Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-06-05

die. The Americans determined to
make dash for life and agreed upon a
signal for the. start. They were told
that, according to custom, they must
die with their backs to their execution
ers, with faces turned from the firing
squad. They saw just in front Of them
a large, deep gully skirted with
growth of bushes and small trees. The
commander granted them q moment
for prayer, and they kneeled, with their
backs to the firing squad, who bowed
their heads for an instant in respect
for the doomed Americans. At sig
nal James and Peterson dashed for the
ditch. A volley crashed behind Them
and each was pierced with Mauser bull.
let's, but they reached the shelter alive.
Peterson, who was hit hard, buried
himself in the underbrush. snd the FL
lipinos blundered past him In pursuit
of James,. A scouting party Of Ameri:
cans heard the firing and reached the
scene in time to save their comrades,
both of whom will recover from their
wounds.
W. R. hurry Of Company e. Six
teenth United States infantry, far in
the interior Of Luzon. P. l.. writes his
father, J. w. hurry Of Ethel, Macon
county, near Macon, Mo-. letter con-
tanning an interesting account of
piece Of daring by two young soldiers
Of his company. its fatal results and
the swift apprehension of the ambush
ing party Of insurgents, says the st.
Louis Globe Democrat. The letter was
received the other day.
1.-Two volunteers were called for"
writes Private hurry, Ito man a small
launch loaded with supplies for one Of
the outposts some 80 miles up the riv-
er. A hundred hands went up. The
two men from our company were Sc
lected because of their known precision
with the rife and quick eyes. ~s We
crowded down to the landing to see
them off and wish them godspeed on
their perilous voyage, and even there
several tried to get them to exchange
places It Is hard to explain the fas-
cinatlon an errand of that sort has for
soldier: there were men there who
would gladly have given their months
pay to have got in that little craft.
"The next we heard Of the expedition
was two days afterward, when some
Of the boys were in the water and
found a floater. The body was taken
ashore and found to be one of the SOL
diers who had volunteered to take the
supplies up the river. He was literally
cut to pieces, and determined effort
had been made to sever the head from
the body. Che body was entirely nude.
This was the first many Of us had
seen Of such warfare, and several were
sickened at the CHASTITY sight. Then
we waited with much foreboding for
news of his companion. But he had
better fortune. He came in late in the
evening as party was about to be
sent out to hunt for him. He told us
that when within eight miles Of their
destination, while passing through a
narrow channel, their boat struck some
sort of an obstruction and almost i'm
mediately the bank was alive with a
crowd of bowling and gesticulating
Filipino warriors. Both soldiers pick
ed up their guns and thinned out the
enemy some, but his companion was
struck down and could not escape. He
did his best to get the boat of, and at
last found it would be two dead men
instead of one IL he remained; so, after
emptying his gun, he made for the op-
~
"Next day scouting party was sent
out and succeeded In capturing 21 in
surgents not far from the place the
launch was attacked. -Four Of the men
captured had serious wounds, furnish
ing pretty good evidence they belonged
to the ambuscade. It was learned
there had been three killed outright;
SO our comrade made them pay for his
Nfe.''
Chester Kennedy Of Company F,
Forty-f1fth regiment, U. 8. A., located
on Luzon island, in the Philippines,
writes home. according to a Muncie
Qnd.) dispatch to the Chicago Trib-
une, describing the recent landing
Of his company. The boys were forced
to wade ashore in mud and water
waist deep from the transport, and all
the time ambushed Filipinos were FIR
ing at them.
One soldier was killed and buried
near by. That night the negroes dug
him up and cut his heart out. They
roasted it and placed 1t on a pole, with
a notice that all Americans would be
treated likewise If they did not leave.
The body was again buried and again
dug up, and this time only the bones
were recovered by, the soldiers, who
were then sent to burn the town and
shoot the negroes, ten Of whom were
killed. Kennedy says the Luzon resi-.
dents believe that they have to kill
an American seven times before he will
quit fighting. ,.-e'.' :.
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