The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-30
BURKARD IN The ?. |.
Soldier Who Fought at Sugar Point
Has Thrilling Experiences in
the Orient.
Comrade Snapped Up by a saurian
Some Hand-to-H Hand Fight
ing with 'Pinos.
snsoial 70 Ths Journal.

Special to The journal.
Red wing, Mimi, Sept 3o.-oscar Burkard,
the young man who distinguished himself during
the Indian uprising at Walker, ana who later
went with the army to the Philippines, has had
thrilling experiences In the Orient. He was
born and reared in this neighborhood. A letter
has just been received giving his experiences
while campaigning in the Philippines. The fol
lowing extract tells how one of his companions
was snatched up by crocodile and how he
himself killed two men In hand to hand strug-
gle with the enemy He says:
THE chase led us thru rough and mountain
trails, and the dense tropical forest favored the
chances for ambuscade. There were about
forty men In one column, with a lieutenant IN
command. The rest OF the company with a
lieutenant and a doctor, were to work in diff
ferent direction, and the object was to get the
enemy between two fires. The enemy had much
the best of 1t. being familiar with the country
and not being Handicapped by the heavy equip
ment OF soldier. But kept chasing them
from place to place. always just little too
late to surprise them In camp. On the 18th we
had skirmish and dispatched three to the happy
hunting grounds.
I'VE were In region wholly uninhabited, and
the rations we carried were almost used up. Two
OF our men were wounded, and the rest were
40 worn out that 1t was useless to pursue the
retreating envy. For over week we had
been on the march every day. and everybody
needed rest. The day after the skirmish we
remained In camp, and only hunting party
went out. They succeeded In killing seven deer
and wild boar, and we dried them In the sun
Eaten by Crocodile.
'.Three days later we arrived in a small vii
Iage. Most of the inhabitants had fed but we
found some provisions, While crossing a river
one OF the scouts was snapped up by croco
die. and we never could find even a piece of his
clothing. After days rest we started out
once more: leaving the sick and wounded in the
ratlons In our haversacks and were determined
to come up with the enemy and end the chase.
They escaped from their hiding place and
we pressed them hard all day, but could not
to close quarters before night. We had
them cornered, and early the next morning the
fight commenced lasting for several hours. Only
two or three Of the savages made their escape
work and only our good arms saved the day fol-
us. The enemy had no modern guns, else our
casualties would have been heavy. we lost two
killed and seven wounded, mostly In hand to
hand lights.
Desperate Fight with Native.
"r' myself had a lucky escape from death. l
had established dressing station for the
wounded in sheltered spot behind the firing
ing their injuries, when two of the enemy, who
had succeeded in stealing thru our line, came
upon me. It was surprise to them as we'll as
for me without delay when they saw that the
other four men were disabled.
The frst got with my revolver but the sec
revolver out OF my hand with his bolo, and there
stood IN his way. Had I started to run be
would have split me in two with his bolo, so
ran in upon him and clinched him. Ny only sal
walton was to wrestle him to the ground or al
least keep him busy until help could arrive. He
was larger than I, and 1t was struggle 70,
life. He had a knife In his belt which at
tempted to snatch he in the meantime trying
to cleays with his bolo In our struggle
we stumbled over stump and down the noun
tain side. knocking against rocks and projections
We rolled only about one hundred feet when we
struck the bottom OF gully. I don't know
really what happened what did do the next
two minutes. When came to my senses my
assailant was lying dead beside me and I wa.
bathed in blood. After short time help ar
rived and was cared for. My left shoulder
and elbow were badly sprained and had somt
severe bruises on my head. The strain had beer
so great that had to be carried back to camp