The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-03
FOUGHT WITH SABRES.
A Lonely Battle Between an American
Blacksmith and a BloodtMrsty Fillpi-

A Lonely Battle Between an American
Blacksmith and BloodtMrsty Filipi-
no.
r. j. Armstrong went to the Philip
pines, not to fight, but to tack shoes on
the feet of the regimental horses sup
posed to accompany the First Colorado
Judging from the SCARED and battered
appearance Of that gentleman it is pre-
sumed that he saw more fighting than
horseshoeing during his stay abroad.
Among the volunteers who returned
was Armstrong. He marched in one Of
the companies, but with the conclusion
of the welcoming ceremonies FASTENED
to his home and there donned civil
ian dress in which he wandered down
town to shake hands with his numerous
friends. In reply to a question from one
of them as to whether or not he had
seen any fighting he pointed with some
pride to his right eye, over which Is to
be seen scar fully an inch long.
THAT ie a relic Of one Of my fights"
said he, "and this is another" AT the
same time he rolled up the sleeve cover
ing his left arm, displaying what was
once deep cash about three inches in
length on MS IOTedrIl.
The worthy man of Drawn went on to
relate that teh strip of white skin TAX
ing the place of his right eyebrow came
as the result Of one of the regiments
early engagements. His place was In
the rear, where he would be accessible
should his services be needed for the
Tightening or removing of any of the
shoes belonging to the officers horses
A Mauser bullet happened to fly high In
the air and to return to the earth in
Armstrong; immediate vicinity. Had
he not thrown his head back suddenly
just at the moment that the ball whizz-
ed by he would not have returned. AS
it was he lost his eyebrow.
1t was the forearm scar that elected
the better story. Armstrong was fol-
lowing the regiment on one Of its active
days when Irving Hale was still Col
onel and in command. The Colonels
horse was sent back to have a shoe
frightened, and the regimental sheer dis
mounted from his steed, which he was
riding, leaving his sabre against the
back of a bamboo shack near which he
had stopped Taking his hammer, nails
and pincers he went after the refractory
shoe at the tune of a little Irish pro-
family, but had succeeded only little
way with his task when he was startled
to see a 2OO-pound Filipino, almost
naked and brandishing d heavy sabre,
coming toward him in a war-like atti-
tude. Armstrong took in the whole sit
uation at a glance. The native was be-
tween him and his horse where his
pistol had been left, and his sabre stood
some feet distant on the other side. AS
quick as thought and just as the Fill
Pine was about to strike heavy blow,
the Colorado man hurled his hammer in
the direction of his foe and bounded
toward the shack to recover his sabre
The hammer did not hit the mark at
which it was aimed, but the Filipinos
weapon did 1t struck the horseshoer
on the left forearm, cutting it to the
bone. This did not deter the American
from making things interesting for his
adversary, however, for as soon as he |
could tinsheath his truety steel he was |
it in the face Of the black |
nan. The battle that followed in that |
1ismal solitude was fierce and to the |
leath When both combatants had been
worn almost to exhaustion Armstrong
struck the Filipino blow that split his
skull from forehead to neck.
Then he frightened the ColonePs
lorse'e shoe. The orderly had to wait
or few minutes when he returned for
he steed, but Armstrong made no ex-
use for the delay.-Denver News.