The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-14
UNDER FIRE IN
In PHILIPPINES,
Corporal Engel Has Some In
teresting Experiences.
BRUSHES WITH THE FILIPINOs
Band Men Made Th themselves Useful where
ever They Could-Always on
the Alert For an
Attack.

the Alert For an
Attack.
Albert Wolf, of this city, has received
a most interesting letter from William
G. Engel, member Of the 2Sth infantry
band, now in the Philippines, which con-
tains some good reading. The letter
made remarkable time in coming, hav.
ing been mailed at Manila on August |
8, and arriving at Canton postoffice Sep
tember 2. In his letter, Corporal Engel |
says:
up to the 9Th inst. things were going
on as usual, but on the morning of that
day at about 4:45, the town of Taal was
attacked by the insurgents. They num-
bered about 1900, and opened fire on
all sides. By the time we could get un-
der arms they had driven the outposts
in and were advancing into the town
1t did not take us three minutes to
jump into our fighting clothes, and the
| first battalion of the 2Sth U. S. V. were
| into good hot fight in no time. The
| band reported to the four companies
(what there was of them), and were
furnished with rifles. Those who could
/
and act as hospital corps. This was all
done in considerably less time than 1t
takes to tell it. Then we marched out
in four directions to meet the enemy.
"Well IL ever the insurgents got
warm reception 1t was then. We did not
have but few squares to go to meet
them, as they were already in the town.
The detachment I was with had ad-
vanced toward the east, and met the
enemy at a crossroads. They were fir
ing wild and rapidly, while we were
| TAKING MATTERS COOL.
Finally we charged them and came
so close to them that one of our men
smashed 'Pino's head with the butt of
his gun. Just at that moment, one of
our men fell. Captain Lang and my
self ran up to the head of the line and
carried the unfortunate fellow to the
rear, bound his wounds and started for
the hospital, three-quarters of mile
away. 1t was perilous piece Of work,
for the friendly natives who lived In
the houses along the road had dug up
: their rifles and were firing from the win
dows at the soldiers as they passed
We were so interested we did not even
notice the weight of our patient, who
was an easy 200 pounds.
I'VE had quite few narrow escapes
but we arrived safely. Our man had
( ben hit by an explosive bullet. He had
been hit in the foot, and the bone was So
badly shattered that he was compelled
to have it amputated. 1t went through
the foot and tore a heel off his shoe
: Then we returned to our post, and fount
A.. things still pretty hot. We had another
= victim to hustle down to the operating
table. This trip was worse than thu
first one, for the natives were still fir
e ing from their windows, and this tim
: were coming heap closer One bal
!. passed through the crown of my hat.
thought Of ten thousand diffieren
= things at that moment, but there wa
- no turning back, for our errand wa
:, important. I saw the "nigger," an
u could have shot him with my revolver
e for he was not over fifteen yards fron
: me.
h DEFENDING THE HOSPITAL.
u "Once more we arrived at the hospital
8 only to find that our latest patient wa
IS mortally injured. But just then we say
n the enemy advancing rapidly on tn
e hospital, and there were but two guard
n there to face them. 1 picked up riff
belonging to one of the wounded an
Joined the little party in front of tn
), hospital. We removed the stone step
', from in front of the building, and wit
Ii them we built sort of barricade, whic
', protected us to a great extent from tn
l. enemy's bullets, which We're by tina
e time coming fast and thick. We &c
y down into our little trench and com
- menced making 1t interesting for tn
% foolhardy insurgents. The first shot
" fired Jared my frame a little, but
think got my man. There were abou
is 20 insurgents in that bunch, and W
l. drove them out in that many minute!
l. leaving several dead and five or 81
Is wounded. We still held our post ther,
awaiting another attack, but by tina
time they had their hides pretty full
for they were getting 1t from all side!
At another point, there was a detach
ment Of eight men commanded by Lieu
Il Teegarden, held off 800 insurgent
They were at a great disadvantage fo
there were only about 115 men in tn
post who were fit for duty, the balanc
Of the battalion being out on recon
noitering exposition, and quite a fe'
w. were sick in the hospital.
TAAL WAS BURNED.
1--WE had very hard fight but cam
- out victorious. Our casualties were
:. men wounded, none killed. The ir
- surgents lost so killed and 120 wounded
The firing ceased about s o'clock, and a
- $50 1t was discovered that the town wa
a afire. The flames spread rapidly an
!. ere many hours the entire town wa
- under good headway. The fire laste
= three days, destroying the most valu
,, able residences In Luzon. In all, ther
!, were over 1000 houses burned. 1t
- impossible to estimate the loss, a
:, seven-eighths of the homes were ur
occupied, their owners being out on tn
line. Taal was a town where many {
=, the insurgent officers and leaders liveI
!" and consequently wealthy town.