could hear the yelling, but supposed
1t came from insurgents back in the |
hills beyond the camp One ina aginative |
man swore he heard the cry ''Vive la |
republica Filipino and on his author
ity believed it, although could dis
tinguish nothing but a chorus of wild |
yelling.
During the night a heavy rain storm
came up and in the morning when I /
awoke I found myself in pool of mud |
with my clothing drenching wet.
The brigade was on the march before /
O'Clock in the morning and succeeded |
In crossing the river half mile below /
Las Pinas. Once across there was an |
unobstructed road leading into the /
town, and the insurgents had fed or |
put their white clothes.
The old church was found packed with |
men, women and children, with house /
hold effects, terrified and appealing A
native priest said that General NorieI |
Bacoor in the afternoon and night be |
fore. There were hundreds of sulIen- |
looking native men in white clothes |
who stood along the roadside as the |
American marched in. Many of them |
saluted in a soldierly way; they all /
looked like soldiers, and am convinced !
beyond doubt that every one of them |
who was between the ages of Is and 40 |
had served in the trenches against the |
Americans, and probably were handling /
Mausers and RemingtonS the day be- !
fore. The Filipino type of soldier is a /
very familiar one to me, for I saw in |
the old Cavite days a big part of the |
army of that province, and could have /
sworn that I recognized some of my old /
old friends lined in white clothes 2 +
Las Pinas. Where their rifles were |
don't know, but some night expect to |
hear that there viii be an uprising and |
slaughter IN that town.
The amigos" were treated with |
courtesy and kindness, just as if we /
never suspected, and they were prob
ably smiling in their sleeves at the ease
with which they could deceive los
AmericanOs."
By noon the natives had recovered
from their fear and were at their old /
fruit and chickens, while the strong, SOL /
dierly, white-clothed amigos were
doubtless counting our forces for the |
benefit of General Noriel.
RESULTS OF THE EXPEDITION.
This ended the expedition against
Paranaque and Las Pinas, although a |
further advance on Bacoor and linus |
was to be made day or two later. Our
losses were between twenty and thirty /
killed and wounded, but the great dis /
aster was the losses from heat. Men /
were knocked out so thoroughly that t
their usefulness in future long marches /
will be greatly lessened, for they will /
fall an easier prey to the sun. What /
the insurgents lost is unknown, but / /
hardly think it was many. The two
towns of Paranaque and Las Pinas I
were captured, but the insurgents got I
be half deserted those natives who re-
mained in it exhibiting neither friendli- /
ness nor hostility. A troop of the Ne
vada cavalry was sent to occupy it.