The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-12-17
BACK FROM PHILIPPINES
Trooper Returns to New
ark After Two
Years.
Especial to "The Jersey city News.",

NEWARK, Dec IL, 1900-Bronzed almost
to the color of a Filipino, by more than
Two years exposure to the burning son of
the philippine Islands, where he has been
IN active service in Uncle Sans army
Matthew Smith late trooper in Troop E.
Fourth United States Cavalry, has return
ed to his home at No. PIP South Orange
avenue, in this city, we'll satisfied that he
has done his full share of military duty
and content to settle down to life as pri-
yate citizen.
The returned soldier has been in any
number of fights with the Filipinos, and
he took part in the northern advance un-
der General Macarthur. in which thous-
ands of Filipinos and many Americans
were killed.
| The first battle of Importance in which
the Newark soldier had hand after
Manila occurred at place called Tarlac,
about eighty-two miles north of Manila,
where the Ff1ipinos lost 1853 and twenty
five American soldiers were killed. The
fight continued for seven hours.
The next engagement in which the New
ark man faced the enemy was at CANA
ling, about 1OS miles southwest of Tarlac.
The Filipinos made a fierce resistance,
Jul WSi0 IofcSu 10 surrender.
While at Camaling the Americans were
apprised that two companies of the Sew
enteenth United States Infantry were sur
rounded by Filipinos at a place called
Bayambang, and volunteers were called
for to carry a message to the besiegei
| Americans. Smith and two of his COM
rades were selected for the perilous duty,
and started on their journey with as lit
tie delay as possible.
Smith and a fellow trooper named Brad
ley had proceeded less than ten miles on
their journey when sharpshooter made
target of the Newark mans companion
Bradley dropped in his tracks, and Smith
was left alone to proceed on his errand.
About ten miles further on he stumbled
on a camp of Filipinos, and was chal-
! ienged by a sentry, who Immediately fired
at him, but missed. Smith managed to
get around the camp lines to a town called
Mabracat, where he ran into Filipino on
guard at an outpost
Smith crawled up on the little brown
man andm ade him prisoner. The Fill
pfno was standing guard over a machine
gun, about thirty yards from where a
company of the enemy was entrenched.
Turning the gun on the Filipinos, Smith
| threatened to fire if they made a move,
thus making prisoners of an entire com
pany of Aguinadldo's own regiment The
Newark soldier stood by his machine gun
for five hours, holding his captatives until
relieved by the arrival of General Bell,
with Troop E of the Fourth Cavalry, who
| took charge of the prisoners and the cap
tured gun That action won for Smith
gold medal of honor.
His next experience was a Rosalis, a
stronghold of the insurrects. 1t was
necessary to cross river to reach the
town, and the enemy, in order to protect
their position, had destroyed the bridge
over the stream.
volunteer was called for to take a
hawser over, and a young German named
Herman swan the river under a heavy
fire from the Filipiros on the opposite
shore. He landed on the other side with
out injury. Then Lieutenant Hawkins
took the lead, and the others followed him
scross the river, three men being killed on
| the way Light Battery E. of the First
Artillery remained on the shore and kept
the enemy from leaving the trenches.
The following night Rosalis was as
sauited and captured by the Americans.
The soldiers found seven Spanish pris-
oners in a church. The Spaniards were
N stocks, held fast by the necks.
wrists and ankles, and had been in that
position for three months They welcom
cd the American soldiers with exuberant
joy and cried like children on being re-
leased.
From Rosalis the troops returned to
Camal1ng, where a rest of four days was
taken. A hospital was established at
this place, and leaving the sick and
wounded behind in charge of a major and
two companies of the Seventeenth Infan-
try they proceeded to Bayambang. On
the march to that place two men were
shot down by the enemys sharpshooters-
one cavalryman and the other a foot
soldier. AS the men were being buried
one of the soldiers suggested the cav
'alaryman's spurs left on his shoes. The
man had just finished speaking when a
Filipino sharpshooter got bead on him
and Mauser bullet ended his life, He
was buried where he fell.
Entering Bayambang the Americans
were greeted with a heavy fire, but ow-
ing to bad craftsmanship of the
enemy few were struck. A brisk fight
followed, In which. as usual the Filipinos
werer ounted with great loss
Duringt his engagement General Bell
without a body guard ran into a Filipino
soldier who attempted to kill the general
with his bolo. The general emptied his
six shooter into the Filipino and was
about to proceed when he was attacked
by a second boloman He hurled his
empty revolver at the man and struck
him on the head, rendering him uncon-
scious.
The next morning another engagement
took place in which the Thirty-sixth
Regiment lost heavily. During this fight
Troop E, Third Cavalry, serving as GEN
erai McArthur's bodyguard, made a sue
cessful pistol charge. routing the enemy
from their trenches and inf1icting a heavy
loss upon them.
The town was occupied and general
order was issued that no man should 70
IN bathing unless he had two others to
stand guard
After recuperating at Bayambang they
proceeded to a place called Van Halls.
Describing the fight that occurred at this
place aud the incidents which followed
Trooper Smith said:-a
1--WE were received warmly by the
enemy, who poured in heavy fire as we
advanced After routing their first line
of defense we carried the trenches and