The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-23
HEARD BULLETS WHIZZ.
Dr, John >. Fogg Of Biddeford De-
scribes a Filipino Attack.

Biedetord, January 21.-In letter to
his Blddeford relatives. DIR. John 5. Foss
Of this city, assistant surgeon In the
United States army In the philippines,
describes an encounter with the Filipinos
In which b figured. After referring TO
his former desire TO get near enough TO
the firing lice to hear the whizz OF bull
lets, DIR. Fosg wrote
Last wssk though, bad them singing
around me like humble bees. IneI
sound like bum BILE bees. only they have
q higher pitch and faster time. 1t hap
pened In this way:
The eginertal surgeon went TO Ma
Mia, and, no sooner had he gone, tnan
Col. Page wired orders for me TO DC sent
to Falinag with escort. took only eight
men, and We made the six miles in three
hours, but had to stop an hour and repair
the telegraph wire. which l found mad
been cut after started. i sent four ineD
into the cane fields as protection against
surprise, and repaired the wire. l made
the natives ind me two bottles, out down
q bamboo tree, which l split In tvs.
spliced the ends, inserted the bottles,
wound the wire around the nscks, ana
strapped my poieI to trees with bamboo
strips.
Upon our arrival, the colonel gave me
u uQ6 TtCtptlUus no4C'ho Won shast
at 4 q. M, three companies OF infantry
and one battery Of artillery, with wagon
train, were to move toward San Miguel,
capture tho town and await re-snforoe-
ments.
But evidently, the bulk of Aguinaldo's
forces had concentrated near san
Miguel Although the expedition was
not ma1s~ known till $50, there were
probably q dszsn half-naked couriers on
tte way to San Miguel within an hour
afterward, to give the alarm.
Tbs enemy were awaiting US. About
six miles out they began har.ssine US,
and for four miles we literally fought ev-
cry inch of the ground. We had only one
gun, and at four different times the
guunsrs had to unlimber and sweep tho
surrounding country with shrapnei. AT
San Ildsfonso, the Filiplnos made o great
stand from strong breastworks on hill
and for two long hours we fought there
from the opposite elevation, with l2pO
yards Of rice fields between us.
My ambulance vAs full, but had four
and four Chinese litter cear-
ers, and 4 SCUM had the wounded out IN
q protected place. might say here that
Cinnamon ara used altogether rs tearers
here, and they work und3r ire like ma
ohinery. Every one praises them. Tne
men had In the am bulance were all
suffering from sunstroke, except one,
who was wounded In the thigh. kept
at the front, but left my horse behind
with the ambulance. Ny orderly kept
continually with me.
We stayed there two hours bsfore we
drove them out. Company was sond-
ing vollsys over our heads that sounded
like Wild shrieks, and our gun kept
sending shell and shrapnel over ra that
sounded like ribbed ly, ribbedly. ribbed
~" long drawn out, till the shot struck
and exploded.
In the whole engagement we had only
one Uan killed, one wounded, about Q
dozen sunstrokes AID few sprains and
bruises. Their shots killed two OF or
battery mules and wour d ID tare or 10 r
horses. The man killed was Lieu.
Keyes. A bullet struck him just above
the angle of the right jaw. and made its
exit Just below the mastoid prominence.
80 you osn ses he Was instantly killed
His death cast gloom over his fellow.
officers.
We held San Ildefonso three hours. and
then the commander decided to retreat,
as We did not have enough men to 20 t.,
San Miguel. We re.reated to Masene,
forded the river and camped that night
Early the next morning about TO tilipi.
nos begac e:tng into our flank, but did
no damage.
/ got Keyes' body into BalInag. Cour-
iers were sent ahead into Ealtnag, and q
casket was ready when arrived, and
full company started toward . lingua.
! made my change, reported, and started
of the way to QuiDgus pushed ahead at
a trot. At Quingna Ferry another ambu-
lance relay and escort wsre waiting, hay
ing been wired for. The change was
m sde. and the body or the way to the
railroad station ct Malolos in tine &c
catch the only afternoon train.
o