The National tribune., 1902-09-04

consequence was that at the long-range
shooting which seemed to suit the Fill
pinOs best they were of little value, their
bullets being always spent balls when
they reached us, if they came so far at
all. At the time l was firing from the
hill into Pasig one of my men was struck
on the toe of his shoe by one of these
Kemingtons and he scarcely knew it, the
bullet just having strength to get there.
As We were on higher ground, of course
our bullets had little more force in the
opposite direction, but not much.
These spent balls made horrible noise
as they wObbled through the air just be-
fore dropping, especially when the brass
Jackets had become split and left jagged
edges to saw the air. Sometimes the
jacket came off entirely and accompanied
the bullet like satellite. 1t was when
these split-jacket bullets whizzed by my
head. making more noise than a sawmill,
that l did my principal lodging. l have
heard of men who never dodge bullets,
but | have never seen the man who did
not dodge when one of these affairs came
near him A Mauser makes kissing
sound. like the sudden fight of a bird,
but the larger caliber bullets make a
buZzing noise. All these one can get used
to, but when one of these RemingtOns
with split jacket comes seesawing slow
ly through the air and claiming the right
Of way one is instinctively impelled TO
take the siding.
One day we had chased the Filipinos
ever the hills near the Laguna de Bahia
since daylight, and had several times been
fired upon by them without having the
satisfaction of a good return shot, when
suddenly as we appeared upon the top of
a ridge we were fired upon from the crest
of another ridge about a thousand yards
distant, and at once our line fell to the
ground to await developments. 1t was
always the first order, "Lie down." when
we ran into a volley, the officers not de-
string to expose their men to fire until
they understood the situation. So our
line prostrated itself on the top of the
ridge, and we discovered that the enemy
were within long-range shooting and be-
gan using volleys, their position being
marked by the smoke from the few Rem
ingtons they were also using, for which
they had only black powder ammunition.
The range was so long that these brass
bullets just reached us. and they made n
great deal of fuss with their split sides
and slow speed.
DoDGING TOMATO CANS"
While / was standing near the left of
my company reconhoitering the enemy's
position with ms glass, one of these
things whiZZed right in front of my face
and passed down the front of the entire
company, having come from some point
on the flank. l lodged savagely and in
a most undigniied manner, and was so
ashamed of it that / looked hastily to
zee if any of the men had noticed it, and
l saw them all just recovering from a
dcdge Of similar proportions. We re-
mained there for a few minutes, firing,
and during the time l noticed one of the
men muttering to himself as ne loaded
and fired in regular time. The day was
an excessively hot one, and we had
dropped at least a third of our number
In the forced march, overcome with the
heat or exhausted with the exertion, and
i feared that this man was out of his
head from heat prostration. So / spoke
to him, and asked:
Whats the matter, Cole|'
''Well. Captain" he replied 81 don't
mind bullets, but l object to sewing ma
chimes and tomato-cans."
One day when with Lawton's column
making an attack upon Norzagaray, We
were in column in support a little dis
tancc back of the firing line, my company
being at the head of the column and the
Major. Adjutant, my First Lieutenant and
myself standing at the head of the column.
One of these "tomato-cans" that had been
fired high came fussing along at slow
speed and went right through our group.
Ever! officer lodged and the bullet finally
brought up against the crazy-bone of a
man in the rear rank of the first set of
fours, making him yell like wild Indian,
but producing only black-and-blne mark
At another time we were in the hills
back of Tay Tay, when we debouched
sgS.a d sunken road upon a little valley
and We're greeted with volleys from the
sLmmits of hills on three sides of u.s.
We were caught in a neat trap, but we did
p!oyed against each hill, and the hills
were stormed and the enemy driven off.
Our battalion was directed against the
center bill, the one most distant, and as
We advanced We were fired upon from
the flank. One of these Remingtons came
along, making a tremendous fuss, and
from the sound it seemed to be coming
directly for my head. l turned my head
to the left to look in that direction, and