The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-01
GAVE UP HIS LIFE
FOR HIS COUNTRY
Carbondale Boy Killed in an Engage
ment in the Philippines-Letter
from Mayfield Boy.

The following extract from letter
from Thomas Glligan, formerly OF
Navfield. but now with the regular
army gives some further details of
battle in which at least one Carbonate
boy lost his life:
Pangil. r. l., Oct. ., lSOo.
We arrived at Manila September
and went to Malate, and were quar-
tered in some dipalidated bamboo
shacks. We weren't rightly settled in
the shacks when the heaviest storm
that has visited here in years came up
Our buildings stood it for short time
when suddenly they collapsed and we
were left out in the wind and rain. We
received orders to proceed to I.aguna
province.
We boarded small boats on Saturday,
September Is, and started up the Pasig
river preceded by a gunboat. About
O'Clock Sunday morning, while laying
around the boat, we received a volley
from the shore. Then more volleys in
rapid succession. The gunboat opened
fire on the insurgents and silenced
them. Two of our men were wounded.
Sunday morning about o'clock we ar
rived at our destination, but had some
trouble in landing. The insurgents at
tempted to prevent our landing, but
few volleys from us dispersed them.
Each company was sent to garrison
different town. l. company was sent to
Similoon. Sunday night we were at
tackled about IL o'clock. We were quar-
tered in an old church at the base of
some mountains, and the insurgents
poured volley after volley into us. We
Immediately got into action and drove
them back without the loss of man.
Monday morning, September II, is
day l will always remember. About
$40 we heard heavy firing in the direc-
ton of Similoon, where Company l. was
stationed. Our captain fell MS i'm and
leaving twenty men behind to hold the
town we were in, we proceeded to Simi-
loon to reinforce Company l.. We
walked the distance of two miles in
water up to our waists. Our battlefield
was a rice field flooded with water,
while the insurgents were strongly in
trenched ia the hills and pouring dead
ly volleys into us. Men were falling on
all sides. We kept advancing, but it
was very slow as the water was up to
Our waists. We returned their fire, but
they continued to pour volley after vol
ley into us. They had the advantage
of us as they We're entrenched, and we
=. hhade an excellent target for them, as
we We're in the open and they could
perceive the damage they were inficting
on us. All we could see to fire at was
q gun once in while that would make
its appearance over the trenches. We
advanced to within about three hundred
yards of their trenches, and our am
munition was getting low, and about
- LII 4
wounded, and we were nearly exhaust
ed when we were ordered to retreat.
The voleys kept pouring into us until
we got out of range; even when we
were carrying our wounded and dead
from the field they fired on us, After
the engagement was over we found our
loss to be thirty-three killed and fifty
<nseven wounded. 1t was a heartrending
sight to see thirtythree dead men laid
,ut. fellows that you had chummed
With for nearly two years, and the
kroans of the wounded. / will never
orget it. Some boys from around Car
Pondale and Scranton were killed and
Wounded. A young man named Brink
rom Carbondale, was killed. Policy
Ind Perry, from that place, were
Wounded
A lad named Duggan, from Olyphant
was shot three times in the leg anG
has to get 1t amputated. Two lads
named Carney and Kelley from Proyi.
dence, We're seriously wounded. Tues
day morning, September TO- we were
reinforced by the Eleventh cavalr,
and Thirty-seventh United States vol
unteers. We proceeded around tn,
mountains and took the trenches from
behind. The cavalry attacked them II
front. And we gave it to the Fill
pinos prope. We drove them from tn,
trenches in quick order.
Thomas Gilligan,
Company l., Fifteenth Infantry.