Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-03-03
SCOUTING IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Corporal 0odseii Of the 10th Writes Of Battle
and SklrmlSheS,

SCOUTING IN THE PHILIPPINES
Corporal OedseiI Of the 10th Writes Of Battle
and Skirmishes.
Corporal Thomas Godsell of the
10th infantry, scout in the Philip
pines, writes an interesting letter 10
his brother here in which he de
scribes some of the recent skirmish
es in which his battalion has beer
engaged. Extracts from the lettel
follow:
81 have at last got settled dowr
where l can write. We have beer
out on the firing line in the south,
We left Manila Jan. sd and have
been hiking ever since. We ran
into a little town called Selang and
had brush with the natives Jan. s
and captured and held the town four
day S and lived on the enemy's coun-
try-on chickens and pigs, cigars
and cigarettes in great plenty. but
We left there and marched through
several small towns without meeting
resistance. l was fired upon while
scouting in the woods but could not
find them. l had two men with me.
We were not hit-the natives cannot
shoot for cent. We winged two
and wounded several in skirmish on
the Sth. We reached place called
Beleion at noon OF the 18th and
got few shots from the woods but
did not return the fire. We took
them by surprise and they lit out.
We caught one of their sharp-shoot-
ers.
We pushed on to the next town,
eight miles, and got there just at
dusk. The enemy had left there
two hours before. We stayed all
night and started for Lemari in the
morning, and there is where we ran
up against it for fair. We ran into
Il small town, the scouts being Il
long distance in the lead of the col
umn when we came on to a small
company OF insurgents-about 3S of
them. We were II and opened fire
at about $50 yards and they returned
it. We charged them and they
broke. was sent to the road to the
right with two men and ran almost
into eight of tie natives. We SUR
prised them and they fired a few
shots but were so scared they missed
us. There was some hustling and
they were we'll scattered when the
companies came up.
"We started for Lemar, after the
fight. We had gone about six miles
when we went plumb into the en-
emy's skirmish line and had another
running fight and chased them into
the woods.
~ will tell you about our last big
fight. We were deployed as skir-
mishers, creeping upon Lemari when
the whole side hill to our left seem
ed to shoot at once about 400 yards
from us. The enemy opened fire
from the trenches, and such fire!
They more than poured it. into
us, but we gave it back to them.
We gave the yell and charged in
their direction and kept up the firing
for about two hours and half.
They were coming thick and fast,
and | tell you that bullets don't sound
like "Home, Sweet Home" on a vic.
lin.
"We drove them from the first
two lines of trenches but could go no
further, for there was IN unfordable
liver-the Taal-ahead of us. We
went back and took the town.
There was not soul to be seen.
Lemari joins the walled city of Taal.
The enemy had the bridge to Taal
blockaded and eight cannon were
trained on the bridge"
The next day reinforecments ar
rived and the 46th attacked the out
posts. The gunboat Marietta opened
fire from the river and the ball be-
gan. The Americans got orders to
charge, when the enemy let loose
with their cannon and it seemed for
awhile like cloudburst, says Cor.
ooral Godsell, for it fairly poured
bullets. Not a man hinched and
he town was taken with the loss of
,ne man killed and three or four
Joe Carbeno, a Woodstock volun-
:eer, the writer says, is all right and
las stood the campaign we'll.