e bank and into the water. Looking back I
saw no one else coming. The bullets were coming around me so fast I had
no time to form any plans and I pushed on into the water until it was
almost over my head. I remained in this condition until I saw my command
crossing about one hundred yards below me. I could not get out on the
bank to go down and decided I would wade down to the crossing place and
join our forces there. I was almost exhausted when I reached the shore.
The enemy, seeing our intentions to attack their line, remained behind
the stone wall and fired at us until we were nearly across. Then they
could stay there no longer and fled from their strong position. We
crossed and entered the town, capturing five armed men. The enemy beat a
hasty retreat, rather a pell-mell flight across the open country towards
the mountains, at whose bay they had entrenchments and a large reserve
force. The fight lasted from daylight till about two o'clock in the
evening. The battle of Maricana was as hard as any fought in the
Philippine Islands. About three thousand American soldiers were engaged.
Several were killed and a great many of the Filipinos.

When an American was wounded his wound was dressed and some soldier's
blue shirt hung up near him to designate the place where a wounded
American was. In this way no one would be left on the field after the
battle when the dead and wounded were picked up.

The Filipinos were not so well cared for. I saw a great many soldiers
run out of their way in order to step on a dead or wounded Filipino.
They would shout with joy at their punishment of the poor Filipino.

I was near three Americans who were shot that day; two of them were
killed. The one who recovered was a member of my company. A ball passed
through his body, entering the back and passing out on the right side.
It didn't seem possible for him to live, but in one month he was again
at his post of duty. A lieutenant of the Fourth Infantry had his horse
killed under him. Jumping off he took out his field glasses and got on
his knees and began looking for sharpshooters. In less than a minute he
was shot through the heart and fell dead without speaking. I thought
every second I would get a bullet, for they were flying so thick and
close that I did not see how I could escape them. Before the battle was
over I wished I might be shot, for I never was so nearly dead in all my
life. My condition did not appear to be any worse than that o