CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Certainly on the other side of the front lines on the enemy side, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo is finishing up with her last touches with her craft. She also has been watching the Rough Rider soldiers make their presence known, although they are still a distance away keeping out of shooting range.
And they do have quite an obstacle to cross over before they can even make contact with the Filipino Freedom Fighter Forces who are gathered only a short distance away. Also there are a many Native Freedom Fighters arriving who hadn’t participated with any early fights and skirmishes before this.
Emilio Aguinaldo watches from his camouflaged fortress of a barricade that was built long ahead of time. He sees that the Rough Rider soldiers are playing it safe when it comes to fighting trench warfare nevertheless. And that means safe from the trenches as far as the night time is concerned.
Emilio Aguinaldo watches and makes an advance towards Frog Man who is finished with his inspection and heads back, “So what do you think?”
Frog Man takes a look back at all of the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers who are ready for action, “I think it should do the trick!”
Emilio Aguinaldo takes a looks passed the barricade seeing the Rough Rider bring in more sand bags quickly, “Yes, and those Rough Rider soldiers are quick to do on their tiny and bag dune for a barricade.”
Frog Man thinks about that for a moment and says, “Yes, they will probably try and send patrol units us first to test out our barricade.”
Meanwhile the Rough Rider soldiers bring in another Gatling gun as Lieutenant Greenway calls out, “Hurry up with the Gatling gun!”
The Rough Rider soldiers make quicker with their progress as General Bill Shafter says loudly, “And we will add a few Lowell guns to the artillery!”
Right then, Lieutenant Greenway calls out to the group of Rough Rider soldier delivery boys pulling in the Lowell guns with some horses, “Place those Lowell guns on both sides of the Gatlin and let’s mount them there fifty feet apart.”
Immediately the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys bring in the Gatling gun and start mounting the carrying wagon as well as the artillery cases that that belong to the setup. Also a many more Rough Rider soldiers lend their hand to help out with the mounting of the Lowell guns which will be there to increase their weaponry.
Emilio Aguinaldo watches with a hidden eye behind the barricade as he says to Frog Man and a few of the Filipino Freedom Fighters who are nearby, “Looks like they are setting up the Gatling guns.”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighters notices the Lowell guns being mounted and says, “They have brought in more than just that.”
Frog Man looks back at them all realizing what they are saying, “They look like some other kind of weapons.”
Emilio Aguinaldo knows exactly what they all are as they are being mounted as he says back to them saying, “They are mounting some Lowell guns; one on each side of the Gatling gun!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighters talks about how they are in big trouble saying, “Looks like we are in big trouble when they fire those artillery units up!”
Emilio Aguinaldo can only think about how they have a surprise waiting for the Rough Rider soldiers once they enter the trenches saying, “Yes, that is a little troublesome and alarming; but we have a surprise waiting for them!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo walks by them after finishing up her craft considering that too many Rough Rider soldiers are moving in and says, “Maybe, it is time to open the floodgates!”
Emilio Aguinaldo wants to wait before they make any rash moves and burn out the pulling of the welcoming mat of the Rough Rider soldiers commenting, “No, not yet; we don’t want to display all of our engineering innovations as of yet!”
As the Filipino Goddess Bamboo acts like an individualist and leaves the scene to other things, Frog Man says with an eager voice, “Well, we can’t let them passed the trenches!”
Emilio Aguinaldo says with some definite determination saying, “Don’t worry; we won’t let them passed the trenches!”
Finally the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys are placing the Gatling gun and Lowell guns into place so that they can get the best aim and action as Lieutenant Greenway says, “That’s good right there!”
Then General Bill Shafter looks to the Lowell guns and says, “Let’s stop right there with those Lowell guns; they look good in that position!”
The Rough Rider soldier delivery boys finish up with a last touch of their hands of the Lowell gun and turn to put their hands on to other tasks. General Bill Shafter watches as they place the artillery cases and connect them to the chambers of both Lowell guns on both sides of the Gatling gun. The Filipino Forces watch as the Rough Rider soldiers set up from a distance out of shooting range.
Colonel Leonard Wood watches while making some preparations for pushing the front lines closer to the trenches as he says to War Correspondent Richard Harding, “We’ll have to move those Gatling guns and Lowell guns up closer to the trenches once the first wave of action takes place!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish thinks about the northern flank and the southern flank saying, “Hopefully those Gatling guns and Lowell guns arrive at the northern and southern flanks.”
Colonel Leonard Wood is certain that they have arrived already answering back, “Yes, I’m sure that the Gatling and Lowell guns have arrived on time already!”
Now at the northern flank the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys are bringing in the Gatling gun along with a Lowell gun as Lieutenant Wright says, “You’re late; what took so long?”
One of the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys that are bringing the Gatling gun says back to Lieutenant Wright, “What do you mean, we are on time?”
Lieutenant Sharp makes a comment to brush things off and move things along saying, “We’re on a tight schedule!”
Right away, the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys move the Gatling gun and Lowell gun in to place as Lieutenant Wright says, “Put them both right here about ten yards from one another and let’s make this snappy!”
Meanwhile the Filipino Freedom Fighters are mounting around the entire front lines as well as with the northern and southern flanks nevertheless. They realize that they are about to be bombarded with artillery units from the northern flank all of the way till the southern flank. Yet most of the Rough Rider soldiers and their artillery units are far away from each other.
Lieutenant Pollack is on the southern flank receiving some artillery units such as a Gatling gun and Lowell gun as he says, “What do we have here; looks like we have a couple of presents for us here on the southern flanks?”
The Rough Rider soldier delivery boys bringing the artillery units makes a comment, “Well, we thought that you all might get a little lonely down here at the southern flanks and thought this might cheer you all up!”
Black Rough Rider Private Greg makes a comment about what he sees saying, “These will do alright!”
One of the Rough Rider soldier delivery boys asks where to place the artillery units, “Where do you want them set up at?”
Lieutenant Pollack looks to the trenches of the southern flank and says back to the Rough Rider delivery boy, “Let’s place the Gatling gun right about here; and place the Lowell gun right about here about ten yards from one another. That’s the distance from one another that we usually set them up with.”
Now the field commanders of the northern and southern flanks are at their posts as Emilio Aguinaldo asks Frog Man, “And now that our field commanders are in position and ready for action on the northern and southern flanks, we can begin.”
Frog Man wonders if he should join the southern flank asking, “It must be time for me to join the southern flank.”
Emilio Aguinaldo has a plan of keeping them out of the trenches saying, “I want you to take the area between here and the southern flank.”
Next the Filipino Goddess Bamboo approaches with her weapon of choice over her shoulder along with a .30 caliber rifle asking, “And where on the front lines do you think would be beneficial for my Filipino youngsters and myself?”
Right then, Emilio Aguinaldo thinks about it saying, “And I think that you and the Filipino boys will be most beneficial between here and the northern flanks.”
Then the Filipino Goddess Bamboo asks, “And?”
Following Emilio Aguinaldo says back to her, “Then when the right moment comes, open the floodgates!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo prepares to leave the scene quickly as she says, “Oh, when I open them they’ll think a tsunami took them all down!”
Emilio Aguinaldo smiles and so does Frog Man and many of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers give a slight chuckle. And the chuckle is a preposterous one indeed considering that they are hoping for the best outcomes. Of course, they still have some other tricks up their sleeve nevertheless.
Meanwhile the Rough Rider soldiers are building up the front lines with their new supplies for the new barricade. There are a many Rough Rider soldiers bringing in supplies at a fast pace trying to act as though there were a deadline for that matter. Further to do many of the Rough Rider commanders continue to calibrate their artillery units the best that they can so that they are ready to be triggered.
Right after the Filipino Goddess Bamboo leaves the scene heading to her stationed post, Emilio Aguinaldo looks to a few of his Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and says, “Alright, let’s give these goons a few warning shots!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers seems to put his efforts in to action saying, “No problem!’
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to a few other Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers who are ready to do the same as he says adding, “And don’t miss because we want to warn them not to cross over our trenches, or else?”
Immediately one of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers see a clean shot at one of the Rough Rider soldiers that isn’t doing too much. In fact, he is standing there catching sand bags and tossing them over to another Rough Rider soldier as fast as possible. And there are some other Rough Rider soldiers doing exactly the same thing.
Just then, the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldier pulls the trigger taking a shot once, “Bang!”
The Rough Rider soldier that the Filipino Freedom Fighter was aiming at is hit and then falls to the ground, “Thud; bam!”
The Rough Rider soldier immediately stumbles and falls to the ground fast like while all of the Rough Rider soldiers nearby take cover. Many of them duck behind the parts of the barricade that have already been built. But then again, there are a many Rough Rider soldiers who had their peep sights aimed in that direction.
Quickly the Rough Rider soldiers hear a voice from General Bill Shafter, “Take cover and return fire!”
And without any further hesitations, nearly every Rough Rider soldier who has a weapon ready to fire that was aimed at the enemy line beyond the trenches opens fire, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Straight forth the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers take cover as the dirt of the trenches takes some dust wrenching shots and the tall reeds of bamboo are shot up. Many of the tall reeds of bamboo are torn in half as more rounds of gunfire continue sprawling the enemy lines. Lieutenant Greenway is ready with the Gatling gun as some Rough Rider soldiers drag away the wounded Rough Rider, although he is so far hesitating with pulling the trigger.
Then suddenly, a loud voice is heard yelling out, “Cease fire!”
It is General Bill Shafter calling the words out considering that they need to access the situation at hand. Immediately the firing stops for the most part except for a few straggler Rough Rider soldiers taking aim with their pistols. Finally every one of the Rough Rider soldiers stops shooting, but then there is one last shot from one of the newcomer Rough Rider soldiers.
Following that last gun shot, General Bill Shafter calls out loud once again, “Cease fire I commanded!”
Now all of the Rough Rider soldiers stop firing completely as the smoke from their guns starts to flow away making some visibility. Yet as the smoke drifts away, many of the Rough Rider soldiers look to the enemy lines to see what sort of damage they have all done. Also a few teases the Rough Rider soldier who had taken the last shot like an idiot.
Next Colonel Leonard Wood informs Sergeant Ham saying, “Take this command order and search to see who has been injured!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish takes the command order to General Bill Shafter. And that is so that he can immediately check out the front lines to make sure that no Rough Rider soldiers have been injured or wounded. Once General Bill Shafter reads the command order, he springs in to action with informing Lieutenant Greenway.
And that’s when General Bill Shafter makes another command saying, “Alright; let’s gather the injured and take a head count!”
Rough Rider John Porter springs in to action saying, “Only one injury General Shafter Sir!”
Lieutenant Greenway responds quickly as he releases his grip on the Gatling gun speaking, “Thank the lord for that!”
By now, Emilio Aguinaldo isn’t so satisfied with his warning shot saying to some Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers, “So much for the warning shot!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers makes a remark to Emilio Aguinaldo, “They showed us up!”
Emilio Aguinaldo agrees with the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldier answering back, “Yes, they did; now let’s see if any of our Filipino soldiers are injured.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding talks to Colonel Leonard Wood saying to him; “Sounds like they gave us a warning shot!”
Colonel Leonard Wood comes back with a certain mood saying, “The Rough Rider boys don’t like warning shots too much I see!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish returns hearing those words of War Correspondent Richard Harding carrying on with, “That’s because the Rough Rider boys are warmed up and ready to go on with the show!”
Louise Wood is back with her family making their way to the front lines from behind the lines saying to her children, “Sounds like the battle has sprung up again.”
Louie Wood wonders the same since a long time has gone by asking, “When is this Philippine-American War going to be over with?”
Their maid answers the question by saying, “It will be years before this Philippine-American War is ever over with.”
Barbara Wood makes a quick comment saying, “I want to go home!’
Louise Wood tries to explain the situation to her children saying, “We are home!”
Soon the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers are lucky that they only sustained a few injuries. It seems that a few Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers were hit by bullets that they discovered during their head count. But at least, it was a head count rather than a body count or calculation that turned out for the worse.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to some of the wounded Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and as well the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers saying to some of his officers, “Looks like we had a few fatalities and we are lucky for that!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighters soldiers thinks about that saying, “The Americans and their Rough Rider soldiers have an enormous amount of firing power!”
Another Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers says realizing that their supplies will get low eventually, “And our supplies won’t last forever and will eventually run out completely!”
Emilio Aguinaldo says with some determination, “Now don’t worry; I have some projects going on with some manufacturing plants producing us some shot which we can use to reload our weapons.”
Frog Man has his mind in to reality saying, “We are going to need some heavy productions and continuously!”
Emilio Aguinaldo can only agree that they will have to keep on with the constant productions of ammunitions saying, “Yes, I agree with you one hundred percent!”
Now Emilio Aguinaldo looks about the front lines realizing that the Rough Rider soldiers are reacting from his warning shot as a Filipino Freedom Fighter says, “Well, all of the injured are accounted for on the front lines!”
Emilio Aguinaldo says with a low tone of voice that is raspy somewhat as he says, “Alright, let’s get all of our men in to position and fortify our barricade from future hellish gunfire!”
Immediately, every one of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers springs in to action making their way towards the front lines once again strengthening up their position. The Filipino Goddess Bamboo makes her way to the young Freedom Fighter soldiers that she has trained so desperately.
Once she makes contact with her children of the trenches, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo explains to them all, “Now let’s keep away from the front lines until night fall. We will still have to man the front lines with only a few of you young Freedom Fighter soldiers among the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers.”
One of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers has made some camouflage clothes to hide out saying, “They won’t see me; I made this camouflaged pair of pants and this camouflaged shirt to go with it!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo figures that the young Freedom Fighter soldier is talking about Guerilla Warfare as she comments, “Good; sounds like Guerilla Warfare to me!”
One of the young Freedom Fighter soldier’s friend says back to The Filipino Goddess Bamboo, “I like the sounds of that, huh!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo really loves the sound and tone of his voice like he’s a rebel saying in return to them both, “Then you can take some of your young Freedom Fighter soldier friends and dress them up accordingly.”
Now the Rough Rider soldiers are continuing in on the building of the new barricade even though it is set a distance from the trenches. Yet the new barricade isn’t out of the way of harm meaning that it is out of shooting range from enemy forces. However there are only a few more hours of daylight left until dusk arrives anyways.
General Bill Shafter looks over the building of the barricade and realizes that time is running short as he says to some working Rough Rider soldiers, “Let’s finish up the barricade quickly, we only have a few hours of daylight left!”
Lieutenant Greenway is eager to move things along quickly, although he wonders how things are on the northern and southern flank as he asks General Bill Shafter, “We need to find out how things are on the northern and southern flank with the barricade being built!”
General Bill Shafter looks towards the enemy lines making sure everything is alright while answering back, “We’ll have to let Colonel Leonard Wood worry about that before we can take these trenches!”
Immediately after that conversation, General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway begin to work extra hard on the barricade. In fact, now they are very determined to get things accomplished as quickly as possible before any more warning shots are fires. But then one the other hand, it seems that the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and their forces are saving most of their artillery for now.
Colonel Leonard Wood watches over the building of the barricade at the front lines before the trenches start. And while doing this he uses his binoculars to check out what he can within the visible parts of the front lines. Sergeant Hamilton Fish performs the same task watching the efforts at hand while also checking out the enemy behind the lines.
Meanwhile Colonel Leonard Wood wonders how the progress at the northern and the southern flanks are coming as he says to Sergeant Ham, “I wonder how the progress on the northern and the southern flanks are coming up to this point in time?”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish answers his question with what he had heard from the Military Police saying back to Colonel Leonard Wood, “According to the Military Police both the northern and the southern flanks have received their Gatling Gun and Lowell Gun and they are currently building the barricade with the supplies that have already arrived.”
Colonel Leonard Wood is happy to that news from his personal messenger and it shows that he is keeping up on information as well as he says in return, “That’s good news to hear.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding is constantly writing things in his journal as he stops to ask, “And what about our plan on striking against the Filipino Freedom Fighter Forces?”
Sergeant Ham carries on saying, “The plan was to wait for their advance!”
Colonel Leonard Wood thinks about trench warfare as he states the facts mentioning, “The chances are that we may never see an advance from the Filipino Freedom Fighter forces. The trenches were put here to keep us out and from advancing further passed the city of Manila.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding ponders over the thoughts of hitting them at sundown saying, “Then maybe we should hit them first thing at sundown?”
Colonel Leonard Wood agrees with War Correspondent Richard Harding and his advice returning with words, “Yes, I agree that we should catch them off guard by advancing our U.S. Naval Forces at sundown.”
Sergeant Hamilton is curious about how they are going to prepare and inform the Rough Rider commanders and soldiers asking, “Are we going to inform the Rough Rider commanders and soldiers?”
Right away, Colonel Leonard Wood has a plan of informing the Rough Rider commanders of the northern and southern flanks as well as all of the Rough Rider soldiers saying, “Yes, we will inform General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway along with the Rough Rider soldiers at the front lines at the center. And the Rough Rider soldiers will spread the word right down the line telling their associates spreading the word on down through the northern and southern flanks.”
Right then, Colonel Leonard Wood finishes writing a command order for Sergeant Hamilton Fish and hands it to him. Sergeant Hamilton Fish takes the command order as he salutes and says, “Colonel Wood Sir!”
Meanwhile Emilio Aguinaldo is watching with a pair of binoculars as he sees Sergeant Hamilton Fish make his way to the front lines at center field. Soon Sergeant Hamilton Fish hands General Bill Shafter the command order. Immediately the plan is put in to action as Emilio Aguinaldo puts the binoculars down guessing some possibilities of their actions.
Then he looks to a few Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and says, “Sergeant Ham just handed General Bill Shafter a paper or note which could be a command order of action!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers says in response, “Sounds like they are planning something at sundown.”
Emilio Aguinaldo can only think of being prepared for the worst saying to some of the other Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers, “Let’s hurry and inform the men!”
Finally some time passes after Emilio Aguinaldo and his Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers have informed their men of the possibilities of an attack. And the Rough Rider soldiers are waiting for the darkness to completely settle in for the night. Yet many of them are ready as far as their weapons being loaded and ready for action nevertheless.
More time passes and the skies begin to become darker and darker as dusk ends and the night time begins. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers are eager to advance the front lines, although they have a large obstacle ahead of them all. Colonel Leonard Wood watches making sure that the Filipino Freedom Fighter Forces aren’t planning a surprise attack at sundown themselves.
However it isn’t long before Colonel Leonard Wood looks to War Correspondent Richard Harding as well as Sergeant Hamilton Fish saying, “Appears that the Filipino Forces are holding back behind the trenches.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding says with some brains behind his thoughts jousting, “Well, before they were always attacking at dusk without any warning.”
Sergeant Ham continues on saying, “And then they would stop and start up again with little skirmishes!”
Just then, Colonel Leonard Wood looks to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and says, “It’s time!”
After that Sergeant Hamilton Fish steps out from the command center post a few yards and looks to General Bill Shafter who is waiting for the right moment. General Bill Shafter looks back to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and realizes that the time has come. Following General Bill Shafter catches eye contact with Lieutenant Greenway signaling him to give the command.
Lieutenant Greenway turns towards the Rough Rider soldiers on the front lines and says loudly in a soft way, “It’s time!”
Lieutenant Greenway stands up a little higher off from the ground as many of the Rough Rider soldiers on the front lines begin to advance. Then many of the Rough Rider soldiers on the front lines advance with their weapons drawn and ready for action. Soon even the northern and southern flanks are advancing as well.
Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp are leading the northern flank on with their advance through the trenches and Lieutenant Pollack is doing the same by advancing the lines on the southern flank. It isn’t long before they all reach the perimeter outside of the jungle line which is stricken with mud and dirt that was created by burn and slash agricultures.
Of course, the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers are all waiting for the appropriate moment for the Rough Rider soldiers to enter the trenches of Manila. Soon the Rough Rider soldiers reach the first trench which is a little one that acts like a sand dune in a sense. But this trench is set up more or less like a double sand dune set up from a dry beach for some very odd reasoning.
So far, the Filipino Freedom Fighters have taken on a new tactic which is different than before which was attacking right at dusk. Moments later, the Rough Rider soldiers are entering in to the second trench which is a little deeper than the first, although it drops down with a little more of a slope to it.
The young Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are waiting for the right moment to signal their friends to bring on their surprise for the Rough Rider soldiers. And soon the Rough Rider soldiers all enter in to the second trench which is a little more filled with dirt like pot dust that makes the air dusty when they trample through it.
Finally Emilio Aguinaldo decides to signal the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers to make the signal early saying, “Make the signal!”
Right away, the signal is made to open some of the irrigation dams that have been directed towards the trenches. In fact, many of the trenches are remains of old irrigation ditches and storm water management systems anyways. Soon the irrigation ditches are opened and a flow of water starts heading towards the trenches.
Some of the irrigations systems were filled a little heavy for this purpose, although this isn’t a test drill or exercise. This is the real thing as a short wall of water tosses and churns its way in to the trenches. Many of the irrigation ditches run in to the trenches from different directions as the sounds are heard by everyone.
Quickly the short walls of water hit the trenches making a muddy wave that begins to catch many of the Rough Rider soldiers and their attention. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers have made their way in to the middle of the trench as many irrigation ditches join making a larger wall of water that disperses itself both north and south.
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo watches from a distance saying to some young Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers, “See how they like that?”
Emilio Aguinaldo looks too many of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers as well as the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers and calls out, “And I want everyone to wait for my command!”
Soon many of the Rough Rider soldiers were washed off of their feet floating almost like they were out surfing without a surf board nonetheless. There are even Rough Rider soldiers crashing in to other Rough Rider soldiers knocking them down like a bunch of bowling balls. And it is so dark that many of them can only see the shiny barrels of the tips of their guns swirling around.
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo waits for the command of Emilio Aguinaldo considering that this was one of his plans that was put in to action as she says, “That should teach them to mess around with us all!”
By now, most of the young Filipino Freedom Fighters are as anxious to hell to start with their next phase of protecting their heritage, culture, and homeland as they all start cheering, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and yeah!”
Colonel Leonard Wood makes a quick command from afar that is loud, “Pull those Rough Rider soldiers back!”
And just when Emilio Aguinaldo focuses his eyes in the darkness noticing Rough Rider soldiers on the wrong side of the trenches meaning the enemy side, he calls out, “Now!”
Meanwhile General Bill Shafter is stuck in the mud as he turns around trying to make his way back to a better footing yelling loudly, “Rough Rider soldiers fall back!”
Right then, many of the Rough Rider soldiers begin to fall back except for those that are stuck in the mud as a gunshot is heard once, “Bang!”
Lieutenant Greenway yells out, “Let’s cover your fellow Rough Rider soldiers!”
Of course, the response after the gunshot is quick as hell as most of the Rough Rider soldiers try to gain a good stance and others open fire back at the enemy, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Soon there are more shots fired back and forth between the Rough Rider soldiers and the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
A few Rough Rider soldiers fall in the water in the main trench and roll there dead while even a few Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are hit and wounded as the fighting continues sporadically, “Bang…………….bang, bang……………………….and bang!”
Soon the firing stops. And meanwhile the smoke fills the front lines all of the way down from the northern flank to the southern flank with a revolutionary appearance. And just then there are some other sounds and footsteps heard rummaging around. Then there are some other sounds heard that are familiar to them all again.
But these sounds are not that of army or cowboy boots. And that’s because they are perhaps the sounds of the Filipino Native Freedom Fighter soldiers. On the other hand, regardless of what is heard, all of the Rough Rider soldiers retreat a short distance out from the trenches. However there are a few who hold their ground on the enemy side of the front lines.
Suddenly the sounds of blow darts are heard as the Filipino Freedom Fighter save their ammunitions, “Wisp……………….thud……………….bam!”
And meanwhile the northern flank is getting hit fairly hard. However the irrigation ditches aren’t letting up any as many Rough Rider soldiers scramble their way out from the trenches. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers on the northern flank are returning fire to back their fellow comrades that are also planted in the mud.
Lieutenant Wright calls out to the Rough Rider soldiers, who have been struck with flashing water, saying, “Pull those Rough Rider soldiers back out from the trenches!”
Lieutenant Sharp is falling back while helping a few Rough Rider soldiers back to high ground as he says, “It’s a trap; fall back!”
Besides the circumstances on the northern flank, the southern flank is getting hit with many Filipino Native Freedom Fighter soldiers as well as Filipino farmers who are protecting their crops. Lieutenant Pollack was more leery of the advancement as he holds many of his men back taking ground more slowly. However there are a many Rough Rider soldiers catapulted with blow darts and ravaging irrigation water and many of them are hurt.
Lieutenant Pollack has a few of his Black Rough Rider soldiers confused as to what actions to take as he orders, “Turn around and head back; I’ll cover you all!”
Right then, Lieutenant Pollack takes out a weapon and starts firing at once one shot after the other, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Immediately the Black Rough Rider soldiers turn back, although they have some trouble with many shots still coming from enemy lines continuously, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
As the Black Rough Rider soldiers disperse their positions, a few Rough Rider soldiers are floating there seeming injured and lifeless. Regardless the Black Rough Rider soldiers tried their hardest to pull and bring back as many as possible on the quick retreat. However some are unresponsive as they are left there to perish perhaps.
And suddenly, there are some sounds of blow darts whipping through the air landing everywhere. Many of them land short considering that the Filipinos, such as, the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers are far being the trenches behind the front line. Yet many of them hit their mark tagging a few retreating Rough Rider soldiers from different angles.
In the interim, Lieutenant Pollack continues covering his men until he runs out of ammo for not only his rifle, but his hand gun as well. Soon a few more Rough Rider soldiers advance returning fire. They keep up with this only trying to shoot up as much as they can without injuring their own Rough Rider soldiers.
Finally all of the Rough Rider soldiers on all fronts meaning the northern and southern flank as well as the front lines have retreated. They are now all confused with the new terrain that they have encountered outside of the city of Manila. So far, now they have stumbled upon trench warfare much more perilous then they have first found out about.
Colonel Leonard Wood orders all of the leaders and commanders back behind the front lines after this mess with their advancement ordering, “Bring all of the commanders behind the front lines until we reinforce our efforts.”
Soon the Rough Rider soldiers slowly retreat and bring themselves back behind the enemy line which is within the trenches of the city of Manila. And that’s about when the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and their forces start to let up on their retaliation of the Rough Rider soldiers and their advancement.
Emilio Aguinaldo pulls his rebels back along the front lines saying, “Alright; that’s enough for one night. Let’s pull our Filipino Forces back and recoup our efforts for tomorrow!”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers makes a comment saying, “Our plan has stopped them in their tracks!”
Emilio Aguinaldo looks at him and says as he tries to relax his shoulders, “For now!”
Colonel Leonard Wood, on the other hand, has organized with a few of his leaders and commanders with plans to wait out the mud saying, “After a head count and accounting for the injured, we will wait out the trenches a few days until the mud dries up!”
General Bill Shafter agrees with that plan saying, “Yes, I agree with the wait!”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Straight away the Filipino Goddess Bamboo turns away from her bag of witch craft as she wonders why some of the young Freedom Fighters haven’t taken to her command to stop. Many of them are throwing rocks instead of shooting their rifles and guns because they are trying to save on their ammunition. And all they can do is stand near the front lines staring in to the trenches looking for hurt Rough Rider soldiers to throw shuns at.
Suddenly the Filipino Goddess Bamboo pulls back her young hoodlums saying, “Come on; I said that is enough for tonight!”
One of the young Freedom Fighters looks back after throwing another rock answering back, “We’re just making sure that they are all dead!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo holds her weapon to her side and says following that, “They’ll be plenty more where that one came from!”
A few of the young Freedom Fighters look back at the Filipino Goddess Bamboo as one says, “That’s what we are afraid of, there being any more Rough Rider soldiers taking our land.”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo turns her attention back to her work which was using miniature Rough Rider Voodoo Dolls. Each one of them has poisonous blow darts through them. And then there are some other Rough Rider Voodoo Dolls that have bullet size holes through them like they were shot. The bullet holes are also bigger than life.
Soon a day or so goes by and the mud is starting to dry up, although these lands are now jungle which is a little damper than back home anyways. Even Cuba was a jungle like terrain in some areas with Typhoid Fever and Malaria, but here there worries are otherwise. Finally some slight rains come making the wait even longer than what they had first anticipated.
Colonel Leonard Wood has waited long enough as he talks to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and his War Correspondent Richard Harding conveying details, “The turn of the century has brought new challenges with unpredictable obstacles.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish can only look out towards the distance noticing a world of jungles of foliage and lots of tree cover saying, “We are entering in to the jungle once we take the trenches of the city of Manila.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding carries on the conversation by collaborating, “This is becoming jungle warfare!”
Colonel Leonard Wood rephrases that line of speech saying, “Fighting in the Philippines is jungle warfare!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish wonders what the plan of action is now by asking, “So what is our plan of action for now?”
Colonel Leonard Wood feels that they should weaken their defenses before they make another attempt saying, “And that’s why we should keep working on them by weakening their defenses”
General Bill Shafter has been waiting a long time to make it this far in to the Philippines saying, “We’ve waited a long time to make it this far!”
Lieutenant Greenway feels that they have much further to go saying, “And we have much further to go before this Philippine-American War is over with.”
Colonel Leonard Wood decides that they have waited long enough commanding, “It’s time to start taking some pop shots across in to the enemy lines so that we can weaken their defenses.”
Right then, Colonel Leonard Wood writes a command order and hands it to Sergeant Ham, who will deliver it commanding, “Deliver the command order and let’s get started!”
Straight forth Sergeant Hamilton Fish delivers the command order by handing it to General Bill Shafter, who then says, “A command order to start up some pop shots!”
Lieutenant Greenway who is burrowed in slightly with only his Rough Rider hat peeking over the barricade says, “About time we take some action!”
General Bill Shafter looks to Lieutenant Greenway and says, “Okay, let’s blast some clouds of gun smoke!”
“What about the other commanders?” Lieutenant Greenway asks quickly while preparing one of his own weapons.
“They’ll catch on once we take some shots.” General Bill Shafter says as he is ready to take the first shot.
Then General Bill Shafter pulls the trigger of his hand revolver, “Bang!”
And then he pulls the trigger once again, “Bang!”
Lieutenant Greenway follows the action immediately as he takes a shot also with his Beretta .22 caliber weapon, “Bang, and bang!”
Right then, Rough Rider Martin decides to take action as well saying, “To hell with it!”
Straightaway Rough Rider Martin takes a shot with his weapon, “Bang!”
Soon a frenzy of Rough Rider soldiers taking heed with their weapons emerges, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Seconds later, many more of the Rough Rider soldiers along the front lines are emptying their chambers aiming passed the trenches. There is so much gunfire that most of the ground and jungle trees are torn up. A few Rough Rider soldiers cheer slightly when some of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers fall injured.
Following those actions, many of the Rough Rider soldiers begin to take heed on the situation as they all take aim at the enemy lines. Rough Rider soldier after Rough Rider soldier begin aiming their weapons while taking some shots. Momentarily there are many Rough Rider soldiers reloading their rifles and guns one after the other.
Soon the Rough Rider soldiers and their bombarding the area are joined by the other parts of the front lines. And right down the front lines Rough Rider soldier after Rough Rider soldier are tearing up as much of the enemy territory as possible with their shooting. Most of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are hiding and staying burrowed in for now.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to the continually shooting of the area from a far distance back and says, “Sound like some hell fire?”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers looks to the hellish fire going on and returns saying, “Sounds, like they are angry and want to get revenge on these trenches!”
Emilio Aguinaldo decides that they should pull their Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers back behind the front lines for better cover replying, “Let’s pull our Freedom Fighter soldiers back for some better cover from this onslaught!”
Right then, the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers take movement with pulling their Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers back from the front lines. And when they do they discover that a few of their Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are unresponsive with any reaction towards their orders and commands.
However while the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers pull back, the Rough Rider soldiers are still shooting constantly with brutal force. But the aftermath is a little less meaning that the Rough Rider soldiers are continuing with their shooting at a pace. Meanwhile Colonel Leonard Wood uses his binoculars to see what the damage is from a great distance.
So far, Colonel Leonard Wood is satisfied for now, although he wants more as he says to War Correspondent Richard Harding, “Quite a show so far!”
War Correspondent Richard Harding looks along the front lines and says, “Yes, I think they get the message.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish looks with gladness as he says, “They sure are getting one.”
Colonel Leonard Wood makes a solemn comment phrasing, “These trenches outside of the city of Manila end tonight!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish makes a slick comment saying, “Too bad that we don’t have Bronco Busters like that Rough Rider Tom Horn with us here in the Philippines.”
War Correspondent Richard Harding says as a conversational piece, “Now that was a true bronco buster who busted rebranding horse and cattle thieves. But many of these many are wranglers”
Colonel Leonard Wood can only make a remark saying, “Many Rough Rider soldiers like him went home after fighting in Cuba.”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo has been holding back while saving her ammunitions and supplies as the shooting continues on sporadically. Many of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers have taken to higher ground to avoid being near the trenches right now. However the Filipino Goddess Bamboo realizes that she must change her game plan again and quickly.
Meanwhile the Filipino Goddess Bamboo decides to throw some of her sagebrush logs in order to mess up the Rough Rider soldiers and their aim. She prepares them quickly considering that she is in a desperate hurry. And that is because she understands that the Rough Rider soldiers aren’t ever going to run out of ammunitions until this war is over with anyways.
Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo prepares for the night time to arrive as she gather some supplies saying to some young Freedom Fighter soldiers, “It’s time to wait and prepare ourselves for nightfall which will arrive fairly soon!”
Many of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers gather, although a few straggle looking back at the manpower that the Rough Rider soldiers have put forth. So far, the Filipino goddess Bamboo wants to hide their forces while lighting things up for the enemy lines just a bit like a lightning storm.
Right at that moment, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo asks a few of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers to help her saying, “Let’s prepare these bow and arrows so that we can light things up tonight with some flaming fireballs!”
Immediately many of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers dig in as they pack their pistols behind their shirt tucked in behind their pants. Then they grab what they can muster taking more supplies in that they desperately need to help win this battle. Most of the arrows are already soaked with a flammable material which is whatever they can get their scheming little foreign hands on anyways.
One of the young Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers looks to what he takes and says, “This will do the trick.”
Then the young Freedom Fighter and some other young Freedom Fighter children leave the scene making their way closer towards the front line. The Filipino Goddess Bamboo has pre-trained her young Freedom Fighter soldiers ahead of time for this, although they were waiting for the right time to initiate the plan.
Next the field commander of the southern flank approaches Emilio Aguinaldo and says, “Sir, we are desperately in need of more reinforcements and ammunitions!”
Emilio Aguinaldo has decided to bring in some reserve soldiers that he had on wait, though he doesn’t want to use all of them as he says, “I can supply the southern flank with another platoon of men because we must save some of our men for reserve.”
The field commander of the southern flank says in response, “That will be much appreciated, Sir!”
By now, it appears that nightfall if near as Emilio Aguinaldo waits for the Filipino Goddess Bamboo and her plan of action to unfold. Colonel Leonard Wood and the Rough Rider soldiers are still causing a stir up with their constant shooting. But the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are only returning fire occasionally like they are waiting for something.
Colonel Leonard Wood looks to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and then says while looking to the enemy lines, “It’s time!”
Moreover the Filipino Goddess Bamboo is ready and has closed in for her next bout as she lights up one of her flaming bow and arrows and says, “This time; I want to get closer when I light them up.”
And suddenly, she places her flaming arrow in her compound bow that she has specially made for her craft and aims towards the sky and then pulls back and let’s goes, “Whoosh!”
The flaming bow and arrow lifts to the sky rising above the barricade made of bamboo reeds and sails towards the Rough Rider soldiers. Everyone watches as the flaming bow sails towards the Rough Rider barricade. So far, it is the only one which stumbles every one of the Rough Rider leaders who are spectating and wondering where it will land.
Even Emilio Aguinaldo watches with gladness that the heist is up hoping for a great outcome. Soon the flaming arrow lands right in to the barricade hitting a sand bag. Instantly it lights up and start burning the burlap sack with something flammable soaked throughout. Lieutenant Greenway’s Rough Rider hat sparkles as his face glows and bright orange as he lunges back.
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo likes what she sees giving her a better view as she yells out, “Alright; light them all up!”
Right then, many of the young Freedom Fighter soldiers light up their arrows and then aim their bows which are nearly on fire. Quickly there are a large number of flaming arrows that take to the sky lighting everything up like a celebration of some kind. Emilio Aguinaldo watches and waits while the Filipino Goddess Bamboo takes a shot with another one of her flaming arrows.
Emilio Aguinaldo likes the potential also as he calls out to his Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers, “Light the Rough Rider front lines up even more!”
Suddenly a group of Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers follow the Filipino Goddess Bamboo and her plan by lighting the sky up much more. Emilio Aguinaldo waits until the time is right to use any of the arsenals as far as ammunitions are concerned. Soon the Rough Rider front lines are covered with flaming arrows making them all visible to the enemy.
Colonel Leonard Wood desperately wants to get those flaming arrows out quickly as he makes the initiative with a quick command order saying, “Inform General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway to get those flaming arrows out and quickly.”
Emilio Aguinaldo waits for the appropriate moment to put his plan in to action as he says, “Wait for my command!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish delivers the command order fast like to General Bill Shafter while giving the command and calls out quickly, “Let’s get those fires out quickly!”
Immediately a many Rough Rider soldiers scramble to help put the fires that are spreading to other places. Many of them have buckets of water which were preplanned before these additional front lines were built here. Some of the other Rough Rider soldiers are using any means possible, although it isn’t that easy of a task with whatever flammable substance the Filipino forces have used to their advantage.
Now Emilio Aguinaldo has some visibility with the Rough Rider soldiers faces almost completely lit up as he commands, “Alright now!”
At that moment, another group of Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers takes the initiative by lining up their weapons in a row pointed towards any possible targets. Lieutenant Pollack has a different situation with Frog Man and his Native Freedom Fighter soldiers. Many of them have lit everything up as the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers are moving in with their poisonous blow darts.
Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp have the same fate as many of their Rough Rider soldiers sprawl for cover and burrow in. Many of them have to scramble around trying to put out some of the fires that have been started up. The field commanders of the northern and southern flanks scramble around. They scramble around trying to make quick preparations as needed right away with keeping the front lines lit up like they are on fire.
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo watches and waits for the right moment to fire away at the Rough Rider soldiers and their front lines as she yells out, “It’s time!”
Emilio Aguinaldo feels the time is now as everything is flamed up fairly good as he yells out, “Now!”
Suddenly another group of marksman takes a few steps forward and kneels in an aiming position with their compound bows. Straight forth they pull back and harbor a large amount of flying flaming arrows that really light up the night sky. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers have been prepared for this as they all use their backpacks and whatever else they can muster for defense.
And luckily the flaming arrows are visible as the Rough Rider soldiers even dodge them while receiving more gunshots and rifle shots behind the barricade. Yet a few Rough Rider soldiers aren’t as lucky as many of them are hit with a mistakenly response. But regardless of what happens, Colonel Leonard Wood has brought in enough Rough Rider soldiers from the Warships to get the job done nevertheless.
Rough Rider Steven is at the front line as he makes a comment while putting out a flaming arrow yelping, “Son of a bitch! Burn the whole place down; why don’t you all?”
Rough Rider Mike is nearby as well and makes a remark saying, “Just get as many of those mothers as you can before they get us again!”
Finally the flaming arrows stop as some of the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers move in with their blow darts from a distance. But this time they are aiming way high in the sky shooting them from a distance. However more and more Rough Rider soldiers arrive. They all arrive in large numbers with many more platoons taking the field and bringing the Gatling Guns and the Lowell Guns back to life as well.
Rough Rider Billy, a newcomer Rough Rider soldier, ducks to miss some flames that sprawled up next to him and while he stands he is hit with a poisonous blow dart. At first, he tries to move but the blow is so fatal that he can only stand there and daze off while more shooting happens all around him. Sounds and vibrations go through his head as he staggers there for a moment or so before wobbling around.
Soon Rough Rider Billy falls to the ground as there is a silence amongst the field within the front lines. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers who know him look to see if he is okay. But none of them can respond right away as he lays there motionless and breathless. Besides the Rough Rider soldiers are now gaining numbers as many more come and carry Rough Rider Billy off to safe ground.
Then many more Rough Rider soldiers take the field as the Filipino Goddess Bamboo continues with her female warrior heroism at the northern flank. Frog Man keeps on the humiliation as he persists with the southern flank pushing and holding the Rough Rider soldiers back under the command of Lieutenant Pollack.
Meanwhile Frog Man has moved in closer towards the trenches within a cloud of smoke that appears on the horizon. Lieutenant Pollack sees an appearance of Frog Man in the distance, but then Frog Man is gone only seconds later as the smoke thickens again. The same vision is seen again from a different angle as Lieutenant Pollack looks again to a different direction.
Lieutenant Pollack aims his pistol and takes a shot once in that direction as the gun smoke lingers, “Bang!”
But the smoke disappears and then Frog Man isn’t there as the bullet passes by. Lieutenant Pollack continues on along with the other Black Rough Rider soldiers as well as the others. Soon Frog Man isn’t seen anymore and disappears as more blow darts and gun shots are forced in their direction.
Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp have the same fate with the Filipino Goddess Bamboo as she appears her and there with more and more flaming arrows. But regardless of what tricks of deception she uses, Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp continue on with the fight no matter what.
Even General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway both have thought to have seen Emilio Aguinaldo close up. But every time they turn back with the clouds of smoke from the gunpowder blasts, they both loose vision and sight of him. Nevertheless more and more Rough Rider soldiers appear ready to raid the enemy lines passed the trenches outside of the city of Manila.
Finally Colonel Leonard Wood signals more Rough Rider soldiers to the front lines with the impression of getting ready for action. Sergeant Hamilton Fish watches as well along with War Correspondent Richard Harding as he writes about what is happening right now. In fact, to him this may be one of the best moments in the Philippine-American War.
Then with the fire still lighting up everything from the flaming arrows and the fires they have caused, Colonel Leonard Wood looks to General Bill Shafter eye to eye from a distance. General Bill Shafter realizes what this means as he looks back with the notion of the command that needs to be set forth.
Colonel Leonard Wood looks to Sergeant Ham and says, “Forget the command order!”
Then General Bill Shafter looks to Lieutenant Greenway while giving a command to charge saying, “Let’s move out!”
Lieutenant Greenway looks to the many Rough Rider soldiers ready to charge as he commands, “Let’s take these trenches!”
And immediately, all of the Rough Rider soldiers all storm passed the barricade while there are still more flaming arrows and poisonous blow darts sailing through the air. Emilio Aguinaldo watches from a distance after taking a few shots also. Now he feels that everything and all matters are up to his Filipino Freedom Fighter as he looks where to direct his men.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to his Filipino Freedom Fighters and says, “It’s a full raid; lift the trip wires!”
The Filipino Freedom Fighters spring in to action in order to lift the trip wires which are another line of defense as a Filipino Freedom Fighter says, “The trip wires are lifted.”
Emilio Aguinaldo feels that that isn’t enough as he says back to the Filipino Freedom Fighters, “Let’s focus our men on using everything we have and don’t stop shooting otherwise we will have to retreat further south and fast.”
In the meantime, Emilio Aguinaldo can see the Rough Rider soldiers making their way through the trenches as the trip lines are lifted. Of course he was hoping that things wouldn’t ever go that far, although they have come to the point of no return basically. Nonetheless Emilio Aguinaldo waits and watches as many of the Rough Rider soldiers approach the last trench that has many of the trip wires set and ready to work on their enemy.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to the right of where he is standing wanting the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers to hold them all off yelling, “We need a few men right there and we need a few men over here/”
Just then, the Rough Rider soldiers reach the trip lines as many of them fall and stumble without seeing them. Still many other Rough Rider soldiers do see the trip lines after others have fallen causing them to avoid the trip lines. Emilio Aguinaldo watches as Lieutenant Greenway makes his way leading the Rough Rider soldiers through the trenches.
Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp lead the Rough Rider soldiers on the northern flank with the same cause and effect, although they have many more obstacles such as Filipino Farmers to deal with making it hard to distinguish the enemy. Nonetheless they consider everybody an enemy as they shoot at anything that moves across the enemy lines.
Lieutenant Wright looks to many of the Rough Rider soldiers who have tripped on the trip lines along the northern flank yelling out, “Come on; let’s take these trenches!”
Lieutenant Sharp looks back and helps a few Rough Rider soldiers and says, “Get back up like an army soldier!”
Lieutenant Pollack leads his men through the trenches as the trip lines were lifted saying to some of the Black Rough Rider soldiers, “We’re lucky that there were no mines or batteries set as booby traps in these trenches so far!”
Black Rough Rider Private Danny makes a smirk of a comment as he says, “We’ll know when we step on one now won’t we Lieutenant Pollack Sir?”
Lieutenant Pollack makes another comment as he aims his pistol saying, “Yes, you don’t want to step on one!”
Then Lieutenant Pollack pulls the trigger once, “Bang!”
Then more and more Rough Rider soldiers storm the southern flank racing their way passed the trip lines and through the trenches. A few Black Rough rider soldiers scramble upon some
Native Freedom Fighters as they chase them down from a distance. Soon the southern flanks are being charged with Rough Rider soldiers as well as the northern flank.
Soon the trenches are being overwhelmed within the center of the front lines as the Rough Rider soldiers take the trenches. Emilio Aguinaldo watches as his front lines are covered with U.S. Naval Forces while they close in. Colonel Leonard Wood knew that enough Rough Rider soldiers could do the trick just like with the fight in Cuba.
Finally Colonel Leonard Wood looks to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and War Correspondent Richard Harding and says, “Finally we have made some progress with taking these trenches!”
Soon Emilio Aguinaldo realizes that his Filipino forces have been pushed back as he sounds the retreat, “Sound the retreat!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo understands what this means as she hears the words coming even from a great distance as she says to her young Freedom Fighter soldiers, “Let’s fall back until another time!”
But as she does, she turns and takes some more pop shots with her pistol trying to take out some more Rough Rider soldiers that are charging her way. Then she turns and guides her teammates back behind the enemy line a further distance. That’s about when all of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers begin to pull back making their way further down south from the city of Manila.
Now most of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and the Native Freedom Fighters are retreating along with the young Freedom Fighters. But there are many that have been chased in different directions separating them from the other members of their forces. Yet they did have a backup plan with escaping behind the trenches as well.
And before they could be caught, the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers had many snake holes that they could dive in to avoid being taken as a prisoner of war. Moreover the Rough Rider soldiers have decided not to enter any of these snake holes. Besides they have come up with the plan to fill in a cover up the snake holes using whatever means possible.
Rough Rider Billy Boy has chased one of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers in to one of the snake holes as he says to some of the other Rough Rider soldiers, “Damn; that Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers has gotten away!”
Rough Rider John Porter looks to him and says, “We should blast that snake hole and cover it up!”
Rough Rider Billy Boy decides to take a few shots inside of the snake hole but hesitates as General Bill Shafter walks up and takes a shot inside saying, “There that should take care of him; keep you rifle on that snake hole at all times.”
Lieutenant Greenway commands the same to the Rough Rider soldiers saying, “We have another snake hole over here. Let’s keep those snake holes covered and seal this area up!”
Soon the Rough Rider soldiers move further in to the enemy lines as Emilio Aguinaldo and his Filipino Freedom forces have disappeared almost instantly. It’s like they have had this planned from the beginning. Nevertheless the Rough Rider soldiers take control of the trenches outside of the city of Manila with some effort, of course.
Emilio Aguinaldo has fled the area and isn’t too far away, although he isn’t watching anything that is going on. Of course, he has spies watching every move made by the Rough Rider soldiers and their army. But regardless, of the men that he has, many of his Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers have been taken down and killed nonetheless.
Emilio Aguinaldo makes his way to a new command post that he has chosen in the meantime as he says, “Looks like we have lost some of our men?”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers says in response, “Yes, we have lost many of our comrade Freedom Fighters!”
Now Emilio Aguinaldo realizes that the fight isn’t over with as of yet as he returns with words telling, “The Rough Rider soldiers still have some obstacles before they take this island completely!”
Another Filipino Freedom Fighter soldier makes a remark jousting, “We need to fight them in the jungles and stall them out!”
Lastly Emilio Aguinaldo derives the worst scenario by candidly saying, “And if we don’t fight them using guerilla warfare, they will reach the trenches of Samar!”
Next the field commander of the northern flank says once he has some ideas, “We should break up into small groups!”
The field commander of the southern flanks has some other thoughts pointing out, “Then we can hide in the jungles and sneak up on them here and there!”
Right then and there, Emilio Aguinaldo makes up his mind, “Right; we’ll break up into small groups and sneak up on them within the jungle terrain. But hit them, and turn back and regroup elsewhere quickly!”
All of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers agree this is the last chance before the war enters other islands cheering, “Yeah!”
Emilio Aguinaldo gives the final command of authority ordering, “Let’s all move out!”
Now Rough Rider Nurse Shooter has been bumped down to only a field nurse that does minor injuries and takes Louise Wood with as Louise Wood says, “Looks like we are moving in to the jungle terrain now that they have driven the Filipino Freedom Fighters away from the city of Manila!”
Rough Rider Nurse Shooter says in retrospect, “And I’ve been stepped down to a field nurse for minor injuries that allow the soldiers to return back to the front lines after treating!”
Louise Wood says in return, “Well, that is okay because they have plenty of doctor’s now!”
Rough Rider Nurse Shooter says, “It’s okay to step down and join at the front lines again!”
Now Colonel Leonard Wood and his Rough Rider troops have taken over the entire area of the trenches as well as some of the jungles leading from there. There have been a number of casualties on both sides and luckily many of them were with the Filipino forces. But for now, they need to take some head counts considering that the hard work of taking the trenches has been completed.
Colonel Leonard Wood approaches the trenches checking them out first hand while General Bill Shafter sees the voodoo hoodoo dolls of Rough Riders as he says, “Quite some artwork!”
General Bill Shafter answers back saying, “Lots of detail!”
Colonel Leonard Wood then commands, “Let’s start by checking the perimeter areas and we need a head count!”
General Bill Shafter says, “Will do Colonel Wood Sir!”
Colonel Leonard Wood makes another command, “Take a head count on both sides to see how many they injured of our Rough Rider soldiers and how many of them we took down!”
General Bill Shafter says again, “Will do!”
Colonel Leonard Wood turns and heads back to his command post ordering, “Let’s assemble our forces across on the other side of the trenches and then will start moving our supplies inside the perimeter.”
Quickly the Rough Rider soldiers move their gear and supplies across to the other side of the trenches while the Filipino forces have left the area. And they do have some Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers lingering back as spies while watching every move of the Rough Rider soldiers. Emilio Aguinaldo and most of his Filipino Freedom Fighters have taken to the jungles in small groups everywhere.
Emilio Aguinaldo watches from a distance noticing that the Rough Rider soldiers are moving their supplies across the trenches and says, “Looks like they are crossing over the trenches.”
One of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers says, “We need to hit them now before they settle in!”
Another Filipino Freedom Fighter soldier prepares his weapon while Emilio Aguinaldo waits for the right moment, “Take two shots and let’s fade back thirty yards.”
Then moments later, Colonel Leonard Wood is appreciated that they have entered in to the jungle terrains as he finds a new tent as his post and command center. And he knows that the tactics used for now on will be fought using guerilla warfare. Of course, he will have to make a plan for entering the jungles and that has been done fairly quickly.
Colonel Leonard Wood decides that they should settle in for the night as he says to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and War Correspondent Richard Harding, “Looks like we should settle in for the night and send some patrol units out at sunrise!”
War Correspondent Richard Harding says with some thinking behind the thoughts, “Now the Rough Rider soldiers will be fighting a war based on guerilla warfare.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish adds with some details, “And we can expect lots of booby traps!”
Then Colonel Leonard Wood wants to spend time with his wife since Nurse Shooter’s medical tent is being moved closer to the front lines as he says, “Yes, we will have to be on the lookout for any booby traps and small bands of renegade Freedom Fighter soldiers also. I’m going to check on the medical tent and talk with Nurse Shooter and my wife and I will return at sunrise and we will get started once we are situated at the jungle front.”
Just then the sounds of gunshots are heard off from the distance, “Bang, bang, and bang!”
The lines at the front of the jungle are immediately shaken as a few Rough Rider soldiers could is nearly hit and one drops to the ground. Right away, the Rough Rider soldiers aim their guns in the direction that the shots were fired from with no further hesitations. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers scramble to take cover like they were being attacked.
Rough Rider soldiers returning fire, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Then there is silence once the shooting stops on both sides as Emilio Aguinaldo commands his Freedom Fighter soldiers, “That was quite a response; so let’s fall back thirty yards!”
Right then, General Bill Shafter looks to a few Rough Rider soldiers commanding, “Let’s get some guns aimed that way!”
Lieutenant Greenway yells out quickly, “On the double!”
Next another few Rough Rider soldiers take to the jungle line while taking cover and falling to the ground for cover, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!”
Colonel Leonard Wood can hear the noise from the medical tent as he is talking with his wife saying, “Sounds like some sniper gun fire!”
Louise Wood is still talking to her husband Colonel Leonard Wood, and says, “Finally, the Rough Riders have reached the jungle terrains!”
Colonel Leonard Wood says, “Yes, and this is the most dangerous area with all of the booby traps and guerrilla fighting going on.”
Nurse Shooter says as she dresses up the wounds of a Rough Rider soldiers, “I guess I will be expecting a lot more of this?”
Colonel Leonard Wood says, “Yes, you are at the front lines now!”
Soon more gun fire arises from the Filipino forces as well as the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers as more Rough Rider soldiers respond to gun fire coming from the jungle terrains. The shots come from different direction catching the Rough Rider soldiers off guard. However many of them respond quickly with returning rifle and gun fire in to the jungles constantly upon receiving shots at the front lines.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A many months have gone by and General Bill Shafter has sent out some patrol units as the Rough Rider soldiers drive their way south. They are taking the rest of the many jungle areas over slowly while fighting guerrilla warfare. Lieutenant Greenway has stayed behind while General Bill Shafter had chosen to be the one to go out on a patrol for that day.
So far, they have been switching around trying to keep the enemy confused as to who they all are as far as identity is concerned. And there have been a many booby traps that they have encountered here and there throughout the jungle terrain. The Rough Rider soldiers have pushed the front lines miles and miles making their way further south to the shores.
Lieutenant Pollack is also taking a patrol unit on the southern flank, although the flank has come more the western flank nonetheless. And Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp are taking patrol units out on the northern flank which are turning in to the eastern flank. Nevertheless they are driving them as fast as possible despite the harsh conditions which are similar to Cuba in sense.
Now General Bill Shafter takes his patrol unit in to a dark lair of jungle trees and vines that looks dark and decrepit like something sinister has been there. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers take cover as they are directed in that direction. The Filipino Goddess Bamboo is near somewhere, although she isn’t showing her whereabouts as she sneaks her way around the many areas along the front lines of the jungle.
She has been sneaking around every part of this jungle along the front lines trying to spruce things up a little. General Bill Shafter looks ahead to a darkened area of the jungle ready to send some men inside to check for any Freedom Fighter snipers that may be hiding out. So far, they have found nothing so far today, but that reality might change
General Bill Shafter takes a look to his Rough Rider soldiers and says with hand signals, “The two of you; move in!”
Rough Rider Billy Boy and Rough Rider Magical Merlin take a few steps inside the darkened trees step by step. The rest of the patrol unit watches and waits with their rifles and pistols ready for anything. Then Rough Rider Billy Boy and Rough Rider Magical Merlin continue taking steps further looking for hiding enemy members.
Suddenly the area is bombarded with flying poisonous blow darts and arrows as the Rough Rider soldiers take their shots in all directions. Rough Rider Billy Boy and Rough Rider Magical Merlin fall back and take cover. Rough Rider Christopher sees a Native Freedom Fighter sticking his head out of a foxhole and takes a quick shot.
One shot of the rifle once firing, “Bang!”
The Native Freedom Fighter falls back with a wound and blow to the head right through the forehead. Right then, many of the Native Freedom Fighters scramble the scene. Lots of noises are made with the sounds of roaring and yelling in Spanish and Chinese Cantonese or Mandarin. But only streaks and flashes of the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers are seen as they run behind the jungle trees.
Rough Rider Magical Merlin quickly aims his rifle tailing along with something flashing by in the trees and fires his weapon, “Bang!”
A loud thud is heard with some branches and twigs as well as vegetation being brushed over as someone or something falls, “Thump!”
It was a Native Freedom Fighter, who had fallen hopefully, as the Rough Rider soldiers stop and cover the area. The sounds of some of the others turning back is also heard which muffles away as they give up and flee the scene. General Bill Shafter keeps cover while the Native Freedom Fighters leave the area.
Rough Rider Magical Merlin says with a low tone of voice, “I nailed one of those Native Freedom Fighter soldiers!”
General Bill Shafter says as he signals two other Rough Rider soldiers elsewhere to cover the area, “Well, don’t be too eager at finding out.”
Lieutenant Wright, on the other hand, is out with Lieutenant Sharp while they are taking a patrol unit out. They have brought a few new Rough Rider soldiers along that haven’t had much experience such as Cuba. But that is only to cover their losses considering how many Rough Rider soldiers they brought here.
Rough Rider Dennis positioned behind a few Rough Rider soldiers as one gets spooked saying, “Did you hear that?”
Rough Rider Dennis puts his finger over his lips telling the Rough Rider soldier to shut his mouth saying, “Shush,” lightly.
The new comer Rough Rider soldier looks away from Rough Rider Dennis and then over to Lieutenant Wright and then Lieutenant Sharp. Next the Rough Rider soldiers turns back towards the jungle vegetation before making any further progress. Rough Rider Dennis continues to cover the Rough Rider soldier while taking cover.
Finally the new comer Rough Rider soldier takes a few more steps forwards and enters under a few hanging vines that are spruced between some jungle trees and island palm trees. Soon another sound is heard of some leaves brushing as the Filipino Goddess Bamboo steps in with her sword swung neck high.
The sound of a new comer Rough Rider soldier’s head coming off, “Whoosh!”
Quickly the Filipino Goddess Bamboo leaves with only a flash of her body streaking away as many of the Rough Rider soldiers like Rough Rider Dennis begin to freak out. And it happened so fast that most of them are unsure what to do considering that no shots were ever heard or let alone seen or felt.
Quickly the Rough Rider commanders and the Rough Rider soldiers like Rough Rider Dennis open fire, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!”
Rough Rider Toby makes some noise, “Die you Filipina bitch!”
Rough Rider Toby taking some pistol shots with his six shooter revolver, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!”
Rough Rider Johnny throws down his six shooter revolver and pulls out another one fully loaded and yells out, “Take that you trader!”
Lieutenant Wright stops firing his rifle and is ready to reload as he says, “Cease fire!”
Lieutenant Sharp places his rifle down with the barrel pointed towards the ground for graces sake saying, “That was that Filipino Goddess Bamboo!”
Rough Rider Dennis looks disappointed gibbering, “She escaped!”
Rough Rider Johnny can only think about all of the head counts saying, “We can forget taking a head count!”
Lieutenant Sharp says quickly as he walks forward to look at the dead new comer Rough Rider soldier’s head saying, “Yeah, why bother!”
Rough Rider Toby says, “Yes, the head count is…………………one Rough Rider head!”
Lieutenant Wright can only say commanding, “Alright; big mouth Rough Rider Toby. Bag the Rough Rider soldier’s head and carry the body back to camp. That’s it for our patrol unit today!”
Lieutenant Sharp says, ‘Better luck tomorrow.”
Flipping back to the eastern flank, which was the southern flank, Lieutenant Pollack is leading his patrol unit through the jungle terrain as Frog Man is luring nearby. So far, Frog Man hasn’t shown his presence, although the group of Black Rough Rider soldiers can hear much action around.
Lieutenant Pollack leads the patrol unit through many parts of the jungle terrain while his Black Rough Rider soldiers are leading the way. The sounds of many animals such as birds and other creatures such as snakes slither their way nearby. Black Rough Rider Private Danny walks next to a large Filipino Burmese python that is hanging down from some branches slithering its tongue back and forth.
Lieutenant Pollack looks around the area with a pan sweep of his eyes brushing over many vegetated areas. And once they pass a certain area with some large jungle trees and many hanging vines, two sets of hands come out from the bark of a tree. The bark is slid out slowly and set aside as Frog Man has hidden his presence very wisely.
Now Frog Man is there behind the patrol unit as his attire is camouflaged like that of a frog that can manipulate its surroundings. He almost looks like he is part of the background as he moves swiftly sweeping the area further back. And his footsteps aren’t disturbing as he walks and runs slowly like he was just floating over the ground.
Finally Black Rough Rider Greg raises his hands as a signal to stop thinking that he had heard something that sounding like footsteps. He gives the signal as the Black Rough Rider soldiers all take cover ducking and hiding behind whatever they can quickly. Lieutenant Pollack stops as well as he sees the signal and waits for everyone to take cover with their weapons ready to open fire.
Next Lieutenant Pollack hears a noise behind him and turns with his weapon drawn. But he sees nothing as Frog Man is secretly disguised with many glistering paints and body camouflages that he had made for his rebellion. Lieutenant Pollack glances around again and then signals a few Rough Rider soldiers to flank the area with whatever rocks they can find lying around.
Black Rough Rider Private Marcus finds a rock and looks over to the others before tossing the rock to make a disturbance. So far, there have been no signs of any Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers or Native Freedom Fighter soldiers around. Only noises have been heard which are uncertain at this time.
Black Rough Rider Marcus throws the rock which lands hard, “Bam!”
Suddenly Lieutenant Pollack looks ahead to see what the cause and effect of such an action will be as he hears some noises sounding like footsteps sneaking up on him, “Crunch, crunch, crunch, and crunch!”
Quickly Lieutenant Pollack turns and sees hears a loud wisp like sound that is familiar to him all too well, “Spew!”
Hurriedly he sees a poisonous blow dart coming his way as he tries to duck down so that it misses him, although the poisonous blow dart misses his head and lands in to his Rough Rider cowboy hat luckily. Lieutenant Pollack turns with his pistol and aims for a shot. But he is unsure where the perpetrator is located as only a streak of weird colors is seen off in the remote distance.
Then what happens is that there are a many poisonous blow darts coming from all directions while all of the Black Rough Rider Privates open fire. Frog Man turns back and hides in the foliage. Frog Man hides his self as some of the other Native Freedom Fighter soldiers try their best at hitting and tagging some of the Black Rough Rider Privates for good.
One of the poisonous blow darts lunges over Black Rough Rider Private Marcus’s head as he returns fire quickly in the direction that it came from. Black Rough Rider Private Greg is nearly hit as one sails over his left shoulder and one over his right shoulder. Quickly he returns fire as well trying to hit some paint covered faces that he sees hiding off in the distance.
Black Rough Rider Danny notices a blow dart gun piercing through the bushes only a few feet away as he freaks and takes ahold of it with his hand, “Wham!”
Now he pulls his aim that way and shoots one of the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers as he turns and flees the scene, “Bang!”
The Native Freedom Fighter is shot in the shoulder as he runs with one arm flopping like it were a tail of donkey or something or other with some slight screaming, “Argh, argh, argh!”
Lieutenant Pollack loses sight of Frog Man as he dashes and darts in-between jungle palm trees, bushes, and shrubs. Lieutenant Pollack thinks that he sees him again as he aims and takes cover quickly. He waits for some movement again while many more poisonous blow darts are hovering all over the place hitting leaves and the ground as well.
Soon Lieutenant Pollack takes a glance and sees Frog Man emerge with another blow dart aimed in his direction as he pulls the trigger, “Bang!”
A cloud of gun smoke blocks his view as he loses sight of the bullet sailing towards Frog Man. Then moments later, when the cloud of gun smoke dissipates, Lieutenant Pollack loses sight of Frog Man as well. Seconds later, he glances and sees a trailing of a Frog Man like figure in green and yellowish body paints skimmer in the distance.
Presently the shooting of poisonous blow darts stops and only the remains of many footsteps are heard off in the distance. Lieutenant Pollack turns back to see where the Black Rough Rider soldiers of his patrol unit are located as he lowers his weapon. However the Black Rough Rider soldiers continue takin cover wondering if the onslaught of fighting is over with.
Lieutenant Pollack looks to some of the Black Rough Rider soldiers and says to them all, “Looks like our daily patrol is over with; nightfall will be coming soon!”
Black Rough Rider Private Danny asks with a deep curiosity, “Shouldn’t we do a head count of them all?”
Black Rough Rider Private Marcus queries, “Yes, we should see how many of them we took out!”
Black Rough Rider Private Greg says, “Maybe we ought to just go and forget the head count!”
Lieutenant Pollack as he looks around for more Native Freedom Fighter soldiers saying, “Let’s just gets back to the front lines!”
At this time, Colonel Leonard Wood is wondering what to do with all of these jungle skirmishes. The jungle skirmishes are turning out alright, although the progress should be better with pushing their way south. Now Colonel Leonard Wood has a plan to get something accomplished out in the sticks so to speak.
He looks to Lieutenant Sharp by making a comment to Sergeant Hamilton Fish and War Correspondent Richard Harding saying, “Maybe it’s time that we send something up Frog Man’s sleeve.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish asks lightly, “Like what?”
Colonel Leonard Wood answers back, “We’ll send him something sharp!”
Then Colonel Leonard Wood writes down a command order down with explicit instructions and gives it to Sergeant Hamilton Fish saying, “Find a Rough Rider messenger to deliver this message to Lieutenant Sharp!”
Sergeant Ham salutes and leaves the scene saying, “Colonel Wood Sir!”
Meanwhile Emilio Aguinaldo realizes that they are making little progress this way as well with these Guerilla Warfare skirmishes. And he knows that they are taking more and more land day by day pushing further south. It won’t be long before he and his Freedom Fighter soldiers will have to withdraw themselves to Samar.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to his patrol unit and says, “If we don’t make some progress with our Guerilla tactics, the Rough Rider soldiers will reach as far as Legaspi!”
One Freedom Fighter soldiers says, “And they have reached taking over the north as far as the Baton islands!”
Emilio Aguinaldo looks towards the ocean saying to his Freedom Fighters, “It’s time for all of us to leave and head to Samar!”
Meanwhile at Nurse Shooter’s medical tent, Nurse Shooter makes a comment saying, “These Philippine jungles bring lots of injuries!”
Louise Wood as she patches up another scraped up Rough Rider soldier says in return, “Yes, I hear that the fighting hasn’t been that bad or good for the Rough Rider soldiers!”
Nurse Shooter says, “You know, there was speculation that Bamboo had a hideout on a small Philippine island somewhere!”
Louise Wood says back, “And I heard a rumor from one of the Rough Rider soldiers that Emilio Aguinaldo and his patrols are going to head for Samar before too soon!”
One of the Rough Rider soldier messengers reaches Lieutenant Sharp saying, “I have a message for you from Colonel Wood Sir!”
The Rough Rider soldier hands it to Lieutenant Sharp before leaving the scene and saluting, “Lieutenant Sharp Sir!”
Lieutenant Sharp opens the message and reads as Lieutenant Wright asks, “What does the command order say?”
Lieutenant Sharp explains the command order saying, “The command order says to take out some of the Filipino Native leaders!”
Lieutenant Wright discloses his view of things saying, “That may be because Emilio Aguinaldo and his clan are heading south towards Samar!”
Lieutenant Sharp says in retro, “It may be too late if they have left already.”
Lieutenant Wright says quickly, “Maybe it won’t hurt for you to go out there taking a look!”
Lieutenant Sharp already has his gear with him as he unties his army bag of supplies taking out some jungle clothes that he has for the occasion. Of course, they are camouflaged clothes along with some body paints to blend in to the surroundings. He starts dressing up quickly as many of the other Rough Rider soldiers watch.
Then Lieutenant Wright says as he pulls out a blow dart that he has made, “I’ll take a look around.”
Lieutenant Wright watches along with Rough Rider Dennis and many others as Lieutenant Sharp leaves. Luckily it is getting dark as he departs for the jungle to take some glances around for military activity. Soon he disappears just like one of the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers hiding in the jungles disguised.
Colonel Leonard Wood is informed that Lieutenant Sharp is doing his task at hand as he says, “While Lieutenant Sharp scouts the jungle terrain for more Filipino patrol units, and we will make our preparations with leaving for Samar!”
Emilio Aguinaldo and his Filipino forces have reached the coastal areas and are ready to depart on smaller boats as night time settles in. Most of the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers are already leaving in smaller boats and vessels trying to make their way to Samar. They also have to watch out for the U.S. Naval Forces as they have tightened their grip on the oceans surrounding the Philippines.
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to his Filipino forces as they prepare to depart the area and head for Samar saying, “We’d better make our way for Samar while they think we are still out there patrolling the area for Rough Rider soldiers.”
General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway have scouted the nearby areas with some smaller patrol units recently as General Bill Shafter says, “So far, there has been no sight of anymore Filipino Natives or Freedom Fighters on our last patrol.”
Lieutenant Greenway agrees saying, “Yes, it’s like they disappeared and vanished!”
Hours later, Lieutenant Sharp returns with no signs of finding anyone around as he patrolled the area alone. It’s like the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers and the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers have left the area perhaps. Or maybe they are planning something else like a surprise attack perhaps.
Lieutenant Wright is waiting as Lieutenant Sharp returns sneaking up on him as he stands near the front lines mimicking a frog saying lightly, “Rivet, rivet, rivet, and rivet!”
Lieutenant Wright stands motionless and then says, “I know that is you messing around!”
Lieutenant Sharp comes out from hiding and says, “Well, there were no signs of any Freedom Fighter soldiers native or foreign!”
Rough Rider Dennis says, “It’s like they walked away and vanished overnight.”
Lieutenant Wright uses humor, “Sounds like they abandoned ship!”
Rough Rider Paul says, “Sounds like they left the mainland!”
Lieutenant Wright says, “We’d better inform Colonel Leonard Wood!”
Lieutenant Sharp says, “I’ll have Colonel Leonard Wood informed that they may have left for Samar!”
Many Rough Rider soldiers begin to prepare themselves for the packing of their gear they have just unpacked. But then, many of them will have to stay here anyways. Lieutenant Sharp leaves to inform Colonel Leonard Wood of the details. Meanwhile some more hours pass before Colonel Leonard Wood gets the message that there are no signs of the Freedom Fighters anywhere in sight.
Colonel Leonard Wood is approached at a later time by a Rough Rider messenger stating, “Lieutenant Sharp sent me to inform that there are no signs of the Filipino forces anywhere!”
Colonel Leonard Wood listens to the information and says, “Great; let’s hold down the area and move our Rough Rider forces to Samar.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish has some sympathy for the place now saying, “And I was just starting to like it here!”
War Correspondent Richard Harding agrees saying, “We’ll, have to meet our transports at the shores!”
Colonel Leonard Wood says, “The arrangements have are all being taken care of already!”
Straight forth all of the Rough Rider soldiers begin to pack their gear and supplies ready to head for the transports at the shores. Many of the steamships are there waiting for their arrival. Many of them are also staying behind in order to keep a military hold on the areas that have been taken over.
Lieutenant Greenway can only think about seeing Emilio Aguinaldo at the front lines saying, “We’ll all meet up with them again.”
In the meantime, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo has stopped watching and lurking around since Lieutenant Sharp had come out to sneak about. Now she is done with her watching and waiting to see how the Rough Rider soldiers handle the jungle terrains. And she realizes that she must leave and head for Samar as well as Chocolate where her home is eventually.
Now she gathers up her young Freedom Fighter soldiers and says, “It’s time to leave and make our way to Samar the next large island!”
One of the young Freedom Fighters makes a comment saying, “We want to stay and fight!”
Another young Freedom Fighter says, “No, we should leave and retreat so that we can fight at a later time.”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo answers them back saying, “We must leave and join the others at the trenches of Samar!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo turns and begins loading her bags on an ox that she has for the occasion of moving her belongings. Many of the young Freedom Fighters begin packing as well even though they all have hardly anything. And Filipino Goddess Bamboo really doesn’t have anything as far as personal items are concerned with either.
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo starts to leave and says, “Come; it’s time to leave!”
Many of the young Freedom Fighter children follow while some other end up acting as stragglers. Then there are a few others who follow but look back wondering what is going to happen with their home land. And then some of the other young Freedom Fighters are going to blend in with the Filipino farmers who are staying behind.
However, on the other hand, there are a few young Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers who want to stay and fight saying, “We’re staying!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo gets further way and turns back talking loudly, “Suit your selves!”
Soon the Filipino Goddess Bamboo leaves the scene. Of course, a many hours later, she and the young Freedom Fighters reach the shores at night. When they get there, they find a many fishing boats waiting instead of any steamboats. Even Emilio Aguinaldo himself had decided to use fishing boats in order to sneak his way across.
Emilio Aguinaldo organized his armament of Freedom Fighter soldiers and says to them, “We’re lucky to have made our way across. But there are still many more of our Freedom Fighter soldiers still arriving every minute.”
One of the Freedom Fighter soldiers looks to Emilio Aguinaldo and says, “Should we wait for them all?”
Emilio Aguinaldo looks to the beach as more Freedom Fighters arrive momentarily, “Yes, but let’s hurry them up so that we can reach Samar and man the trenches.”
Meanwhile Colonel Leonard Wood commands the U.S. Naval Fleet to transport the Rough Rider soldiers to the next island. Weeks have gone by as the many steamboats arrive to take the Rough Rider soldiers across to the other side. Also Emilio Aguinaldo and his Freedom Fighters have made their way to the other large island.
And when they arrive, they are watched by many Freedom Fighter soldiers off in the distance. General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway notice that they are being watched once the Rough Rider soldiers arrive on land. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers notice as well with the feeling of being watched.
Now the Rough Rider soldiers begin to take ground quickly by building another barricade right away. However this barricade is met with some hostility from the Freedom Fighter soldiers that sit back a distance from the front line staring. Conversely there are a many more Rough Rider soldiers who have joined in this time around as well.
Colonel Leonard Wood notices that there is some resistance from some Freedom Fighter soldiers as he says to Sergeant Ham and War Correspondent Richard Harding, “Looks like we are met with some resistance!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish sees that there are areas with jungle forests close by remarking, “There are many jungle forests areas nearby giving the Freedom Fighters coverage over us!”
War Correspondent Richard Harding decides to say “That’s good; then they can waste their ammunitions on us!”
Colonel Leonard Wood agrees, “Yes, but we need to push our way towards the trenches of Samar!”
Colonel Leonard Wood writes a command order for Hamilton Fish saying, “Inform General Bill Shafter to push the barricade further and let’s do it faster this time around.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish takes the command order quickly and leaves with a salute, “Yes, Colonel Wood Sir!”
A minute later, he hands the command order to General Bill Shafter saying, “A command order General Shafter Sir!”
General Bill Shafter takes the command order as Lieutenant Greenway stands nearby and opens it saying, “The command order is to push the barricade forward immediately!”
Meanwhile Sergeant Hamilton Fish leaves the scene as Lieutenant Greenway says, “Colonel Wood is anxious to reach the trenches of Samar with the Rough Rider soldiers!”
Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo is closer to her arena which is further south from the main island with the city of Manila. She is aware that the Rough Rider soldiers are pushing their way south at a fast pace, although she realizes that there are too many of them. And it’s hard for her to use her witchcraft when there are larger numbers of Rough Rider soldiers than their Freedom Fighter soldiers anyhow.
Now, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo prepares a black magical spell to make the Rough Rider soldiers ill as one of the young Freedom Fighters enters and asks, “What are you doing?”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo looks to the young Freedom Fighter and gawks, “I’m preparing a spell of darkness for the souls of those who enter our homes and lives.”
The young Freedom Fighter can only describe with words, “I tried a few evil spells and prayers against them too and nothing has worked!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo says, “That’s because there are so many of them coming for our sugar crops!”
The young Freedom Fighter responds saying, “Why, they aren’t farmers; they are soldiers?”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo can only explain to the young Freedom Fighter, “That’s because they work for the Sugar Boys who took the Hawaiian Sugar Crops!”
Another young Filipino Freedom Fighter stands forth and says, “They sound like a crooked sugar coup!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo comes back saying, “The main thing is to keep our heritage and culture long after this Philippine-American War has ended.”
Emilio Aguinaldo has organized his Freedom Fighter soldiers to put forth their plan in to action as he says, “Looks like the Rough Riders are pushing their way towards the trenches of Samar as fast as a steaming locomotive.”
One of the Freedom Fighter soldiers says, “There’s too many of them Rough Rider soldiers!”
Emilio Aguinaldo says, “We have taken out a good number of them from their service to their country!”
Another Freedom Fighter soldiers says to Emilio Aguinaldo, “No matter how many we take out, more Rough Rider soldiers are stationed here endlessly.”
Emilio Aguinaldo agrees with the Freedom Fighter soldier saying, “Yes, they are going to storm us with their Rough Rider soldiers just like they did in Cuba. However they created tons of lies with the articles that have been printed through the press to confuse us all.”
Another Freedom Fighter soldiers makes a comment stating, “Who cares about their faces and who they are or were and whether they are dead or alive!”
More months pass by as the Rough Rider soldiers make their way towards the trenches of Samar. So far, they have pushed their way with barricades and more patrol units that have been sent out as they take more territory. Finally after another few years, the Rough Rider soldiers forge their way to the trenches of Samar like they did previously with the trenches in the outskirts of the city of Manila.
The Rough Rider soldiers approach the trenches of Samar as they are all watched by Emilio Aguinaldo when they arrive. Meanwhile Emilio Aguinaldo is walking along the top of some sand bags that he has as a barrier behind his trenches in Samar. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers see him when they arrive off in the distance walking off his territory.
Immediately Lieutenant Greenway and General Bill Shafter see Emilio Aguinaldo as they stare him off as he glances and stares back. Of course, the western and eastern flanks have been kept with the same commanders so only a few see Emilio Aguinaldo as he drops down behind his barrier and disappears out of sight.
Lieutenant Greenway continues looking for another glance of him saying, “There he was a moment ago!”
General Bill Shafter can only choose words expressing, “Yes, and he split fast after he noticed that we saw him!”
Lieutenant Greenway answers back suddenly, “Yes, we’ll be seeing him again!”
General Bill Shafter says, “Yeah, hopefully real soon!”
Colonel Leonard Wood arrives at his new command center and says, “Well, we lost a many of our Rough Rider soldiers and it is time for some payback!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish says gleefully, “I can’t wait for my first command order against these Freedom Fighters.”
A few Rough Rider soldiers who overheard the conversation say, “I can’t wait to burrow in on our barricade ready to take out these gooks!”
Now Emilio Aguinaldo is checking out the Rough Rider portrait from Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt standing next to Lieutenant Greenway as he points and says to a Freedom Fighter, “Check this out; here’s Teddy Roosevelt in front of the American Flag and he is standing next to Lieutenant Greenway.”
A Freedom Fighter says, “And!”
Emilio Aguinaldo asks, “And where’s this Colonel Leonard Wood standing at?”
Another Freedom Fighter makes a remark, “I don’t know; beats me!”
Next Emilio Aguinaldo sets the portrait up against a box of ammunition and says, “I’ll show you where he is at; he is right here in the back with his head turned towards the American Flag hiding!”
Another Freedom Fighter jousts a line, “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
Emilio Aguinaldo prepares a sniper’s rifle while saying, “That means that they are playing games and I’m going to find out getting some answers!”
By now, Colonel Leonard Wood is ready to move the Rough Rider forces in to their positions saying as he hands Sergeant Hamilton Fish the command order saying, “Now it’s time to position our Rough Rider soldiers in to their positions………………………fully armed and loaded with firing power.”
Then he looks out at the front lines and says, “Inform General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway and well allow the Rough Rider soldiers to inform the eastern and western flanks down the front lines!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish leaves the command center and heads over to the field commanders with the command order as many of the Rough Rider soldiers are already ready to burrow in anyways. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers are ready and realize what preparations are necessary measures to take.
Now General Bill Shafter reads the command order as he shows Lieutenant Greenway moments later saying, “Well, it’s time to get this started!”
Lieutenant Greenway agrees saying, “Okay, Rough Riders let’s get things going! Aim your weapons and wait for the command!”
Straight forth the entire army of Rough Rider soldiers aims ready to shoot and fire their weapons. Lieutenant Greenway decides to take the Gatling gun that they set up quickly in a hurry, along with a Lowell gun, as many others grunt their thrills towards the Freedom Fighters. You can hear the pistol barrels turn and the rifles cock and snap as the Rough Rider soldiers are ready to spring in to action.
Then the sound continues like a domino effect right on down the front lines towards the eastern and western flanks. The Freedom Fighter soldiers follow suit as they see the Rough Riders prepare for battle. Many of the Freedom Fighter soldiers take cover even though they are separated by the trenches.
Finally Lieutenant Greenway looks back to General Bill Shafter as he turns to the Gatling gun and then commands, “On my command!”
Then Lieutenant Greenway commands quickly, “Fire!”
Immediately like an itchy triggered bunch of cowboy wranglers, the Rough Rider soldiers along the front lines begin to open fire, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Emilio Aguinaldo points to a weak spot on the battlefield saying, “Put some more Freedom Fighters right here and a few just before the trenches begin.”
Lieutenant Greenway decides to use the Gatling gun and give them a showdown with some impressiveness, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!”
Emilio Aguinaldo yells out to his Freedom Fighters, “Take cover!”
Right away, General Bill Shafter directs Rough Rider Bill to try out the Lowell gun as he takes to it quickly, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Then all of a sudden, there is a pause as much gun smoke covers the area above the front lines as Lieutenant Greenway says, “That should show them we mean business!”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Suddenly General Bill Shafter gets a pain in his neck with sharp pin needling sensations as he places his right hand over it. Many of the Rough Rider soldiers are still loading up their six shooter pistols and rifles as the gun smoke lingers around slowly dissipating. Colonel Leonard Wood is watching with gratitude as they feel in control.
Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo pulls a thorn from the neck of a voodoo hoodoo doll that looks like General Bill Shafter and places it in the back of its head as she says, “Hopefully General Bill Shafter feels that a bit!”
Rough Rider Dan sees and asks General Bill Shafter if he is okay asking, “Are you okay?”
General Bill Shafter responds, “Yes, just some pains in my neck; I’m alright though.”
Soon General Bill Shafter returns back to his duties as Rough Rider Dan takes cover burrowing in for another onslaught of carnage and mayhem. Lieutenant Greenway feels sort of queasy as he lowers his hands from the Gatling gun and rubs his forehead. Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo has them closer to her territory which brings more powerful bindings as she pulls a thorn from a voodoo hoodoo doll image of him.
Finally she looks away from her craft as she comments, “There too many of them to think of other than the leaders!”
Lieutenant Pollack is on the western flank and sees Frog Man again looking and waiting as there is some straggler Rough Rider soldiers who take shots in that direction, “Bang, bang, bang, and, bang!”
Then Frog Man fades back as he drifts back with some Native Freedom Fighters that are nearby. Lieutenant Pollack looks to some of the Rough Rider soldiers to keep their sights in that direction for another shooting frenzy from the Rough Rider soldiers. Then all of the Black Rough Rider soldiers see Frog Man and are angry aiming their weapons.
Lieutenant Pollack decides to go for it commanding, “Screw it; fire when ready!”
The Black Rough Rider Privates fire their weapons, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Then there is more firing from the Black Rough Rider Privates after a short pause, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Next there are some rounds fired off in their direction which are coming from behind the trenches, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Right then, Black Rough rider Private Marcus says, “That Frog looking dude got away!”
Black Rough Rider Private Danny says afterwards, “I must have nailed one of them!”
Black Rough Rider Private Greg says, “There were so many rounds going off that there is no way that they could dodge all of them!”
Lieutenant Pollack says, “Oh well, maybe he made away for now!”
Meanwhile Frog Man realizes that Lieutenant Pollack is on to him as he decides to camouflage different despite the negativity. Emilio Aguinaldo holds the front lines at the center as the Rough Rider soldiers continue with their pop shots one after the other. At the Eastern flank, Lieutenant Sharp has some trouble with some of the Filipino farmers on that island. It’s hard for him to tell if they are Freedom Fighters or only Filipino farmers sometimes.
Lieutenant Sharp continues firing away occasionally as he looks to Rough Rider Dennis and asks, “Why are you hesitating to pull the trigger?”
Rough Rider Dennis says, “It’s hard to tell what I’m shooting at; a Filipino farmer or a Freedom Fighter!”
Rough Rider Paul says, “Oh who cares; there’s no difference anyways!”
Lieutenant Sharp can only fathom the fact saying, “Yes, they all look the same at a distance!”
Rough Rider Dennis carries on saying, “And when is Lieutenant Wright returning back from setting up camp?”
Lieutenant Sharp says in response, “Anytime soon, hopefully!”
Then there is a sound of a rifle shot from the distance, “Bang!”
A bullet lands and hits a Rough Rider that isn’t burrowed in behind the sand bags as everyone takes cover shooting, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Rough Rider Dave looks to the injured Rough Rider soldier and says, “They shot one of our own; is he alright!”
Lieutenant Sharp knows that the Rough Rider soldier is dead as he moves that way and says afterwards, “No, he’s dead!”
Rough Rider Mark is eager to get past the trenches saying, “We should storm those Filipino chinks!”
Rough Rider Dennis makes a comment, “Don’t worry; we’ll get our chance!”
Finally some hours pass by as night time approaches and Colonel Leonard Wood is ready to bust the storm the trenches with Rough Rider soldiers. But then, as darkness settles in, there is some movement on the other side of the trenches which catches his attention, An enormous number of Freedom Fighters and Native Freedom Fighter are approaching as they are soon hidden from the dark cloud that ligers overhead.
Colonel Leonard Wood sees the Freedom Fighters approaching and says, “Looks like we have some movement approaching.”
Sergeant Ham says, “What’s the command order?”
Colonel Leonard Wood says, “Hold down the front lines!”
And once Lieutenant Greenway sees the oncoming enemy forces, General Bill Shafter gets the command order as Lieutenant Greenway says, “Here they come; take cover.”
General Bill Shafter says commanding, “Hold down the front lines!”
Lieutenant Greenway makes another command saying, “Fire on my command!”
Just then, there are a number of flaming arrows seen being lit up in the distance as Lieutenant Greenway says loudly, “Fire!”
Rough Rider soldiers taking an onslaught of shots as the flaming arrows are bowed from their archers, Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Many of the Rough Rider soldiers brace themselves realizing that they have seen this before even while they are taking shots at the enemy lines. Moments later, the sky is lit up again just like before as Rough Rider soldiers take cover with small coverings that they implemented in their newly made barricade.
Then the arrows land and the scenario of dodging and evading the fiery arrows continue on behind the Rough Riders front lines. Now many of the Rough Rider soldiers are hit as well, although they aren’t too many serious casualties. Fires are all over the place with Rough Rider soldiers trying to put the fires out with whatever is available.
Once all is said and done, the Native Freedom Fighter soldiers approach the trenches from a distance with longer blow darts. The Rough Rider are so blinded that they can hardly see passed the trenches as the blow darts land everywhere. Then come the Freedom Fighters who start shooting some shots one after the other,
The sounds of many gun shots, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
Emilio Aguinaldo looks while shooting as well saying, “That should wake them up a little!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo is back behind the front lines on the Filipino side holding a flame to an image of the Rough Rider soldiers saying, “Burn!”
The shot of a Rough Rider soldier rolling on the ground to put out his clothes that is on fire as he screams loudly, “Aw!”
Next the Filipino Goddess Bamboo swings a flaming fire stick towards a Rough Rider hat that she snagged chanting, “Your head’s on fire!”
Then there is the frame of a Rough Rider soldier flinging off his Rough Rider hat while it’s on fire yelling out, “Ow, ow!”
Then another Rough Rider soldier stomps it out quickly as they dodge a few more straggler fiery arrows racing from the night sky. Next the Rough Riders turn to take some shots with an angry attitude to get even. However there are a few other Rough Rider injuries within the center front lines that need some medical attention.
Soon the Filipino Goddess Bamboo tries working her darkened cloud on Lieutenant Greenway as she turns her attention to some other creativity saying, “Now I’ll turn my attention to the Lieutenant Greenway!”
At that moment, she takes out some items that were touched by Lieutenant Greenway that some of their spies connived in the Hawaiian Islands saying, “And these items belonged to him that he left behind with his little female runts!”
Now that Emilio Aguinaldo has his eyes on the command center that Colonel Leonard Wood and his comrades are in as he aims his sniper rifle. The entire place is lit up pretty good as he tries to catch someone in his peep sights. So far there are no shots of anyone near the command center that can harbor a clean shot, although Emilio Aguinaldo turns his aim towards General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway.
But then, General Bill Shafter moves a few feet and Lieutenant Greenway ducks down behind the sand bags of the barricade. Quickly Emilio Aguinaldo turns his peep sights back to the command center which is motionless along with being lit up slightly. Now Emilio Aguinaldo is angry as he turns and focuses elsewhere to accomplish something as he aims at a Rough Rider soldier.
Then Emilio Aguinaldo pulls the trigger once, “Bang!”
A Rough Rider drops from a great distance as Emilio Aguinaldo turns and reloads his chamber saying, “That’s another one of them Rough Rider soldiers down!”
Many of the Rough Riders return and open fire regardless of any commands while others are putting out fires, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
One Rough Rider soldier peeps his head over the barricade yelling out, “Gook tacos!”
Now Emilio Aguinaldo takes aim again from the same place as some other Freedom Fighter soldiers join in from a distance away, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
General Bill Shafter makes a comment saying, “We lost a few Rough Rider soldiers!”
Lieutenant Greenway returns with words expressing, “I believe it is Emilio Aguinaldo sniping us out!”
General Bill Shafter says after hearing that while taking cover, “You’re probably right!”
Next Lieutenant Greenway says, “We should keep cover and continue weakening their forces wearing them down a while!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo tries her luck of witchery on Lieutenant Pollack as he feels something come over him that is like a dark cloud, “Gasping for breath!”
Black Rough Rider Greg asks, “Are you alright Lieutenant Pollack?”
Lieutenant Pollack holds on to a talisman that is African and says, “Oh yeah; it’s nothing that I can’t a handle.
Black Rough Rider Marcus can feel an enormous black cloud overwhelming them all as he says, “It feels like someone has put a hex over this place!”
Black Rough Rider Danny says, “Yes, it feels more haunting than the previous trenches!”
Lieutenant Pollack brings about the truth saying, “It’s just that Filipino woman Bamboo trying her last luck on us is all!”
Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo can feel that Lieutenant Pollack has some sort of protection against her spells, although she tapped in slightly as she says, “That Lieutenant Pollack must have some sort of African hoodoo voodoo protection from these evil spells!”
Then she tries something else to get his attention which is sort of uncanny using mind power, “It appears that he may have some sort of talisman that was handed down to him from some dark past!”
Now the Native Freedom Fighters are moving closer towards the Rough Rider front lines as they begin their nightly assault on their enemy, “Wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, and wisp!”
Quickly the poisonous blow darts begin to land hitting everywhere as the Native Freedom Fighters give the trenches of Samar all they have to offer. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers have been preparing for this as some of the Rough Riders have been hit while others are burrowed in fairly good.
Immediately Lieutenant Greenway see some blow darts land nearby within only a few feet and some only many inches as he says ordering, “Now shoot everything including the darkness in front of you!”
Straight off the mark of his commanding words the Rough Riders all start firing their weapons systematically like a bunch of unforgiving malicious robots, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang!”
But regardless of the constant shooting towards the trenches, the Native Freedom Fighters continue with their assault nonstop, “Wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, wisp, and wisp!”
Now Lieutenant Wright returns back from setting up the Rough Rider camp as the front lines at the western flank need reinforcements. The Filipino Goddess Bamboo has tried her luck using her craft which is becoming hard with the number of Rough Rider soldiers that they have on the front lines.
Finally the Filipino Goddess Bamboo tries her abiding on Lieutenant Wright for a change saying, “Looks like I’ve had my fun with Lieutenant Pollack and his African whatever voodoo hoodoos.”
Then she pulls out something in the image of Lieutenant Wright that is peculiar in distinction, “Now I’ll try my luck with that Lieutenant Wright and send him back to camp!”
Quickly she tries something as Lieutenant Wright is on the front lines with Lieutenant Sharp saying, “Figures I’d return back from camp with some shooting and fighting going on!”
Lieutenant Sharp takes a aim in to the darkness answering back, “Yes, it’s been constant ever since the sun went down.”
By the Filipino Goddess Bamboo tries sticking some pins and needles in a voodoo hoodoo doll of Lieutenant Wright saying, “I hope he feels this prick!”
Lieutenant Wright puts his hand on his rib as Lieutenant Sharp asks, “Are you alright?”
Next Lieutenant Sharp pulls the trigger of his weapon once, “Bang!”
Lieutenant Wright replies explaining, “Just some pains in my chest are all!”
Just then, Rough Rider Dennis comes out with words gibbering, “Now don’t have a heart attack on us!”
Right then, Rough Rider Dennis pulls the trigger of his weapon once, “Bang!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo says with some luck, “At least we caught his attention!”
Quickly she adds some more attention to her work on him as she sets it aside for the next culprit. But she thinks for a minute for the most likely candidate of her affections that would be admired instantly. Then after rummaging around for a few moments, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo finds something in line.
Jumping her mind away from Lieutenant Sharp, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo says talking aloud, “Forget Lieutenant Sharp for now; I’ll prick him with something sharp later.”
Then she pulls out a voodoo hoodoo doll of Lieutenant Greenway and collaborates with her work, “Let’s see how tuff that Lieutenant Greenway really is right now!”
First she takes his voodoo hoodoo doll and puts a clamp on its back and says, “See how he likes a stiff back.”
Immediately on the front lines Lieutenant Greenway has some rough pains which cause him to kneel down with his hand on his stomach. He bends downward like he was having kidney stone trouble as Rough Rider Bill asks, “Are you alright?”
Lieutenant Greenway continues like a Rough Rider soldier saying like a cowboy, “Just some pains in my lower and upper back.”
General Bill Shafter follows command commenting, “No pain; no gain!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo looks to her third eye and speaks candidly, “Worked like a charm!”
Now the Filipino Goddess Bamboo carries on with her craft as Emilio Aguinaldo continues waiting for the Native Freedom Fighters to pull back momentarily. The next phase is with his Freedom Fighter soldiers who are waiting while saving their ammunitions for last. Many of them are eager to take some shots, but they have other methods as well.
Soon the Rough Rider soldiers stop their shooting as the Native Freedom Fighters stop their constant assault on the Rough Rider front lines. There are many wounded Rough Rider soldiers who need some medical attention. Also there are many wounded Native Freedom Fighters who are wounded and need medical attention if they can get some from their Filipino comrades.
Finally Lieutenant Greenway waits for a moment and then commands, “Wait and reload!”
General Bill Shafter agrees with the command as the sounds of the wounded moaning and groaning is heard along with the reloading of their pistols and rifles. Now the Filipino Freedom Fighter soldiers step forward ready for their assault as the Native Freedom Fighters recharge and recoup for returning on the battlefield.
General Bill Shafter gives a command saying, “Keep your weapons aimed and ready to fire!”
Colonel Leonard Wood watches from afar which is nearby as the Freedom Fighters advance towards the trenches. Their tactic is to drive them out so that they invade through the trenches ready to shoot them all like cattle at a crossing. Yet they will have to waste some ammunition making them angry and agitating them.
So far, there are no shots fired from the Freedom Fighters as they all wait like wolves in the darkness waiting for their prey as Sergeant Ham asks, “So what do you think?”
Colonel Leonard Wood thinks for a second and says, “The Freedom Fighters are waiting for us to enter the trenches!”
Next Sergeant Ham says, “We’re sitting ducks if we enter now!”
War Correspondent Richard Harding carries on with words, “Emilio Aguinaldo and his Freedom Fighters are waiting for us!”
Finally Emilio Aguinaldo is with his Freedom Fighters waiting for a charge of the Rough riders saying, “We’ll just wait until they enter in to the trenches!”
One of the Freedom Fighters says, “It could be hours, days, or maybe even weeks!”
Finally the Filipino Goddess Bamboo has received some response, although she isn’t satisfied as she speaks loudly, “Now I will prepare my specialty!”
Right then, she takes some bamboo reeds from a pot of cooking water and says, “These bamboo reeds make a great powder when mixed and dried with table salt!”
Soon she finishes her concoction and prepares her weaponry using some previous made batches that she has for the battlefield speaking again, “Now I have some weapons that will blow away their minds!”
Then as she continues cooking her craft, she adds something else saying, “Of course, it’s made up of sodium and chlorine which are poisonous alone, but edible when put together and I put them along with my secret ingredient.”
Next she does something else preparing and says, “One day others will learn their chemistry and figure these witchy ways out.”
And she takes her supplies with her as she leaves for the front lines behind the trenches. Many of the young Freedom Fighters are nearby as she leaves and they momentarily follow as a large group. There is even some straggler young Freedom Fighters who are ready to help her with some supplies that she points to along the way.
Eventually Emilio Aguinaldo and his Freedom Fighters are waiting desperately for the Rough Riders to advance in to the trenches. So far, there have been no shots fired as the Rough Rider soldiers wait to see what’s lurking in the dark. Most of the Rough Rider soldiers have been reloading their weapons and have even reloaded extra pistols that they have taken along.
Lieutenant Greenway waits and listens for movement across the front lines and in the trenches asking some of the Rough Rider soldiers, “Hear anything?”
Rough Rider Mike says with a listening ear, “No, not a sound.”
General Bill Shafter says as he looks for movement, “What’s that?”
“Sounds like someone crawling towards us!” Rough Rider Billy Boy says as the sounds get louder.
Rough Rider Bill thinks the other way around saying, “Sounds like someone crawling away from us!”
“Do you think it’s a Freedom Fighters sneaking up on us; or is it a wounded Filipino native slipping away?” Rough Rider John Porter says after giving an ear.
General Bill Shafter wants the Rough Riders ready for anything as he speaks, “No matter what; let’s be ready for any surprises!”
On the enemy side, Emilio Aguinaldo tries to do a body count commanding to some Freedom Fighters, “Do you think it’s safe to do a body count and see how many wounded there are?”
One of the Freedom Fighters answers back saying, “No, because the Rough Riders are armed heavily against us and there are some wounded Filipino Natives crawling their way back behind the trenches!”
Lastly Emilio Aguinaldo says, “Okay; let’s wait for the Rough Riders to make their move!”
And once the Filipino Goddess Bamboo returns to the battlefield she enters a side trench that connects to the others and says with her bag of goodies, “And once this stuff burns, the smoke will carry to through the trenches to the front lines where the Rough Riders are hiding!”
Soon she makes her debut as she lights her smokers that will cause problems for the Rough Riders as the smoke begins to enter the trenches simultaneously. Many of the Rough Riders see a slight coloration in the air, although the darkness hides most of it. The smoke is even colorless and tasteless as some Rough Riders faint and fall asleep so to speak.
Right after seeing some Rough Rider soldiers passed out, General Bill Shafter says, “Looks like a few Rough Rider soldiers are falling asleep.”
Rough Rider John Porter makes a comment, being still awake, “The air seems a bit musty like something clean is burning!”
Following that voice, Rough Rider Magical Merlin comes forth saying, “Smells like poison!”
Lieutenant Greenway realizes what it is doing perhaps remarking, “Whatever it is, it is putting the Rough Rider soldiers to sleep.”
Rough Rider Billy Boy thinks magical saying, “It’s that Filipino Goddess Bamboo and something she whooped up!”
General Bill Shafter says with some experience, “Sounds like ‘sigh an eye’ powder or something!”
Rough Rider Mike asks, “What did you say?”
Lieutenant Greenway says, “Cyanide; he means, but then again it could be something else!”
Then more Rough Riders begin to get wheezy as General Bill Shafter says to them all, “Now put those red scarfs to use!”
Immediately all of the Rough Rider soldiers place their cowboy like red handkerchiefs over their mouths to help filter out the harmful smoke that is odorless and tasteless. Others help their comrades Rough Riders by helping placing theirs over their mouths while trying to shake and wake them all up.
Rough Rider John Porter thinks that the poison is more than one chemical saying, “I think that she is using poison dart frog venom and, or, cyanide.”
Rough Rider Jeff can only agree adding, “Well, whatever it is it’s making me very spaced out like!”
Rough Rider Magical Merlin moves over a few feet behind the barricade, “Let’s just get those son of a bitches!”
Lieutenant Greenway is burrowed in with them and says, “Don’t worry; we will once we wear them down a little more!”
Emilio Aguinaldo realizes what the Filipino Goddess Bamboo is doing and says to some Freedom Fighters, ‘Looks like Bamboo is trying to put them all asleep on us!”
One of the Freedom Fighters starts falling asleep himself mumbling, “If she doesn’t watch what she’s doing, she’ll put us all asleep!”
Next the Filipino Goddess Bamboo finishes her setup in some different areas imploring; “Now it’ll be easier to tag those hiding and peeking Rough Rider hats!”
Now she prepares her weapon and turns to some young Freedom Fighters and leaves another cooker and stands. Many of the young Freedom Fighters follow her. They follow her considering that they are waiting for the Rough Riders to enter the trenches anyways. And they all may be waiting for them a while.
Now General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway have been dosing off here and there and Colonel Leonard Wood has noticed the front lines were soundless almost. Now he is ready to send Sergeant Hamilton Fish to check things out after seeing and hearing no activity. Also he has noticed a musty smell coming from the trenches that is uncanny more or less.
Colonel Leonard Wood sends him saying, “Now let’s see if everything is alright on the front lines and return immediately!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish leaves and arrives at the front lines noticing General Bill Shafter and Lieutenant Greenway with their red scarfs over their mouths like they couldn’t breathe saying, “Is everything alright!”
Luckily Sergeant Ham is covering his mouth as General Bill Shafter says, “Is everything alright; it smells a bit musty like?”
General Bill Shafter says, “Yes, they are up to their tricks of trying to wear us down while saving their ammunitions.”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish replies, “Colonel Wood was curious why everything has been so very quiet the past several minutes.”
Lieutenant Greenway makes a point saying, “We’re just waiting for them to make a move and see how many more of them we can take out!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish is fast to return as he says, “Alright; once they strike; gives them all you have!”
Lieutenant Greenway agrees quickly as Sergeant Hamilton Fish leaves the scene replying, “You have our guarantees!”
Just then Rough Rider Jesse approaches asking, “So what’s the plan; I’ve been hearing all kind of noises over here like a hooker trying to crawl back in bed above a saloon?”
Just then, General Bill Shafter comes up with some words saying, “We wait until they strike again and return fire immediately!”
Of course, Rough Rider Mike is still awake and says, “Just shoot anything that moves!”
Soon Sergeant Hamilton Fish returns from the front lines as Colonel Leonard Wood asks, “And the report?”
Following that line, Sergeant Hamilton Fish says, “They are waiting for the Freedom Fighters to make the first move. But the front lines smell a bit musty like the Filipinos are burning some chemical!”
Colonel Leonard Wood can smell the musty smell also which is getting worse and says, “Yes, they are trying to poison us to keep us from charging the trenches!”
After hearing that, War Correspondent Richard Harding Makes a suggestion voicing, “Colonel Wood Sir, I think that you should allow for more reinforcements.”
Colonel Leonard Wood answers back citing, “Yes, allowing for more reinforcements would be very helpful!”
Immediately Colonel Leonard Wood agrees further saying, “Sergeant Ham; I want you to send a Morse code message to the warships for more reinforcements!”
Sergeant Hamilton Fish replies, “Excellent; this would be a great time to order more supplies and ammunitions as well with the changed conditions and circumstances!”
Finally Rough Rider Nurse Shooter gets the musty smell making its way to the medical tent as she asks Louise Wood, “What’s that musty smell?”
Louise Wood realizes what it is saying, “Smells like a type of kerosene or creosote like substance!”
Next Rough Rider Nurse Shooter says, “Maybe, you should go check up on your husband at the front lines and see if everything is alright.”
Soon Louise Wood agrees and leaves the medical tent and sees a few Rough Rider soldiers passed out and one slapping another trying to wake them up like they were unconscious or coma toast. Saying, “Oh my!”
Quickly Louise Wood stops for a second thinking if she should help, but then, decides to make her way to the command post. Along the way there are a few other Rough Rider soldiers who are injured from the toxic smoke that is lingering everywhere. And then many pass her as she arrives while others toughen it out like a real rough cowboy.
Momentarily Louise Wood arrives at the command post and sees the cabinet of her husband and his comrades present and fine and then says, “We’re going to need more doctors and nurses immediately!”
Colonel Leonard Wood looks to his wife and says, “Yes, we have allowed for more infantry and medical staff to arrive along with supplies!”
Next Louise Wood asks, “What’s happening to them all?”
Quickly Sergeant Hamilton Fish butts in and says, “They’re using some kind of chemical warfare!”
Now Louise Wood can start to feel some reactions from the chemical that is being placed in to the air, although she is uncertain of what the chemical is while asking, “What is the chemical that she is burning?”
Colonel Leonard Wood thinks for a second and says, “It’s hard to say; but it could be a potassium cyanide that is mined from rocks that contain potassium nitrates and citrates that are also used in making gun powders and explosives, but there are other chemicals that they could use as well.
War Correspondent Richard Harding says, “Now you are thinking like a chemist rather than a medical practitioner and colonel!”
Right then, Louise Wood makes a smart remark saying, “Yes, he is and they must be used to it themselves!”
Next Sergeant Hamilton Fish refers back to his supplies order saying, “Well, I ordered us some gas masks that are used at governmental chemical plants and they will be here in days or a week at the latest!”
Louise Wood makes a funny comment, “I can see the newspaper headlines now, “Futuristic Trench Warfare!”
Meanwhile on the enemy side of the front lines, Emilio Aguinaldo looks to some Freedom Fighters and says, “I can see the headlines; Rough Rider soldiers defeated by chemical warfare!”
A few Freedom Fighters laugh and chuckle while holding their rifles and pistols armed for business and one says, “It’ll look like a suicidal operation!”
Emilio Aguinaldo makes another funny and uncanny gesture, “There will be many Rough Rider hats left everywhere with dead remains attached!”
One of the Freedom Fighters says happily, “That sounds like the more likely image we want to achieve.”
Now Louise Wood wonders what she can do to help the wounded Rough Rider soldiers by asking, “So what can I do to help the poisoned Rough Riders that arrive at the medical tent?”
Colonel Leonard Wood thinks what they can do and says, “Give them some liquor and snuff because there isn’t anything else except for being a tough Rough Rider cowboy!”
Louise Wood turns to head back to the medical tent, “Sounds good enough!”
By then, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo has placed all the cookers that she has prepared with her favorite potion for slowing down her enemies. And now, she wants to have some fun the old fashioned way nonetheless. So right then, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo takes out her blow gun and starts dipping some darts with dart frogs which are tied to her waist.
Suddenly she is ready to place one in her mouth ready to blow as she says to the young Freedom Fighters, “Watch and learn!”
Straight forth the Filipino Goddess Bamboo takes a shot with her blow dart sailing a poisonous dart across the trenches, “Whoosh!”
The poisonous blow dart sails its way in to the enemy front lines hitting one of the Rough Riders in the back that is standing up helping another Rough Rider, “Thud!”
The Rough Rider places his right hand on his back trying to reach it with no prevail as he stumbles slowly to the ground, “Wham!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo watches as she prepares another one saying to the young Freedom Fighters, “Did you see that?”
The young Freedom Fighters are happy as they all hold their pistols ready for action, although the Rough Rider front lines show no liveliness, thus, so far as one says, “Yes, we saw that!”
Following those words, the Filipino Goddess Bamboo takes another mouth full with her blow dart gun and another poisonous blow dart for another round as she shoots again, “Whoosh!”
The poisonous blow dart sails its way across the trenches hitting another Rough Rider soldiers in the Rough Rider hat not doing so much, “Bam!”
The Filipino Goddess Bamboo looks and says to the young Freedom Fighters, “Oops, I was close!”
The young Freedom Fighter looks towards the distance and says, “Well, the Rough Rider moved!”
Next the Filipino Goddess Bamboo looks towards the enemy lines saying, “Yeah, they are some squirmy cowboys!”
Nevertheless Emilio Aguinaldo notices that the Filipino Goddess Bamboo has something going on as she heads from area to area quickly as he says, “Seems like those Rough Riders are quiet with Bamboo’s revenge scheme!”
One of the Freedom Fighters says, “Yes, sounds like they all fell asleep!”
Now Frog Man has done the same as the Filipino Goddess Bamboo, although he had used something a little different as Lieutenant Pollack on the western flank sees Rough Riders passed out saying, “I have a few poisoned Rough Riders down.”
Right then, Black Rough Rider Private Danny looks to him and says, “There’s a few Rough Riders down over here!”
A few Rough Rider who are alright try to help with some unconscious comrades as Lieutenant Pollack looks to another and says, “We’re going to need some more reinforcements.”
Soon Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Sharp have some problems of their own with many Freedom Fighters who are taking constant shots as Lieutenant Sharp says, “I’ve had enough of this sitting duck stuff!”
Another gunshot hits close by Lieutenant Wright’s head as he tries to bluff wearing down their ammunitions, “Bang!”
After nearly being tagged again, Lieutenant Wright says, “Same here!”
Lastly Rough Rider Dennis stays burrowed in saying, “That was another close one!”
Below is a link to "The Filipino Dispute" subpage 6.