Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-11-20
The DEFENSE OF v1VIYAN.
A Heroic Action of the Philippine
War, Much Resembling eaThe
Taking OF Lungtungpen."

TAXING Ok
''some day." said the man from Ma
Mia, according to the Chicago Trib-
une, when the people get ready to
listen to them, there viii be some
mighty interesting stories written
about the war in the islands. There
is the story of the defense of Viviyan,
for instance, which is as good yarn
as Kipling's Capture of Lungtung-
pen,' and has the additional advan-
tage of being wholly the truth.
ct happaned when Gen. Schwan's
column was cleaning up the province
of Cavite, in the southern part of Luz
zon. One Sunday the column had had
it's fill of hiking through the rice
paddles and fighting 'niggers.' It had
already captured two towns that day,
and had burned one of them, when,
along about 4:3O in the afternoon, it
came to the village of Viviyan. All
the natives in sight seemed to be
amigos. There wasn't even a single
sharpshooter at work anywhere
around, and the boys were hot, dirty
and dog tired. So, without relaxing
proper military vigilance, it was de-
cided to give the men a chance to
rest up.
son the edge OF the town stood the
store of big Chinese merchant, sur
rounded by a low stone wall. Out
side the wall was big artificial fish
pond The store itself was crowded
with Filipino women and children.
Three privates were stationed as out
post pickets at the store and about
of 4horsa To ~
reserves. Accompanying the column
was a newspaper correspondent, who
hurried into the Chinaman's store
for the purpose of buying a hen and
some other food.
meanwhile the 80 reserves, includ-
ing the noncommissioned officers in
charge of them, took off their cloth
ing and dived into the fish pond for
a much needed and grateful bath.
''While the correspondent was ar
guing with the frightened Chinaman
there came suddenly from outside the
sound of sharp firing. The CORE
spondent peeked around the corner
of the wall to see what was up. What
he saw would have been intensely
amusing under other circumstances.
The three pickets on guard were aim
ing 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 bull.
let's
''The correspondent carried a cam
era case, which somewhat resembled
a surgeons satchel, over his Shout
der, and one of the men who had
crowded up the bank from the pond
saluted him and said, taking him for
a surgeon: Captain, the niggers have
opened on US from the jungle. They'll
cut us to pieces, sure
"'Where's your officer?' said the
correspondent.
'' THE sergeant is down there be-
hind that rock said the private, sa-
luting once more.
"'Go 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 correspond
ent. 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
iaughable sights of the war, though
then it was serious enough. Out of
the water at the word of command
came the 80 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 grotesque
appearance by putting on their cam
paign hats. Then the naked squad
threw itself across the road and lay
down in the dust, guns ready for ac-
ton. Up the road. they could see a
couple of hundred 'niggers' coming
at double quick, and behind 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 for fear of hitting
the marines. But when the 'niggers'
were 100 yards eff the correspondent
gave the order to his men to get up.
They rosa line of stark naked men
clear across the road. The 'nig4
gers gave a single look, Then, with
a yell of fear, they leaped into the
jungle at the side of the road like
pack of foxhounds. The defense of
Viviyan was over" -. 49, L