Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1899 — Soldiering in the Philippines. [ARTICLE]

Soldiering in the Philippines.

Advance on Paranaqua, Las Penns, Baeore, Lanins. Paranaqua, P. I. Juno 18, ’99. Editor Republican: After holding our position in the trenches at Pasay for four months against the insurgent’s strong hold of Paranaqua after being fired upon everv night by the enemy and digging trenches and the heavy out post duty all this time we finally made an advance and took Paranaqua, the town whioh was watched at day time by the field glass, at night it was watched by the search lights of Dewey’s fleet and occasionally sent a shell in the large ohurcb which the insurgents held as a fort and which we, the Ist Battalion of the 14th now hold. But we lost two noncommissioned officers, Sargeant Laws and Coporal Moore both shot through the head by the Remington rifle. On June 13th, the Ist Battalion of the 14th under Major McCameron was in the reserve, at 1 o’clock p. m. we were ordered on the firing line as soon as we were deployed as skirmishers whioh did not take long as the bullets were dropping all around us, then we got the command “forward, double line march,” up we jumped every man yelling the old Indian war whoops and rushing for the enemy’s trenches under a heavy fire but three of our men got wounded at once but we went on but were stopped by a river which we did not know was there until we got on the bank, we at once saw the insurgents in their trenches just across the river. We fell on our faces to the ground and commenced firing at will and kept up a rapid fire for two hours. Then a white flag was seen on the enemey’s side of the river, so the order was given to “cease faring” whereupon 58 insurgents surrendered to “L” Co. 14th with their arms. A sargeant and private swam the river to the insurgents side, made a raft out of bamboo polls and brought the captured insurgents across to our side with the army. The sargeant was recommended for bravery, the private was made coporal for bravery. But here is where we lost two men and five wounded, they were both shot in the head, side by side 10 feet to my right. Gen. Lawton could be seen any time near the firing line but this was the first time that the General got off his horse on account of the heavy firing. Abput 100 Spaniards left the insurgents’ lines and gave themselves up to us but the insurgents still have American prisoners in their possession. I was detailed with a squad of Chinamen to bury the dead insurgents after the fight. I buried 21 dead besides what the enemy carried off* we bury them in their own trenches side by side. The Chinese pick them up then put them in the trench side by side then cover up with dirt in front of the trench. We captured 30 wounded insurgents, I was detailed with four other noncommissioned officers and 24 privates to take the prisoners into town. Yours truly,

J. F. HORDEMAN,

Co. “L” 14th U. 8. Inst. Manila, P. I.