Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-06-15


thought that our duties would con-
sist in helping to sit on and hold
down the little brown brother" for
a few months; so that the trans
port carried as passengers the wives
Of Major whitman. Captain Buchan,
Chaplain schliemanh, and Lieuten-
ant Haussermann. Mrs. Funston
was not ready to sail. and followed
on the Newport which left on No
vernber 8, carrying among other
troops the first battalion Of the regi-
meEt.
We had not been many days In
Manila when we realized that there
was something great deal more
interesting that garrison duty ahead
Of us, 1t being the almost unani-
nous opinion Of officers who had
been ON the ground for some time
that unless we got out Of the islands
In q short time, a clash with the
numerous, truculent, and weil-arm-
ed forces Of the so-called Filipino
Republic was inevitable. The only
question seemed to be as 10 when 1t
would start and how. The post
stringent orders had been issued to
the American troops to the effect
that they should bear insults and
threats in silence, and under no cir
cumstances take things into their
own hands. 1t was the evident in
tention to lay the onus Of starting
the trouble on our opponents, q plan
which worked out all right, as the
Filipinos began soon to take our
forbearance for fear, and brought
on themselves a swift and terrible
retribution.
On the night of February 4 we
had Just retired, and ! was not yet
asleep when Major Metcalf pounded
vigorously on the door and called
out, Come out here, colonel. The
ball has begun" / scarcely realized
at first what he meant, but hastily
slipped on a few clothes and came
out into the hallway. Metcalf con-
Quoted me to window, and asked,
"Did you ever hear that racket be-
fore?" And sure enough, from lit
tie north Of east floating over the
housetops of the great city, came
the distant rattle Of the Mausers.
There was NO mistaking It, and
we realized that q war had begun.
As the preliminary rattle swelled
into great roar, there were excited
voices in the streets, rapid closing
of doors and windows, and sound
Of people running through the streets
and then the city became almost as
quiet as death. In the meantime
our orderlies had been awakened
and were saddling our horses in
frantic haste. We dressed hastily,
said hurried goodbyes, and in a few
moments were galloping through the
silent streets to the regimental head
quaters. The men Of the various
companies were already dressing and
falling in. 1t was plain to be seen
that their condition was one Of sup
pressed excitement. But as they
heard the ominous sound borne to
their ears, will warrant there was
not one Of them who begruded the
dreary months Of drill at San Fran
cisco.
Already the spiteful bullets from
the enemy's Mausers were enlivening
the air overhead with their peculiar
popping noise, or striking the roofs
or sides Of the nipa shacks. The
men Of the regiment were strangely
silent as they trudged along listen.
ing to the sounds made by these mes.
sengers Of death. 1t was a new
world for all but q few of them,
As we were coming up in rear Of ouI
own outpost, OF course no advanct
guard was necessary, and a small
group Of us officers we're riding
Just a few yards ahead Of the col
Ilumn.
Just as we reached the tramwaJ
car barns there was q tremendous
boom half a mile or more to oul
il front, and a couple Of seconds latei
something struck the ground a few
rods ahead OF us, bounded into thu
air, passed overhead with a loud
swish" traversed the length Of tw'
companies. and then with a SOUND
like a young cyclone, demolished
two or three nipa houses. II val
a bit amusing the way the from
half Of the regiment all but pros
trated itself as the big round nho
} passed overhead. though such actioI
was the most natural thing in tn
world. During the night and tnl
NEXT day this gun fired thlrty-eigh