The National tribune., 1902-06-19

Bull Out q year, anu was SoulpoSCo VI
quadrangle parade ground of sand about
600 feet square, surrounded by one stor!
cement buildings with zinc roofs, and tn
floors raised about six feet above thu
ground. The center building in front OF
the gate that gave admission through the
high iron fence was two stories high, anC
used for administration purposes, admls
sion to the parade ground being nae
through an archway dividing the bulldlnt
into halves. There were six barraci
buildings inclosing the other three sides
Of the quadrangle, with kitchens, stables
store rooms and bath room against the
rear wall This wall was cement, eight
feet high, and crowned with iron spikes
and inclosed the entire barracks like
convent, a heavy gate in the rear giving
access from that direction. This gate was
almost opposite the gate in the south wal
of the city, the barracks being separated
from that wall only by narrow street
The regiment was thus enabled TO ge'
out quickly to man the inner or outel
wall or to reach any portion of the outel
city in haste.
Companies were assigned to the various
barracks, crowded in as usual, two being
ouartered in each building, which hac
formerly been the home of single com
pany or battery of Spanish artillery. II
was this organization which had manned
the guns at Fort Malate and in the
trenches adjacent, and which had been sc
badly cut up by the rapid-fre guns of the
CaIliao and Petrol Each Spanish soldier
possessed stout wooden chest as part
Of his army equipment. As / marched my
company to its quarters l observed some
Spanish soldiers making cleanup OF
what things they wanted to take away
Probably 20 or more of these chests were
left il the quarters. and / asked the Ser.
geart in charge if the owners did not
HNn Sapor " no said sadly
"El duenos. muertos." This was the first
real knowledge we had of the slaughter
Of the day before.
ARDUoUs DUTY.
A fatigue squad was set to work clean
ing out the quarters, which looked as
though they had never received the
thorough policing we always gave them
thereafter, and then the squads were as
signed their sections of the floor. There
were a few bamboo hunks, just about
enough for the non-commissioned officers,
the rest Of the men camping on the floor.
4 few days later, from various sources,
we procured hunks enough for all the
men, and from reserve stock OF chests
the Quartermaster found in one Of the
buildings the men were all equipped with
that convenience for keeping their cloth
ing In good condition, but for few days
there were neither these facilities for COM
10Y them had they existed.
There began that morning tour OF
0uty lasting almost without intermission
for II hours for nearly every man in the
regiment. Until that time had expired
no other troops entered the walled city to
share with the Oregons the exacting task
e policing it, guarding all the captured
anes and the batteries both inside and
outside the wall, as well as the seven
fates through it. This duty required
ksarly every man in the eight companies
constantly for three days, the longest
period Of relief from guard duty being not
ovsr eight hours. Every few hours some
thing new requiring guarding was dis
jSng tour Of duty were reused from their
eieep on the hard floor and sent out again
to do the work. 1t was harder on the men
than the officers, because one officer could
command q large guard as well a. small
enc, yet between the work OF guard de-
all and that Of putting the quarters into
Aabitable shape the officers had no occa-
don.
Orders were given the guards at the
Gates not to admit any persons with arms
hto shs walled city, there being fear that
armed natives might attempt to enter In
numbers and make trouble. About the
piddle Of the first afternoon, while Corp'l
Smiley. of my company, was Corporal Of
Of Spanish infantry, fully armed and
equipped, crossed the Bridge of Spain and
approached the gate. These troops bad
fema med for "a hours after the surrender
IN the defenses along the north line Of the
dty, keeping out the insurgents until
there was opportunity for the American
troops to relieve them and guard that por-
tion of the city. They were now march
ing into the walled city to surrender, turn
over their arms and join their comrades
as prisoners of war. Corpl Smiley
promptly ordered the battalion to halt,
and upon its failure to do SO, doubtless
largely due to the inability Of the COM
raised his gun and took aim at the COM
mander. This was plain Spanish as well
as English, and was comprehended clear
". "Halte." shouted the Commandante,
q grizzled old soldier, and the dirty bed
tick column came to a stand. Then the
fireworks began.
With deep Indignation and explosive
wrath the Spanish officer protested
against being halted in this summary
manner. He waved his arms and flourish.
ed his sword in threatening manner, and
seemed about to order his men to take
the gate by storm. The only answer the
Corporal made was to set his jaw firmly
and line up his little guard detail In front
Of the gate ready for action.
This was the situation when the Officer
Of the Day arrived on a tour of inspection
of the posts, mounted on a Filipino pony
who mas more useful than ornamental
His eye took in at once the long column
Of the halted battalion, its commander
spluttering Spanish protestations and
maledictions and waving his sword, and
the little guard squad drawn up in it.
path, the Corporal grimly shaking his
head and saying nothing.
A few words Of broken Spanish cleared
up the situation, the guard presented
arms, and the troops marched through and
the last armed clash between the United
States and Spain ended without blood
shed.
One officer who wrote home to his wife
who had cantered around more or less or
the hurricane deck of a Filipino pom,
while doing his tour of "a hours duty as
Officer OF the Day, took occasion to tel
her that he had been &c hours in the sad
die without rest.
Some three months later, when we were
well settled in quarters, the local pape,
arrived with his letter in it. There was
hilarity for time at the officers quar-
teri, and the writer was at once unani
mously elected Commander-in-C Chief of tn,
Rough Writer'S of which organization
I shall have more to say anon.
THE MACABEBE POLICEMEN.
The police force of the city was com
posed of natives, and was known as tn,
"Guardia Civil" Most of the men wer
Of the tribe of Macabebes, a name tina