28 THE OlvrAEA DAIL'Y BEEi BTODAY , MAY 1-1 , 1800 ,
IN THE TRENCHES AT MANILA
Brigadier General King Describes Deeds of
Daring Witnessed by Himself.
TRUE TALES OF OUR FIGHTING MEN
ilH Slimline Mntclilc * * CntiriiKi *
null linnlt of Amcrlcnn hctltllorn
In lirl'lilll | > | iliic WIcUcil
Tn-nrlu-ry ofiillve * .
( Copyright , ISM , by S. 8. MoCliire Co. All
rlnhts reserved , )
It would take a book to tell you ot the
"heroic Incidents" you ask for , of the day ,
long foretold , on which the so-called liir
surKonts mndo their urn ml assault on the
American lines about Manila. The situation
was a strange one. We were allies at the
stnrt and bccnmo nnetnles through force
of circumstances. For yoara they had suf
fered grievous wrongs at the hands of the
Spaniards , had battled bravely and per
sistently for their freedom , had "bottled
up" the dona In Manila , Hello and a few
other fortlllcd towns , and felt sure of ulti
mate victory. Kor reward tholr leader had
promised them thu tack of Manila , and
there la little doubt Indiscriminate massa
cre of the Spaniards would have followed.
Yho hateof the Filipino for his long tlmo
oppressor Is something beyond description.
The little Islander has been aptly described
ns half child , half devil. Ilu IB fanatical
na the Turk and moro superstitious than
the negro. Ho IH n devout Homan Catholic ,
n wonderfully apt scholar , a most accom
plished sneak thief , and , when It comes to
lighting , an enemy ns utterly without con
science and as full of treachery as our Ari
zona Apache. He will hoist a white Hat ;
nnd lure you to your death under Its folds.
Ho will don the garb of priest , monk or
oven sister -charity , rome to you begging
nlms and stab you * In the back or silt your
throat with his keen "bolo" oven as you
nro giving him aid. He will snillu grate
fully , guilelessly up Into the face of the
surgeon who for weeks has been healing
Ills wounds nnd then lay for a chance to
shoot or knlfo his benefactor tha very night
ho Is discharged from hospital. IU > will
como to beg a guard for his little homo-
Ktcad and vegetable patch , and shoot the
guard the moment ho U alone. He Im
plored UH to respect the holy character of
his Innumerable churches , and ho made the
very altar his arsenal stored his Mausers
nnd cartridges under the Imago of the cruel-
Jlcd Saviour and crammed the church Itself
with fighting men when the hour of out
break came. Dozens of our wounded , drift
ing back to the hospitals , and of our Of
ficers and orderlies riding to ami fro among
the buildings they had preserved and pro
tected were phot down from within the
nails of the sanctuary or these of the na-
tlvo homes. Manila and its suburbs \\ero
hotbeds ( it treachery , nnd these were thu
people whom for months past we had been
ordered to treat with every courtesy and
consideration.
IllXtllllllK COIHlllCt Of tilt * XlltiVt'tt.
For three \\ocka before the outbreak their
officers had been Insulting In language an I
demeanor to our men. For six weeks before
their assault In force Americans were ar
rested who sought to penetrate their llno < < ,
yet they were permitted to wander at will
through ours. "Do everything in your power
to avert a conflict , " were our orders , and In
of all manner of aggressions they were
faithfully observed. The line of demarka-
tlon between the insurgent territory nnd
ours \\na roughly Indicated by a cordon of
block houses extending clear around the
suburbs of Manila from above Tondo on
the way to the north to old Fort San Antonio
Abrul below IMalato to tha south. Major
General Anderson , with the First division ,
faced the Insurgents between the Paslg
river and the bay east nnd south of the
city. Major General MacArtnur , with the
second division , did like duty cast and north.
1 commanded the first brigade of the first
division covering the line from the Paslg to
block houeo 12 In front of the big towns of
Pondacan nnd Paco. The narrow " -"tero"
of the Concordla and the still narrower
stream nf the Tripa do Galllna formed the
line bel.wc'on my troops nnd the Filipinos.
Wo know they had heavy redoubts and en
trenchments on their side In front of the
big village of Santa Ana , a mile away , but
they were skillfully screened by trees and
shrubbery. Wo knew they had Kiupp guns
but wo could not tell Jufct whore they were
placed. The stone 'bridge ' over the
Tripa In front of block houie 11 bore the
brunt of all the Incessant traUlc between
Manila and the score of towns along the
river , on the Doltta and the south shore of
the lake , of which It is the outlet. This
wns the liiburgent line of supply and com
munication. Santa Aim was the head
quarters of General Rlcartl's division and
their arsenal as wnll , and this line , when
the tables were suddenly turned upon them
on the morning of Sunday , February G , they
defended for an hour with obstinate deter
mination until they found themselves out
flanked and caught in a trap. Then only
the reserves escaped. The firing lines were
killed , captured or driven Into the Paslg
nnd drowned. That In brief wns the result
of what Is called the battle of Santa Ana ,
fought by the First brigade , First division ,
Eighth corps nnd Illcnrtl's command of the
insurgent army. The pursuit was not
dropped until wo reached the villages on
the Delta , the following day and secured
their surrender , but the heroic incidents
wont all around the line through both di
visions. I shall try to tell you of a few
that occurred in ours.
llcKllllllllK of Illlt Flwlll.
It was 2:30 : o'clock on Sunday morning
when the Insurgents opened lire on my line
and long before dawn It spread clear across
the front of General OvenoMna's brigade ,
which , facing south , lay to our right. Not
until 8 o'clock , however , could our division
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commander get the consent of the governor
general to let us attack , ( Meantime wo had
to "stand and take It" or , literally , the
lines lay down and fired back across the
Tripa as best they could. It was galling
work. .Many a bravo fellow wears the
mark of that night's battling , nnd a dozen
were killed outright 'before ' , at last , wo got
the word to go in and sweep the field. At
that moment Company A ot the First Wash
ington infantry lay close to the stream
facing the flashing lines across the Tripa.
Erwln , its first lieutenant , had been borne to
the rear , shot through the neck and arm.
Two men lay dead In their tracks. Twenty
were wounded. I had galloped forward to
give the order , nnd I shall never forget how ,
though covered with mud and fitilf with
the long constraint , those splendid follows
sprang to their feet and then , crouching like
| Indian- , dove down the 'bank and splashed
' waist deep through the Estero. It was there
I came upon their captain tall , conspicuous
and calm and ellent as ever but covered
with blood his head bound up In n hand
kerchief. Ho staggered slightly as ho tolled
up the opposite bank and , knowing what
was ahead of us and that ho must have been
painfully wounded , I took the flrst chance
to reach him and order him back to the
surgeons. He could barely speak , with his
Jaw bound tightly , but what he said was
practically this "It's only n scratch , sir. I
can't let my men go on without mo. "
And yet a bullet had scored his face ,
scraped his cheek bono and ripped through
his right ear. It wns his maiden fight , too ,
but a veteran of GO could have been no core
composed. That was Captain Albert II.
Otis , Company A , First Washington.
ClonrliiK ( he Itlci ! KlelilN.
Ten minutes later the dash of two bat
talions of the Wnshlngtons had cleared the
rice fields to the south of the Santa Ana
road and the Callfornlans , lining the low
embankment on which It ran , were getting
in rt lively ciossflro on the entrenchments
to the north of It. The Krupp guns were
firing rapidly nt us from n redoubt close
to the stream and near the east end of Santa
Ana. The stone bridge across the Tripa
seemed to be the main target , for shivered
glass from the lamp posts and splintered
btono from tho. parapets flew wl'h ' the whis
tling bullets diagonally across tha roadway.
None the less two little mountain Hotchklss
guns had been run forward by hand almost
to the arch nnd there , coolly , placidly di
recting their lire bursting his
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"RAISED THIS WHITE FLAG , THEN SHOT DEAD THE FIRST SOLDIER TO BEACH
TIJE WORKS. "
squarely in the Filipino works , and never
oven crouching to avoid the Incessant flight
of the Mauser and Remington ails-iiU's , stood
an officer who had already won a name for
daring and skill in the face of a savage
enemy. A Sioux bullet at the bloody fight
at Wounded Knee eight years n o diovo
fragments of his watch througn his body ,
but in no wlso Impaired Ms cllleicney or
daunted his nerve when the next compalgn
came on. Between the- cool , scientific hand
ling of these guns by Lieutenant IHwthorno
of the Sixth artillery and the fierce and
rapid volleys of the Callfornlans crouth-
lug behind the road , the insurgents lurking
behind the low ridges in the rlco fields to
our left front woie driven to cover further
back nnd their shots flew wild. Then it
was possible to rush the First Ida'jo ncrots
the bridge and form it for the attak en
the redoubts. At tha head of the Second
battalion strode a veteran soldier Major
Edward McConville , Ho had served ns a
private in the great war of the rebellion ,
Ho had later spent long years In tne reg
ular army as a private and noncommissioned
olllccr. lie at ono tlmo carried n nunkct
in the company then commanded by Cap
tain , now Major General Anderson , under
whoso orders ho again found himself when
ho came ns a major to Manila. Ho was
probably the oldest man in the .llvUIou
he certainly was in the brigade but no
duty was so wearisome nr exacting that he
did net carry out his tlmro of It to the ut
termost. The men looked upon him as a
patriarch , but honored him for bis devo
tion to every detail of his soldier work.
I think now that the bravo old fellow
must have become somewhat deaf. He hail
mUundcretood an order I gavu him when
reporting to mo for Instructions as field
oillcer of the day a fortnight before the
tight. This bad led to my writing out hit
el-dura the next and last time ho reported
for the same purpose and the veteran soldier
had taken this in connection with a mild
reproof I bad given htm for allowing his
reserves nnd supports to bo withdrawn before -
fore daylight very much to heart. In a
brigade made up exclusively of volunteers
at the date of its maiden battle bo wns the
only ofllcer I had felt obliged to rcprovo
and he was an old regular.
I'ntior ( or ( lit ; Krny.
Hut I can sco him now aa ho came run
ning to mo on tha Santa Ana road just after
cioi-elng the bridge. A skirmish line wa *
\ dancing out across the rico fields against
, the flro spitting entrenchments toward the
river , and the Jdahos except three compa
nies sent into back up Washington for the
rush into Santa Ana from the south were
destined to act in mipport. Wo had ex
changed cordial greetings early in the
morning. McConvllo and I , when the regi
ment reported for duty In Enst Pasco and
now his face was aglow , his eyes blazing
with eagerness and excitement. It had been
all planned that ns eoon as the Idaho * wuro
across and deployed for the attack for the
high road the south that Captain Forston ,
with his two companies of the Washlngtons
should ford the Concordla nnd attack from
the west the tlrst and most formidable of
the redoubts now fully "located" on a
singular mound rising from the midst of n
I level plain.
I "yonder are the works , major , " were the
I words of the order , "Cross the fleldu In
j front of the Norwegian consul's house" ( a
! big stone affair that stood close to thu stream
300 yards to tlio left of the road ) "and
charge everything Into the rlu-r. "
California wna to support on the light.
Fortson on his It'll , but he never stopped
to Inquire. Eagerly ho answered "All
right , sir1 and hastened to the head of
his men , Kagcrly lie Jed them over the
field and , iu JiU casernes * , cot ulxod as
to the consul's house and passed behind ,
instead of in front of it , so that it took
ten minutes to straighten him out , tout then
"with " cheers and volleys the lines rushed
in. Just as the center of the Idahos
reached a little clump of .trees and shrub
bery half way acrow the plain they -wore
greeted by a sudden and Jurlous volley that
staggered them. In. an Instant McConville
leaped to the front , waving his sword over
his head nnd shouting to his men "Come
on ! Como on , Idaho ! " and then , as ha
turned and led the rush into the shrubbery ,
a shot struck him square in the breast and
down ho went. Even then , they told me ,
ho strove to crawl forward with the line ,
but the wound was mortal , nnd presently
the brave old fellow realized that ho had
but an hour or two to live. I never saw
him again. The order ho received from
my lips on the Santa Ana road was his
last and to the letter had he striven to
obey it.
Orders Executed.
Five Insurgents lay dead about the Krupp
in the middle redoubt where , side by side ,
California and Idaho leaped in to the capture
and a dozen lay strewn over the field in front
of whore the honored old major fell , The
big'redoubt on tlio mound to his left wns
littered with the bodies of the Insurgents.
Hemmed in between McConville , Fortson
and the river and unable to beat back the
dashing charge of the "Americanos" they
raised the white flag and then ehot dead the
flrst soldiers to reach the work. Tlio roar
of musketry waa resumed for three minutes
nnd followed < by scattering shots as the fugi
tives ran for the stream , but there wns n
smile on McConvllle's grizzled face ns they
bore him off the field. Everything had been
swept to the river. All these redoubts were
won. Both the Krupps were ours and tliere
were places where the insurgents lay two
deep in the trenches. As the main line
made its grand wheel to the left and , charg
ing Into Santa Ana from the south , "rounded
up" the insurgents who strove to escape
along the bank , Captain Cunningham of
Hie First California caught tight of a bin
"casco" or barge crammed with the enemy
"poling" over to the opposite shore. In les
than no tlmo ho had his company lined
up belilnd the convent enclosure through
which they had fought their way and op
ened fire. In five minutes up went the white
flag across the stream and , under cover ot
the rifles of a whole battalion by this time
ranged along the bank , Cunningham went
over , found the insurgent captain and flvs
men dead , several mortally and seventeen
slightly wounded and made ttio whole de
tachment prisoners.
KlKhtlliK 111 iliP WooilM.
But while the First brigade had carried
out Its plan of battle without appreciable
chock there was some hard work in front
of the Fourteenth infantry ( rcgulnra ) of
Ovonshlno's ( Second ) brigade , farther to the
right. Hero In the thick woods the Insur
gents had thrown up breastworks and pac-
Bcssed themselves of blockhouse 11-once
occupied by our men , but later abandoned
because of the length of the line and fie
small number of troops to defend It. Hoth
In front of the First nnd Sscnnd brigades ,
but especially in front of the First nt Santa
Ana bridge , the same condition of affairs was
found to exist. The Insurant officers had
taught their men to bollovo ihat tie Amer
icans were cowards who dnr- > not flght
who would probably rim if nttirked and
would certainly recoil before n deteim ncd
stand. For weeks the littleslunjr fficors
and men would come out on the bridge ,
whet their "boles" on the stone parapet and
dare our sentries to fight. As they drove
or rode through our lines and our Eentiles
saluted the officers us they were f.rdored ,
the latter often jeered and taunted ' .born ,
though they behaved with 'xamplnr/ pro
priety when meeting parties of our oOlceru.
The Filipinos , seeing nnd hearing nil this ,
were Impatient for the attack to begin ,
believing nil Manila would be theirs and
tl'e Americans oven easier victims than the
Spaniards. This was the explanation of
ihdr dash and spirit when assaulting early
Sunday morning and of their olatlnate de
fense , for a while at least , when our HOPS
advanced. Now , I can only tell from hearsay -
say of the gallant art of a young oillcer of
the Fourteenth regulars , but it la the talk
of the First Division nnd has won him the
recommendation for the modal of honor.
DcHiiernte AnNittilt.
A battalion of the regiment , checked by
tlio fierce flre from the thickets in their
front and dispirited by its severe loss iu
killed and wounded , was lying down for
shelter. Ono of Its best and bravest ofllceie ,
Lieutenant Mitchell , lay dying In their
midst , when Lieutenant Perry L. Miles , nn
Ohio tooy , only four years out of West Point ,
was suddenly called upon to report to hla
commanding officer. In brief words the bat
talion chief gave him orders : "That block
house must bo taken at once and I want
you to do it. " Miles is ono of the "quiet-
eat" young fellows In the service and he
probably went off without a word. AB the
story comes to me , it 'was decided that he
should call for volunteers , and he did. The
men looked at the bristling block house a
few hundred yards away and shook their
heads. It was crammed with insurgents ,
and the only way to reach it was a straight
road with dense bamboo and underbrush on
each side. It was a lane to death and the
soldiers knew it. Only flvo men responded
to the call , and with these flvo Miles made
his dash. Full tilt they charged through
the storm , of hissing lead that greeted but
could not stop them. First ono , then an
other , two of the daring five dropped in
tholr tracks , but Miles darted on nnd the
Filipinos , amazed at such dauntless courage
and fearful of tholr fate when the Ameri
cans reached .the block house , came scurryIng -
Ing down from the upper storlea. Possibly
they were afraid it might bo fired and they
bo burned alive. Possibly they were- awed
by the prospect of hand to hand fight with
'big ' fellows who were proof against their
Mausers , but down they came ami out they
wont the last Filipino rushing from the
back door as Miles , revolver In hfcnd , sprang
in at the front. It was n desperate chance
and ono of the bravest , pluckiest things of
the day.
"Worthy of a Mrdnl of Honor.
But hero Is another that calls for the
medal of honor , if I understand it aright.
The military telegraph Hue , before the battle
tlo began , extended on our front to block
house 11 , close to the Santa Ana bridge.
The officers of the signal corps followed up
the movements of the brigade and stretched
their wires far to the front. But the line
ran through the village of Pace n nest of
Insurgents out of uniform , therefore all the
moro dangerous. Pace church was found
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to > bo a stronghold of the rascals early tn
the day , and dozens of the villagers' houses
proved to bo only lurking places .for . as
sassins in the garb of peace the white ,
everyday dress of the Filipino. Of course
it was not long before church and huts In
numerable were in flames , nnd the lurking
occupants hunted out , but the huge etono
tower of Pace church refused to burn and
there , safe sheltered until wo could smash
It with artillery , and fanatical to the last
n party of perhaps half n dozen insurgents
kept up incessant nro on Americans whoso
duties compelled them to cross Pace brldga
on the ono line of communication between
Santa Ana and the city. Toward 11 o'clock
right at the telegraph polo In front of
the church nnd not 200 yards from it the
wire was clipped , nnd a young signal of
ficer , Lieutenant Charles IS. Kllbourne , Jr. ,
springing back to find- the break -was sa
luted by a volley. "Get away from there
for God's sake ! " yelled some soldiers , who ,
from the shelter of the village walls , were ft
trying to answer the flro from the towor. v
"HIdo for your life , man ! " shouted some
horsemen -who dashed toy in full speed nnd
bending low over their pommels , but Kll-
bourne was made of better stuff. Swept
away , at flrst. by the excited rush of thu
stampeded riders ho regained control of his
pony , reined him nbout , rode deliberately
back to Pace , dismounted at that ldcnllc.il 4\
pole , clrmbed it to the very top in the face \
of a galling flro that clipped a second wlro
while ho was repairing the first , calmly ,
plucltily , skillfully mended both wires in
plain sight of half a dozen officers nnd a
score of men sheltered by the walls up and
down the blazing Callo Heal. Then mounted
and rode on about his other business. If
that wasn't pluck and heroism , I'm no
judge of either. CHARLES KING ,
Brigadier General , U. S. V.
FIllMlTN < > f Sl 'OI'll.
Plcturesquoncss of phrase IH habitual to
the Irish. The following " ( lowers of speech"
nro from Mr. Mncdonagh's "Irish Life nnd
Character : "
An Irishman was asked In America how
ho was getting on. "Mlddlln' , " ho said ,
"mlddlln1 ; but falx , I'd rather be a EBH
lamp in Dublin nor president of the United
States. "
An Irish navvy was complaining of his
forearm. "He'd not stir a finger hlnmoIT
to lift a red herring off the gridiron , but
he'd ask you to shift the Hock ot
Gibraltar. "
GALLANT LIEUTENANT CHARLES IS. KILIJOURNE , Jr. , WHO REPAIRED TELE-
CJHAPII WIIICS UNDER FIERCE FIRE.
y
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