The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-03-16
HICKMAN BOY IN LUZON.
His Trip On the Ocean
Battles Engaged ia
Island scenes. sNc.


INDIAN 4. L., jan, ~, wv
DEAR CoURHR;-I landed here the "a
day of January after being on the Paci.
fic 81 or % days. On the ID of January
our Regiment left Manila and has been
on the march and fight since have
been in skirmishes and one battle
The battle lasted p hours. GO" Company
carried of the honors on that occasion.
| will try and describe the blBtle 70 YOU.
Late in the afternoon Of the 18th our
battalion the 2nd consisting Of + II
and & Companies. after a march OF IS
miles approached the cities Of Scmori
and Taal + Company was the ad
vance guard, II Company the support,
one platton of q" the reserve. ne
2nd platoon of which your humble ser
want was in command, the rear guard.
The scouts. about 300 yards i'm advance
Of Of the battalion when in y mile Of
the town Of Semeri was fired on. AT
once the Companies + and n
were deployed as skirmishcrs and com.
menced to attack on the left, the enemy
being intrenchcd on our left. From
then on for hours there was one con
tinuous fire The first Companies ad
vanced as far as the river and had 10 cali
a halt "G's" first platoon was then or
dered forward. With u cheer the bows
charged up 10 the river amid rain OF
leaden missels Here they received or.
ders 20 retire. Your humble servant
took his command and warded Of an
. h.. a -
ahead. AT nightiall the enemy retired
thu town Of Semeri. During the night
there was continuous firing acruss the
river by both parties but nothing If m
portance occurring. During the night
the enemy fortified the bluffs along the
river side 10y digging trenchcs.
etc. Above the one bridge
crossing the river Taal they had moved 4
cannon and dug trenches large enough
10 accommodate two Companies. The
next morning and an next day shots
were exchanged between the fighting
parties. About o'clock in the afternoon
the gunboat Marietta steamed into the
harbor and commenced firing. We he.
ceiyed orders 20 form companA. II vas.
advance, q support and + rSrve Az
ter forming companies We doubled time
down the bridge ia a heavy IRE. Just
before We reached the bridge We were
ordered 10 take cover which We were
glad 10 take the bullets were whizzng
all aroand IA. one Of the BOYS being
plugged. The major came up and CON
handed II company take the bridge So
one moved IN the company. After call
ing on III company times he says "Sly
there you towards Company q take
the bridge With "A charge q rushed
across the bridge Fired on by 4 uu.
non in 30 feet of them and two compan.
ies pouring yolley after vOllcy into then.
they drove the natives out Of the trench.
a.. capturing 4 cannon. 100 or 3O rife.
i3 prisoners and killing 81 negroes. with
the los Of man killed and 10 wounded.
| was the sixth man across the bridge.
We received very complimentary O.
tice from Gen. Wheaton. Ihr twn
had not been captured before II was
here the 4rh Kansas was defeated wiih
the los Of II men. Taal was considered
the strongest city Of the insurgents Al
the battle we had 30 men ard the in
surgonts 1900 Ever since that time We
have been garrisoning this town. We
will be getting out on the firing line ao0n
as We are getting lazy and ths fighting
18th only needs two OF three days Hest
Love 10 all w NJ. RANDLE. II SENT