USA > Nebraska > The first Nebraska in camp and field, by first Nebraska boys > Part 9
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instantly, and were soon on our way to the scene of the battle singing as we went "We are, we are, we are, we are. we are Nebraska boys. What the h-Il do we care, we are Nebraska boys " When near the place, Co I was detailed as ad- vance guard, and then we moved carefully along the road through the timber. As we reached the edge of this we could see the enemy getting be- bind their breastworks in the edge of some more timber across an open space of about a quarter of a mile. As soon as they saw ns they fired a few shots, but we kept low and throw on! a skirmish line. Cos. D and H advanced into the open, but. had.only gone abont 100 yards when the lire of the enemy became so hot and well directed, and so many men were hit, that they had to lie down behind a rice ridge and stay there. They could neither ad- vance nor retreat, nor could the wounded be car- ried away; it was almost worth a man's life to raise his head. Nevertheless they kept tiring the best they could. They were not singing about Ne- braska or anything else then. In the meantime the whole regiment had songht whatever shelter could be found, and were living as rapidly as pos- sible. The " Nebraska Monterey" also came into action, but its only result was to draw some well directed volleys. It was our intention to start the enemy and then charge them as we had always done, but they fired with so much regularity and precision that we did not dare to leave our cover. Soon fonr guns of the Sixth artillery came into position, and added their fire to ours. Then the battle raged fiercely for an hour. The whole upper stratum of air was soothing and humming and whistling with the rapid flight of the steel covered messengers of death. The sound
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of the bullets striking against the trees, the crack- ing of the bamboo, was added to the incessant Imm above. They searched the underbrush and thick- et with swift nutiring energy. They strnek in front of ns, throwing mp little clonds of dust, they passed between and over us; it was bullets, bullets, everywhere. It seemed as though the whole woods must be swept away as by a blast from the lower regions. From the steel swept field in front came ever and anon a faint call for a doctor, but no liv- ing thing could ever reach them in the face of that withering storm. Closer and over closer to the ground we crouched, and stradier and more regn- lar became our fire. Scarcely a sound arose from that line of men. save the steady pop and click of the Krag-Jorgensens, as a bullet was fired and another thrown from the magazine into the empty chamber with the regularity of clock work, or the low moaning cry that told us some ballet had found a mark, or a muttered, nervous curse as a gun refused to work. From our right incessantly. regntarly as the clock striking the honr came the boom, boom, boom, of the big guns, now firing singly, now together with a sudden crash, then ramning the almost monotonous boom, boom, boom But still that blizzard of steel swept over ns. oftener came that moan or thai agonized ery that we had learned to know so well. Would it mer end? Were the enemy superhuman that. to : could stand our blighting fire? The world s . med to have stoppel, the sun to stand still in the heavens. We could not retreat, we could not, advance. It was death by a bullet to rise, and it was death by a bnliet or by the burning sun to stay. In the midst of it all came Stotsenberg from visit- ing his wife in Manila. With a swift glance he
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saw the situation of his mon, and Inrning to Major Bell he npbraided him severely. Now something would be done. Already it had been whispered along the line that "Stotsey" was here, and our flagged spirits revived. Paster came the click and pop of the Krag-Jorgensous, fiercer, if possi- ble was oor lire. Our loader's thoughts were swift as his glance. With the words "The only thing I can do now is to take those breast works." he started to breast that fierce storm of steel to reach his men in the open, but it was more than mortal man could do. He took a few steps, threw up his arms and sank down with a ballet through his heart. In attempting to resene his body, Lient. Sisson was killed and severed wounded. Our hopes were gone, and still the air seethed and hmmmed as though singing the dirge of om chief But at last our five was beginning to tell, and the enemy's fire slackoned a little a very little, but. enough to show that they were weakening. la- stantly Major Malford gave the command "charge" and with two companies leaped into the open, and the rest of the regiment followed al- most simultaneously, carrying the breastworks and marching over them into the town of Quiogia. We could not cocover the body of the cavalryioan, though we could see where he had been dragged down the road. The enemy retreated across the river behind some more breast works about a toile d's gi. Thus ended the most stubborn light we hac : et had, during which oor regiment lost seven killed and thirty-two wounded, not to mention those prostrated by heat. That afternoon two train loads of killed and wounded were sent from Malolos to Manila. From the time the battle started until late that afternoon the ambulances
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were busy carrying them away. We learned that we had here met the troops of Gen. Pio del Pilar. the finest body of men in the insurgent army. They had been in the Spanish army and were the ones who had turned the battle in favor of the in- surgeuts against the Spanish by going over to the enemy in a battle at Cavite during the rebellion against Spam. By this battle we started another advance, and never again saw onr little city at Malolos which we had left so hurridly. That af- ternoon we stayed in Qningua waiting for the wagon train to bring up supplies. We did not rest mich for the enemy's sharpshooters bothered us continually. A few of the boys who were al- ways looking for adventure, climbed into a church tower and hunted sharpshooters for amusement. Abont fonr o'clock when the rations arrived and we had onr first food since morning. Luckily we found plenty of water.
That night the artillery shelled the woods down the river. Fortunately we passed a quiet night otherwise, as we needed the rest. The next. morning we started for Calmpit, though we did not know it at the time. Just across the river, and running along the bank, clear to Calmmpit, abont ten miles, was a line of the enemy's trenches, made by digging a ditch and throwing up thedirt. All through the country we found trenches that. surprised all military men. These Filipinos seemed to be past masters in that art, and most of their trenches could be held by one of our regi- ments against an army. The Filipinos evidently expected us to proceed by the road on the town side of the river across from their trenches, but as one fellow said "we were contrary, and would not do as they wanted ns to." Instead, early in the
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morning the regiment crossed the river, traving one battalion to act as reserve. This move, to- gether with the reserve's disobeying orders, is what gave us the battle without a hard light. There was a small bend in the river which hid the main body of the regiment as it crossed, while the reserve was visible. The Filipinos were watching the reserve, thinking it was the main body, and expecting them to come down the road, and they. though against orders, tired a few shots, and in the meantime the other two battalions had ad- vaneed unseen upon the flank of the entrench- ments, and opened fire at not more than forty or fifty feet distance. They killed all the Filipinos in that part of the trench and when the reserve came up the ground was covered with the dead and dying. Among the slain was a Spanish lien- tenant. The Spaniard in Co. E' saw him first, and running up kicked him saying, "nigger lighter, nigger fighter," and then took his straps off as souvenirs.
We continued on up the trenches, only stop- ping to cat a little, until about 3:30 when the ad- vance suddenly met a five from trenches concealed in the timber. We replied, never stopping the ad- vance, and after about twenty minutes of firing the enemy fled, leaving several dead and wounded. Among the latter was a Spanish bugler who was shot through the forehead but was still alive, though he died in a few minutes after we came np. Wo camped just beyond this for the night, for we had gone as far as we could drag ourselves.
The next morning we were destined to have one of the hardest fights of the campaign. for we were to attack the strongly fortified town of Calumpit. We awoke about 4 o'clock, and waited
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until 5 o'clock for rations, had breakfast, and pre- pared for the attack. Gen. Wheaton's brigade mot ours there, and was on the south of Calmapit. About 10 o'clock the advance halted at the Bag Bag to wait for the lowas to swing around into position. Our regiment was on the left of the brigade, connecting with Con. Wheaton's brigade on the other side of the river. To make this plain We must say that our brigade was between two rivers and facing another which ran between them. Just across the river on our front was a line of finely constructed breastworks, covered for protection against shells, but with no exit except at the ends. Along the front was an opening about eight inches wide from which to fire. From these trenches the enemy opened fire on us while we were yet a quarter of a mile from the riv r. Almost simultaneously with our answering the first five both brigades and the artillery came into action. Then followed a scene we will never for- got. One fellow afterwards remarked that it was a fine fight. The firing was the heaviest we . had soon extending as it did along the front of two brigades. The roar of battle was incessant. The rapid boom of the big guns, the rattling of the riffe fire, and the peculiar whirring of the rapid firing guns seemed to swell the atmosphere with its intensity, and to roll over us and away in great volumes of sound. But we kept advancing all the time. There was not a waver in the long line of mon, they loaded and tired as at drill. Here and there a few chatting remarks were made, but from the majority came no sound. The air was as though full of hissing, snapping serpents, but still that line moved onward as a tidal wave rolls upon the shore. Occasionally a man would throw
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up his arms and with a cry of "O, God" sink writhing and tossing npon the ground. A few of his comrades would carry him back, and another would take his place. Gradually the enemy's fire weakened, for as one fellow aptly remarked, "No army can stand artillery. They must either take it or run." And as the Filipinos could not do the former they wisely chose the latter. But the artillery alone did not do it; our boys soon got the range on those port holes, and fired into them with such precision that the enemy could not raise their heads to shoot. Consequently while their lire was heavy it was high. When we reached the river the trenches were empty. Some of our boys were anxious to cross, and one fellow stepped into the river to see if it could be waded. He found out. He immediately went down, but was canght by Gen. Hale, who was also pulled in and Major Mulford then pulled him ont. In the meantime some of the boys bad found a shallow place further down and the Ist Nebraska went across, the first into Calumpit, the three who had found the ford going ahead looking for relics. When the rest of the regiment came to the trenches we discovered the bamboo inside splin- tored and shattered from the bullets which we had sent through the port holes. No wonder the Filipinos left. They were not cowards; they were wise men. The firing had ceased all along the line by this time, and the enemy were running to their next line of trenches across the Rio Grande, about two miles mp the railroad. The railroad bridge, which was to our left and in front of Gen. Wheaton's brigade, had been destroyed by the en- emy. Work was immediately commenced on it, and by morning troops could cross.
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After we crossed we were fired at by one of the enemy's cannon. The shot, however, did not come within a half mile of us. We camped in the town for the night, with the exception of Cos. D and F, which were sent up to guard the railroad bridge over the Rio Grande. They stayed there only a short time before they were ordered to fall back a short distance, for fear of an ambush. The next day the Kansas and Montana regiments went on the firing line up the railroad track. They fought more or less all day, the enemy using artillery. but doing no execution, because they did not know how to handle it. We were in the reserve doing nothing but lounging around. A fellow in Co. D was hit in the leg by a Manser fired more than two miles away. This gave a clew to some of the boys to have some fun. They pulled some Mauser bullets out of the shells. and when a volley was fired would throw one near somebody. He would hear it, look startled and say. . They are shooting pretty close. They must be firing at us." Some of them even got under shelter, and were then told the joke.
We stayed here that night. ~ The battle was still going on in the morning, but we did not go mp, though the artillery had gone during the night and silenced the enemy's guns. That night two Kansas boys swam the Rio Grande with a rope which they tied to a stump on the edge of the river abont 25 yards from the Filipino trenches. The next morning Col. Funston and about twenty- five men went across on a raft, which they pulled over by the rope. There was a high bank on either side and the artillery and infantry poured such a hot fire into the enemy that they did not see the men on the raft until they were nearly across, and
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then they could not fire on them because they would have to expose themselves to get in posi- tion. They commenced to flee at once, but all could not get away before the Kansans charged over the breastworks and opened fire on them at short range, killing about twenty in a few minutes. Soon the whole regiment crossed; then the Filipi- nos rallied and started to charge them, but could not stand the five, and again made what we used to call a "famous get away."
We stayed here eight days, doing outpost duty and resting. Out of the three hundred men with which we left Malolos we had now for duty abont one hundred and fifty. This number is not abso. Intely correct but it will not vary ten men either way, for the estimate was taken from the rolls of each company. Co. D had only twelve men with a corporal in command. It was a little strange to see him go to headquarters when officers call blew. He was afterwards commissioned lientenant. Does the reader yet wonder that we wanted a chance to rest?
While we were here many "amigos" (the Spanish for friend) came in to be fed, and gave any kind of reports that they thought would get them something to ent. Of course we gave them food, though they might have been soldiers; we did not care, though we did not have a great deal to eat ourselves as the bombardment had scared away all the ducks, chickens and hogs.
We often visited the town Apalit across the river. It was a native town, and surprisingly neat. and clean, containing many substantial stone buildings and a fine hotel. We had been waiting here for a delegation of Filipinos to negotiate peace with the Americans. Two Filipino officers
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came into Calumpit a few days after the battle and remained there several days consulting with Gion. McArthur, and then went to Manila to see Gen. Otis with whom they stayed a few days. Their in- tentions may have been good, but we found on ad. vancing toward San Fernando that their army bad used the time well in strengthening their positions. The peace conference failed, and we had yet more work to do.
About noon on the 3rd day of May the South Dakota boys took np a position in front of ns, and we were told to be ready to move at 3:30. We fell in and marched to Apalit, about three miles, where we camped for the night. Here forthe first the boys expressed their real feelings. A few lines fram a diary will illustrate. "Here we had an old fashioned camp fire where we told stori s and sang natil after taps. The boys sang many old pathetie songs with much feeling, as we seemed to think that the war was about over."
The next morning we were ready to move at. & a. m, but where we did not know. We did not know whether we were going on ontpost, or to a fight. Anyway we were ready and of course speculated-the soldier's one privilege. The South Dakotas were on the firing line, and our regiment in reserve, marching in column of fours, as we were not hear the enemy. About a mile beyond Apalit we came to the worst swamp we had ever seen. through which we had to wade and fight all the way to San Tomas. Through this swamp ran innumerable small streams with soft muddy bot .- toms, and between these streams was a growth of tall grass and bamboo jungle. Long, however, be- fore we came to the worst of this, and while still in column of four we were compelled to halt and
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scek any shelter we could find as the battle wasal- ready on between the Filipinos and Jowas, and we were getting a great deal of the tire. Then came the command "Nebraska on the right," and we immediately threw ont a skirmish line into that swamp. This made us the middle regiment of the brigade, with the Iowas on our left and South Dakotas on the right. Then we commenced the advance, wading through und from knee deep to waist deep, and foreing our way, struggling and gasping for breath, through the jungle of bamboo and tall grass under the enemy's live, and with the burning sun fairly blistering ns. Every few
yards we came to a small stream which we crossed on bamboo poles, if we could find them, or by wad- ing if we could not. Many sank into the mud so deeply that they had to be helped out. One fellow was discovered sunk to his chin and keeping his head up by means of his gun. So dithienlt was the progress that many formed a line in single file letting the first man beat down the grass. How well we remember one procession of this kind, The fellow in front happened to look back and see the others following in his path. He laughed, and saying, "I guess I will let some one else go ahead," he crossed over behind some others. As he moved he said "I wonder if I moved ont of the way of a bullet or in front of one." He was soon answered. A few feet further those of us near the path he had just left, heard a soft thad, then a low groaning "Oh God" and we knew that one of our comrades had been discovered by a Filipino bullet. Two of those nearest half turued to help him, but a lieutenant said "Go on, boys, we have him." It was not till the next day, after he was dead, that we knew that he had laken the place of the one
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who had moved. It was nothing, only the ex- pected lot of a soldier. The dispatches next morning would simply read "One private killed." But to some it meant more. Another fine fellow and jolly comrade had given up his young life in this man hunt in a tropical jungle, far from the lonely mother who was anxiously waiting his return. After the lieutenant's command we went on wonder- ing if it would be our turu next. Soon we heard the command "Keep low, they don't see us." We were to try a flank movement, but it wasa running fight and as unnecessary as impossible. The enemy concealed in the jungle were firing and falling back, tearing up the bridges behind them.
It was along this road which ran through the swamp, and was the only dry place in all that stretch of country from Apalit to San Tomas, that we saw how the natives had employed their time during the peace conference. At intervals were oval shaped holes with bamboo stakes driven in the bottom and sharpened at the top, to impede the progress of cavalry and artillery. But our advance had been too rapid and they. had not had time to cover them.
We could see the enemy retreating but on ac- connt of the tall grass we could not fire on them. They had some trenches along the road bnt evac- nated them without fighting. By the time we ar- rived at their first line of works they were out of sight. We then haled to rest and eat a little can- ned beef and hard tack, and it was a little, for many of the boys had thrown away everything they could. We were indeed a sorry spectacle. More than half that had started had dropped out, some by bullets, but many more by heat and fa- tigne, and as all with which we started was a
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small percent of the regiment, the reader can im- agine that we did not have very many men, and these were worn out and plastered with mnd so that they looked more like Filipinos than Ameri- cans. If one of us in that condition had asked for food at a back door in America, the dog would have been set on him.
Wecamped in a village near there that night. It was not a pleasant place to camp on account of the dead bodies of men and animals around. There were many dead and wounded Filipinos as we came up. One native here was shot seventeen times with a rapid fire gun and was still alive, though he did not live long. These we left for the hospital corps which always followed us. The wounded natives were taken to a hospital prepared for thein at Manila.
The mosquitos were so bad that we could not sleep despite our fatigue. They were larger than usual here, the smallest being abont the size of a canary bird, and their sting was worse than a Mauser wound. There was so many of them that they obscured the moonlight, and the noise of their wings sounded like a threshing machine in action.
That night we saw a bright light up toward the north which we suspected was San Fernando burning, but who was doing it we did not know as there were no American troops up there to our knowledge.
We stayed at San Tomas that day picking wild cherries and lounging arond. That same day the Iowas went north reconnoitering and found San Fernando evacuated and partly burned, the explanation of the light seen the night before. They occupied it and that afternoon our brigade,
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with the exception of a few troops, moved up also and went into camp. We were quartered in build- ings which, while not very good, were palaces to ns. Here we remained thirteen days. One fight- ing was done at last, but we did not know it, in fact we did not know anything about what was go- ing on; one fellow used to say that when the United States enlisted a man it first examined him to see if he had any brains, and if he had they were taken away. This might have been' true for all the good a man's brains did him; somebody told him when to arise in the morning, when to go to bed at nigh, when to eat and what to eat, what kind of clothes to wear, and when to move, and when to sit still, and if an officer canght a `man looking as though he was thinking that man was promptly arrested, tried, and sentenced to be shot at sunrise. . But as we said, we did not know why we were there, so we stayed and did what we were told, and we were told to do plenty too. The most devoted believer in exercise for health is an army officer -- for the men. I mean. And many of the vol- nnteer officers received their knowledge by ex- perience, too, for they had received their robust constitution from walking behind a plow.
San Fernando was a native city, and quite clean, cleaner in fact, than many cities in this part of Ne- braska. It was large, but on aceonnt. of being crowd- ed,as are all Philippine cities, it was difficult to esti- mare the population. We should say, had been crowded, for it was deserted when wearrived. The city was built. mostly of stone, though on the out- skirts were many bamboo "shacks" in which the poorer class lived. The stores were all small, but there were quite a large number of them, showing that there must have been considerable business ac-
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tivity. As far as we could learn it was a town of considerable wealth. The old stone church had once been a magnificent building, but was now ruined by fire. The city is on high land, sloping up to- ward the foothills from the swamp below San Tomas, through which we had passed. When the inhabitants had departed they buried what valuables they could not carry with them. As soon as the American soldiers got into the city the most adventnrons began to hunt for relies and val- uables, and, seeing places where the earth had been disturbed, they of course investigated. Some of the Montana regiment found 40,000 pesos and others, smaller amounts One of the boys in our regiment, in his wanderings, one day dis- covered a place within a stone wall where the earth had been turned. Ho communicated his knowledge to a friend and they began to dig. At first they used their hands until they found a bunch of curry combs, and then they used them. They thought at first that it had been a jewelry store, but when they found the curry combs they thought that it was a jewelry and hardware store combined. They dug abont four feet and then struck a plate of tin. One of the fellows exclaimed. "We have found our fortune, this is where the jewety is buried." They lifted mp the tin care- fully, all expentancy. Underneath were some stone jars, and in those they expected to find jewelry, but when they were opened instead of jewelry they found lamps and fine chinaware. It is needless to say that they were angry and dis- appointed at first, and then they had a good laugh at each other's appearance. They had perspired very freely and the dirt stnek to their clothing, hands and faces till they looked as though they
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