The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-07

the like. I'm building a block house
now, so you see I'VE had little time I
could call my own.
FIGHT WITH ARROWS.
Out of the 225 men here, only one has
been killed, one severely wounded, and
/ think FIVE or six slightly hurt. To
show for this, so have been counted by
us killed and wonderland as they al
ways, If possible, carry off their dead
and wounded, this is but a small pro-
portion. From prisoners we have learn
ed that over 15O have been killed in the
fighting around the town. This may
sound like a Spanish fairy tale, but you
must remember that but few of the
natives have rifies-40 at the most In
this section-and the others fight with
bows and arrows, or spears or bolos. We
were led merry chase for the first
month and half. We were In the
trenches, or fighting, or at least fired
upon, almost every night. All the town
outside of our line has been burned by
the insurgents and we have had several
hard fights to keep them from burning
that portion Of it inside our lines. The
public house, or what might be called
the court house-which we were occu-
pying as a barracks, was burned, the
fire starting from a fire arrow, which
lighted on the mesa grass roof These
natives have lots of nerve when they
can sneak up on man, or when they
can wing a soldier and have a good
| chance to get away. On the trip TO
| Pillar, town about seven miles from
here hardly "nigger" was seen on the
way there. The detachment started
| back home, and one man dropped back
perhaps so feet behind the rear guard.
Instantly two spears came singing
through the air from a bluff overhang-
ing the path. One spear passed through
his haversack and the other just grazed
his back.
The first three days We were he-e
four Cinnamon came into town all cut
up and slashed. I suppose they were
caught near our lines so they could drag
themselves in and be a horrible exam
pie" of what would become of us should
the insurgents get hold of one of us,
After that you could depend upon IT,
that the American soldiers at that post
would never be taken alive.
MOUNTAIN CAMPAIGNING.
The hardest hike" we have ever
| taken was the one to Bannangaran and
San Vincente. These were villages faI
back in the mountains. The mountains
and hills at home generally run in ran
ges, so that one can either travel the
ridges or follow the valleys; but not sc
with these hills. They have no general
contour, but seem to be set down any
old way, one butted up against the
other. They are all very steep and the
| sides are covered with dense tropical
growth. The roads through these will
dernesses are scarcely more than foot
paths.
Before daylight the expedition left
Donsol, crossing the Donsol river
There were 100 men under command OF
our major, each man having one days
rations Zone can of salmon and IA hard
tack), and a canteen Of water. For @
mile we toiled through the deep sand OF
the beach, and just as the sun showed
in the east we broke into the hills, and
for six miles, over hill and valley
through swamp and stream, with scarce
rest, we marched as hard as we could
| go, and then swooped down, double
time, on the house of an insurgent ma
jor, and captured him. Here we rested
ate dinner, drank the delicious and re-
freshing milk of the cocoanut, and con-
tinued our march toward Bannangaran
I arriving toward evening. The column
was halted back of the hills, and party
sent out to reconnoiter. They reported
that they thought all the women and
children had left the town, which
ALWAYS MEANS TROUBLE.
The Donsol river at this point runs
| tho
side, and the town lay on a small plat
eau on the east side. The plateau rose
abruptly from the river, and on the
east the north and the west sides the
| hills lowered high above the little set
tlement. 1t was decided that the
command should be evenly divided, and
one party should cross the river below
the town, thus surrounding and at
| lacking on the south and east sides
The other party was to cross above the
| town and attack from the north side
and the river. l was with the first par
| ty, with Captain Hart. With the sharp
shooters on the bank in our rear &c
cover our crossing, we forded the river
which came to our arm pits. Luckily
for us the ford was just below slight
bend in the stream and the enemy coulc
not see us. / stopped at the junction OF
several paths to post the rear guard
and then started on the run for the
main party. / reached them just II
time. Had been but ten seconds later
/ would not be writing you tonight. The
insurgents opened up from the sur
rounding hills and where I had JUS
crossed was one sheet Of lead from oul
own and the enemy's fire. The firms
kept up for ten minutes. Our men al
had good cover, and with our old-tim'
luck, no one was hit, although one maj
had the butt-plate knocked off his rifle
another was hit in the leg by splin
ter and four or five had bullets through
their clothes.
The other party were not so fortunate
When they appeared on the river banl
the insurgents opened fire almost II
their faces One sergeant was severel.
wounded in the thigh, and three other
were slightly wounded.
|