Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-03-12

The following order promoting
Demoines utt, of Morgantown, is
self explanatory He is at present
a member of the 18th Regiment now
in the Philippines:
HEADQUARTERS II INE. L. S. Vols.)
CAMP Rowan, MANANGA RIVER.
Cehu Island, p l., Jan. Il, 1900|
General Orders No. A.
l. Sergeant Desmoines UT hay.
ing CALAMITY carried the Regimental
Colors in the attack on Sudlon
Mountain, January Sth, 1900, is
hereby appointed Regimental Color
Sergeant.
BY Order of Colonel McCernand.
(signed) EDWARD A STEWART.
Capt. and Adiutant 44th Inf. u. S. V.
The following letter from W. j.
White. OF Morgantown, will prove
highly interesting to our people. 1t
came TO Clerk w +. Glasscoek:
CAMP, RoWAx, MaNANGA RIVER.
Gebu Island, Z. /. Jan. is, 1900
My DEAR GLAsseoCK II presume
there are some letters on the road
but none has reached me since leav-
/ ing Presidio, Cal. The Post aud Do
MINIoN to the last week in November
were in Camp when we returned
night before last from our first tour
of actual campaigning. We left
Cebu on January I'd, and came out
here to camp. On the 9th my Com
pany was sent on UP the River about
miles to camp in shelter tents, and
drag cannon up the mountain. We
succeeded III putting it up in day
and half, but you cannot conceive
the task we had unless you could
see where we took 1t up. The noun
tain is at least twice as high as from
Camp Eden to Cooper Rocks, and
while not perpendicular at any point
will average sleeper than the face OF
Cheat.
The gun and carriage weighed
about 2600 pounds so the artillery
Sergeant said, and we had to pull it
up by hand with block and ropes
We would hitch as far as possible,
and with about so men, pull the rope
'.hand over hand A company of
the 10Th u S. took another gun to
position about three-fourths as far
up the mountain, but were more
than twice as long. Those two guns
overlooked the valley and were in
range of all the forts of the enemy.
The Philippines had at least % forts
and other earthworks extending
along the top of the mountain for a
distance of some two miles and ex-
tending down the points in front,
where we were obliged togo up. :.
These forts were built of earth or
were excavated in round mountain
tops and had the position been held
by American troops would have been
next to impossible to capture On
Sunday afternoon the Colonel and
all the officers went up to the guns
and some % rounds were fired at
the various forts getting the range,
Cor reference in the battle. They
were 3 2-5 inch guns and fired shell
weighing l64 pounds
1t was beautiful sight to see
them blowing through the enemy's
works. 1t was surprising how quick
the gunners gos the range and with
what accuracy the shells and Shrap-
mel landed. Sunday night after
dark three companies of our Bat.
and three of Regular men marched
up the river to a point Immediately
below the forts, where we halted,
and lay on sand bar and rocks the
rest of the night. The river was full
of rocks and harder to march up
than Quarry Run. We waded near
ly all the way and at times were al
most waist deep in water.
The natives seemed never to sns-
pect an attack from that quarter,
and were not aware OF our inten-
tions until the columns started to
the attack at day light. cannot
describe the hill for there is moth
ing around home TO make, compari
son with. 1t is all of two miles from
where we first came under fire, to the
top OF the mountain, and the sides
were covered with long grass, bushes
and other distractions, except In d
few places where it had been cleared
to give them a better chance to fire
from their forts and rifle pits. Be
sides it is very steep most of the
way. Our troops men about three
hours getting to the top, and after
that it was more easy work. and at
IL 80 a. IN. all the works were taken
and the natives running in all di-
rections TO get away. There is an
indiscribable sensation, when under
fire, but withal one would not ex
change the experience for gold.
There is nothing an earth that !