Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-06
THE DEFENCE OF VIVIAN.
An Heroic Action, Much Resembling
NLhe Taking Of Lungtnngpen.N

Some day" said the man from Ma
Mia, when the people get ready to
listen to them there viii be some
mighty interesting stories written about
the war In the islands, which Is now
over There IL a story Of the defense
Of Viyiyan, for instance which is as
good a yarn as Klplngs Capture Of
Lungtungpcn and has the additional
advantage Of being wholly the truth.
II happened when General Schwan's
column was cleaning up the Province
of Cayite, IN the southern part Of Luz
2on. one Sunday the column had had
lts flll Of hiking through the rice pad
dies and lighting 'nlggers. II had al
ready captured two towns that day and
had burned one of them when, along
about $3.50 o'clock IN the afternoon, 1t
came to the village OF Vlylyan. All the
natives In sight seemed 10 be amigos
There wasn't even single sharpsho0t-
er at work anywhere around, and the
boys were hot, dirty and dog tired, SO,
without relaxing proper military vigil
lance, ii was decided to give the men
chance to rest up.
con the edge Of the town stood the
store of big Chinese merchant, sur
rounded by low stone wall. outside
the wall was big artificial fish pond,
The store itself was crowded with Fill
Pine women and children, Three pri-
Yates were stationed as outposts pick
cts at the store and about thirty more
were left there TO serve as reserves.
Accompanying the column was news
paper correspondent, who hurried into
the Chlnamans store for the purpose
of buying a hen and some other food.
Meanwhile the thirty reserves, IN
GLIDING the commissioned officers
In charge Of them, took off their cloth
ing and dived into the fish pond for q
much needed and grateful bath
while the correspondent was argu-
ing with the frightened Chlnaman there
came suddenly from outside the sound
of sharp firing The correspondent
peeked around the corner Of the wall
to see what was up. What he saw
would have been intensely amusing UNI
der other circumstances. The three
pickets on guard were aiming their
rifles over the stone wall, and the pond
in front was full OF men doing their
best to keep under the water and out
of the way OF bullets
"The correspondent carried a camera
case, which somewhat resembled sur
geon's satchel, over his shoulder, and
one OF the men who had crowded up the
bank from the pond saluted him ana
said, taking him for a surgeon; Cap
tain, the niggers have opened on us
from the Jungle They'll cut us to
pieces, sure.
4" Where's your ofllcer2' said the cor
respondent.
"'The sergeant Is down there behind
that rock, said the private, saluting
once more.
eco down and tell him to report to
me at once
CUP from his rock came the naked
sergeant. Get your men out of the
water at once said the correspondent
Let them get their guns and put on
their ammunition belts and deploy
across the road Don't wait to dress.
"Then followed one Of the most laugh
able sights OF the war, though then II
was serious enough. out of the water
at the word of command came the
thirty men as naked as the day they
were born. With desperate haste they
strapped on their belts and shouldered
their guns. One or two OF them added
to the grotesuue appearance by putting
on their campaign hats. Then the
naked squad threw itself across the
road and Law down in the dust, guns
ready for action Up the road they
could see a couple Of hundred Mig
gers coming at double quick, and be-
hind them. now and then they got a
glimpse Of the American marines, who
were hot on their trail, The naked
company was afraid to fire Tor fear
OF hitting the marines, But when the
'niggers' were one hundred yards on
the CORRESPONDENT gave the order to his
men TO get up. They rose--a line OF
stark naked men--clear across the road.
The 'niggers' gave a single look, Then,
with yell OF fear they leaped into the
~ lie at the side of the road like
pack OF foxhounds. The defense OF VI
viyan was er'--Chicago Tribune,