West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-01-11
FIGHTING FiLIPINos
Letter From Lieut. Harry Neff or the
Regular Army Now in the
Philippines.


received both OF your letters
to- day and am now Fastening to
answer them. You know how glad
] was to receive a letter sron home
after waiting 20 days without re-
ccIsing any letters. | expected
five or six at least and was waiting
very impatiently for the steamer to
arrive and had my "mouth all
fixed" to read several letters, Sut
to my dismay | only received one
and 10 papers. But | may get
come more later. A person can
only live in hope--and die in de-
SPAR AZ the best Of times-and
these are not very healthy times
around here now for any one. But
"a person gets used to it. So many
sklrmishes and fights person gets
used to it the same as going to
dinner, and thinks great deal
less of?
An aide will come galloping
forward. come up to me, salute and
say; "Lient. NeG, Gen. Mac
Arthur's compliment 10 you, sir,
and directs that you move forward
with your platoon IN five minutes
700 yards, then move by the right
hank to such place Ga tree, rock,
river or some designated point
their engage the enemy and draw
their fire Chat is get them to
shooting at you and attract their
attention and fire from some other
position so we can place gun or
some infantry thero) until you
hear the big field pieces go off, then
charge their trenches, kill and
capture everything in sight. Charge
the trenches IN such a way that
will drive them toward our left
wing, where so and so infantry or
artillery will be waiting for them.
That is the kind of orders you re-
ceive, and tls hailed by brighton
ing eyes, men straighlen up and
tighten their ammunition belt
(Which hold $50 rounds) and look
fondly Mt their gun and perhaps
pat it lovingly. And brighter
lot Of men you could never expect
to see, even the children in the
States starting on picnic. Your
order is given to you us a matter of
fact that you are to, "charge and
take their trenches and drive them
towards the left wing" There is
no such thing as fail. An Ameri.
cau soldier does not know what
thnt is.
The five minutes is almost up
aud the men are getting impatient
for me to give the command to
move forward Now The time has
come. | face about and give the
command, platoon, attention -
Every man springs to his place,
looking happy and bright flush
ON his check. Then the commend
is given Right forward, fours
right. march !" And my little
column swings out with aswinging
step and light heart. Then we
move the 700 yards to the front
and then by the right flank then
form skirmishes, the enemy has
discovered us and are now pouring
a fussilade at us, but we move in
our direction, not changing our
gait or noticing IT apparently. Not
near as much as you. back in The
States wouli rain Storm. Aud
it is surprising bow thick tie bull
lets can fall and one not be
bit. Zone thing, always remem-
Der. never dodge, for you are liabN
to dodge III the way Of another
bulleD.
Ee move OF un,il we reach our
place, then give the command.
load cat SO many yards, "fre
by yolley." platoon fire ~ Then
we commence to give it to them
and keep 70 up as fast as the maya.
zine guns viii work, bus all The
time firing by yollcy, and tie
platoon RPS out one volloy after
another The same as one man.
We stay there and draw ain their
Gre and listen for ibc SOUND Of The
big gun 1bose The ain aud roar.
sou hear &C., heavy
kind Of noise That you can just
hear now, but II everything was
quiet 10 would shakc the Garth. My
men look 40 me luqWringly and
take another hitch in their belts I
face my men and below ont