Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-06-29
HOW 10Th KANSAS BOYS
BEHAvED IN A PANIC

t~'e@A9e@~AAANe ~ Ws-H ANS NtA1NGANe AH~l
to have men on outpost in the wood
on our front, as in case Of suddel
. iattack they would mask the fire o
1.-THE regiment or possibly be sacrifice,
before they could retire to its line
So far as firing was concerned, W,
lhad quiet day Of it, but nightfal
brought trouble. The regimenta
lstaff officers, with myself and (
! few orderlies had just spread out
our blankets and were preparing
to lie down, when a lively rattle OF
fire opened up in the direction OF
the enemy's lines, and bullets began
striking about us and whistling
overhead. was Of the opinion that
1t was mere squirt and would die
down, but nevertheless rose and
walked over to the trench, where l
was Joined by Major Metcalf. The
firing increased in volume, and ap-
|parently was not coming from the
enemy's trenches, which were eight
hundred yards ON our front, but
rather from point about halfway
to them. None OF our men were
asleep yet, and some Of them began
to reply without orders.
There was some delay in finding
a trumpeter to blow "Cease firing"
and in the meantime one Of our men
was hit, and gave a shrek that was
heard almost the length of the regi-
ment. In an instant the men were
beyond control. As the firing on |
our front increased they thought a |
charge was coming, and. kneeling |
behind the low shelter, worked their |
old Springfields for all they were
worth. 1t was form of panic,
but not half SO bad as boiling to
he rear. The men were in as close
line as they could be and Work
heir rifles, and they crammed cart
'idges into them and fired as rapidly
Is possible. The roar was deafen-
ng, while the rapid spurts of flame
long the whole line made in the
darkness a show of fireworks that
vas not to be despised. The dense
= /
blanket Of smoke, added to the
gloom, made it impossible to see
nything. We soon had every trum-
eter in the regiment blowing cease I
firing" but in some cases blows
nd kicks had to be resorted to In 1
rider to bring the men to their J
enses. I
Our men, perfectly steady, did not {
eply until ordered to a few seconds
lter, and when they did they fairly q
ombed the top of that dixie with +
ullets.,e We were advancing at a 4
ak and 1t was point-blank range, h
nd our fire SO disconcerted the
nemy that though they piled their s
files with great vigor, they were v
OF exposing themselves enough to d
ct any sort Of good aim. They b
ere armed entirely with Mausers
that they had no smoke to in
rfere with them, while our Spring
elds produced the usual prairie
re effect. What little wind there "
as, however, served to drive the d
noke behind instead of ahead OF
J, SO that we we're not SO much r,
Dubbed by 1t as ordinarily. H
The men were under perfect CON D,
oil, and while somewhat excited,
1eFe attending to their knitting. to
lere had been scarcely a word W
oxen except for the occasional 81
mmands given by officers and
n-eommissioned officers, but when fo
were within eighty yards l had of
Charge" blown. Only the men TO
ar the trumpeter could hear it,
t as they raised yell and went M
ward on a run the others fol- he
we'd suit. 1t does not take long TN
cover eighty yards II you are in wi
hurry, and in no time we we're
ong them. OF course, as soon m,
our men began to run, they ceased bu
ng, though It was RECOMMENDED We,
a certain extent when we closed.
we reached the position and went nm
II the dixie all the Filipinos who stit
not been killed or disabled rose his
their feet and tried to get away. be,
We had molested them no farther, 4,
bad LEI them go, 1t is probable cor
t the fight would have ended cor
once. but our men were among ned
N and g good many fought to (
; their lives. II did not seem tina
occur to them that they would sio,
spared II they threw down their
s, but they had been used to
ting spaniards, who had given
n the same kind Of quarter that the
had given the insurgents Of Of
4. A eoufuaad matoa foficus.S =.