The National tribune., 1902-09-25

view to a historic record, nor to describe
the various battles, nor do l think Il
would lie of special interest save to those
who participated in them. The genera
nature of the fighting has also been full!
explained. / shall rather attempt de
scription of life in the field and the gen
eral nature of campaigning, ILLUSTRATED
by incidents.
One battle was very much like another
at. first, consisting of an advance under
heavy bre upon formidable and general!
concealed intlenchments, a haSty aban
donment by the enemy of theil
trenches before we got close enough te
use the bayonet, and generally be
fore we arrived within good shooting dis
tance for the short-range Springfield, fol
they had learned that when they broke
from cover and ran was the time we kill
cd the NEST of them if we were close
enough to make good target practice OF
them. Therefore they early adopted q
policy of keeping out of reach, though
think it was rather a matter of personal
instinct than a deliberately adopted pol
Icy.
When their trenches were well conceal
ed, and they had timber to cover them IN
their retreat, they remained until we
were fairly close, though never, after the
first few days, until there was danger OF
us actually reaching them; but when there
was open ground to cross in getting away,
they would not remain in trench after
we had approached within l,oo0 yards
They appreciated to the full their ad-
vantage of a longer range rifle and smoke
less powder, and never surrendered II
by letting us get near them or good
sight of them if they could help it. Had
the Filipinos only been good marksmen
as well, and especially had they possess
ed the nerve to expose themselves little
in taking aim, our casualty list would
have been immensely greater and we
should have been compelled to adopt diff
ferent tactics and keep more under cover
ourselves.
We would not and could not have walk
ed straight up to their trenches over open
ground and under fire. as we did, had they
been better marksmen or willing to show
their heads far enough above them to aim
at u.s. Only their habit of not exposing
themselves and of firing blindly over the
top of the trench without looking, made
such a thing possible On our part.
DIVERSE METHODS OF FILIPISos, SPAN
IARDs AND AMERICANS.
I remember well the description an old
Filipino gave me of the difference between
the Americans, Spaniards aid Filfpinos
In shooting. The uninstructed Filipino
shoots from the hip, without aim. Even
the best of them do not place the piece
firmly against the shoulder and hold it
steady. / do not think they at all appre-
eiated the Importance Of aiming until
they saw what the Americans were able
to do in the way of sharpshoOting. OF
course the native soldiers of Spain had
been taught how to aim and fire vOlleys,
and / never heard better volleys than
few of the Filipino regular troops could
give ard did give before we got close
how, tn hon ad
but the great mass of them knew nothing
about volley firing or even aiming. We
were much impressed at first by seeing
bamboo poles at intervals in front of their
trenches to mark distances. By putting
a pole every 100 yards or 80 yards the
exact distance of an attacking force could
be known at all times, thus giving the de-
tenders valuable information; but we soon
learned that the information was OF no
practical use, because the Filipinos were
constitutionally unable to avail themselves
of it, for the reasons / have given.
The old Filipino spoke of used stick
to represent gun, and told his story in
pantomime, partly because he could not
speak English at all, or Spanish very
well, and partly because the Spanish hab-
u of doing much of their talking with
their hands and expressive gestures has to
degree been acquired by the natives.
He crouched low, to represent himself as
being behind breastwork, saying, "Es-
panol" to indicate that he was going to
give us the Spanish method first. Work
Ing the supposed bolt so as to throw
cartridge, into the chamber. he raised the
stick over his head, pointed it behind him
rs high up as he could reach and pulled
the imaginary trigger. thus showing
man with his back to the trench and at
no time exposing himself, unless his fin
gers might momentarily be in danger, if
he were SO careless as to put his gun
clear above the level of the trench.
Then he smiled and said Filipino"
for mis- next representation. Again imi-
tating the loading of the piece, he bob5ed
up quickly and without placing the gun
against his shoulder or taking aim at all,
he discharged it and bobbed down again.
Tken, with look Of pride that was quite
complimentary, and with a different and
more impressive tone than he used in
speaking the other names, he said, "Am-
ericanor'
This time, after loading his gun, he
stood bolt upright, with his head and
shoulders above the imaginary trench.
placed the stick to his shoulder, laid his
cheek upon it, looked intently for half a
minute moved his finger as though to pull
the trigger, and then raised himself on
his tiptoes and shaded his eyes with his
hand, looking intently to see IL he had
why it was, in his opinion, we killed so
many Filipinos and they killed SO few of
rs, he shook his head sadly aid said:
Filipino no puede combate America
no." and this opinion that the Filipinos
were not able to fight the Americans was
shared by all Of his countrymen who had
actual experience upon which an opinion
might be founded. / venture the opinion
that no Filipino has ever gone into bat
tie with the Americans for the second
time with any other thought than that he
was simply going to shoot and run.
While l was stationed for time at
Marilao an old Filipino who lived in that
vicinity was talking to one of our Off
GERS one day about the heavy loss Of the
natives and our light casualty list COM
paratively. He could not understand it,
not appreciating the matter of marks
manship. He said the American officers
were the bravest men In the world, for
they stood right up and let the Filipinos
shoot at them while their men lay down
O statement not strictly true, though It
was often necessary to do it-while the
must be that the Great God was on the
side of the Americans, though why he
should be fighting on the side of heather
against Christians he could not under
stand His people must have offended
God in some way. This idea that the
Americans were specially protected from
their bullets was quite general among the
ignorant natives.
CHARMS AND A3fULETs.
Nearly every native wears charm
blessed by the priest, suspended on his
breast by string around his neck This