The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-07-25

half-hidden disdain, he would have well
coined with almost savage joy come
fierce battle with skillful foe, some
scene in which he could compel her re-
spect and admiration. He was still
smarting and stung when at last that
opportunity came.
Long will Manila remember the
night! 1t followed close upon the heels
of warnings that for weeks held every
officer and man to his post of duty.
Day after day the strain increased.
The insurgents, crowding upon our out
posts in front of Santa Mesa on the
north and of Santa Ana on the south
side of the Pasig, had heaped insult and
threats upon our silent sentries, COM
PEELED by orders to the very last to sub
NIT to anything but actual attack
rather than bring on battle. 1.-THE
Americans are afraid" was the gleeful
cry of Aguinaldo's officers, the jeer and
taunt of his men. The regulars were
soon TO come and replace those volun-
teers, said the wiseacre of his cabinet,
therefore strike now before the trained
and disciplined troops arrive and sweep
these big Doors into the sea. And on
the still, starlit night, sooner perhaps
than his confederates within the walls
intended, the rebel leader struck, and,
long before the dawn of the lovely
Sunday morn that followed, the fire
flashed from 10000 rifles in big semi
circle around Manila, and the long-ex-
pected battle was on.
Hours after dawn, hours after the at
tack began, the -teenth were in ex-
tended battle order to the south Of
Malate confronted by thickets of bam-
boo that fairly swarmed with insur-
gents, yet, only by the incessant zip and
"whiew" of their deadly missiles and
the ceaseless crackle of rifle fire, could
this be determined; for with their
smokeless powder and their Indian-like
skill in concealment nothing could be
seen of their array. Over to the west
ward on the placid waters of the bay
the huge Monadnock was driving shell
after shell into the dense underbrush
across the abandoned rice fields and the
marshy flats that lined the shore. Over
to the east resounding cheers and crash
ing yolleys, punctuated by the sharp
report of field guns, told that the COM
rade brigade was heavily engaged
and, apparently. driving the enemy be-
fore them. To right and left their vol
unteer supports were banging into the
brush with their heavy Springtields;
and still there seemed no symptom of
weakness along the immediate front,
cir f,f tn1I 7 he.
fury of the insurgent volleying in
creased as the sun climbed higher, and
all along the blue-shirted line men grit
their teeth and swore as they crouched
or lay full length along the roadside,
peering through the filmy veil that
drifted slowly across their front-the
smoke from the Springfields of the vol
unteers. To lie there longer with the
bullets buzzing close overhead or bit
ing deep into the low embankment,
sometimes tearing a singing path
through human flesh and bone, was
adding to the nerve strain of the hours
gone by. TO rush headlong across that
intervening open space, through deep
and muddy pools and stagnant ditch,
and hurl themselves upon the lurking
enemy in the bamboo copse beyond,
had been the ardent longing of the line
since daylight came to illumine the field
before them. Yet stern orders with
held: Defend but do not advance, said
the generals message; and the whisper
went along from man to man: There
is trouble in town behind us, and the
chief NAV need us there"
But, as eight o'clock passed with no
word of uprising in the rear, and the
cheering over toward Santa Ana grew
loud and louder. the nerve strain upon
the --teenth became well-nigh intolera-
Bile. For Gods sake, can't we be doing
something instead of lying here firing
into a hornets nest?' was the murmur
that arose in more than one company
along the impatient line; and the gruff
voices of veteran sergeants could be
heard ordering silence, while. moving
up and down behind their men, the line
officers cautioned against waste of am
munition and needless exposure. "Lie
fiat, men. Keep down." were the
words. "We won't have to stand this
forever. You'll soon get your chance"
And presently it came. The cheer
ing. that had died away, far over to the
left beyond the wooded knobs that sur
rounded Singalon and Block House IL,
was suddenly taken up nearer at hand.
Then crashing volleys sounded along
the narrow roadway toward the east,
and bugle rang out shrill and clear
above the noise of battle; and then
closer still, though unseen in the gloom
of the dense thicket in which they lay,
the men of the Second battalion, strung
along Filipino trail that led away to
the rice fields, swung their big straw
hats and yelled for joy. A young Of
f1cer, his eyes flashing, his face flush
ing with excitement. came bounding
out from the grove at the left of the
crouching line and made straight to
where the veteran battalion command
er knelt in rear of his center. 1t was
Billy Gray, adjutant OF the Third bat
talon, acting that day as adjutant to
the regimental commander. The bull
lets whistled by his head as he darted
springiI gly along; and in their joy
at sight of him even old hands forgot
the reserve of the regular service and