Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-10-06
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Carl Clark. Fighting Musician, Lis
tens 10 the Melody of the Mauser
Bullets.

Manila. Aug. 20. ls!s.
The hen: is something awful here now, but
slncc wa have been In Manila we have had
nothing To do hut lay around in the shade
during the hot part OF the ,iny.
The regiment iins been issued white suits
but thcyEnrc very poor things. and since the
band took such an uctive purt In tho capture
of this plncc hotliing is good enough for us,
so the Colonel took us down and had our
measures taken for some nice duck suits.
They are TO be worn only on dress parade and
when We go down town. We just got our blue
clothes from Cavitc. and 1t Is quite relief to
get or our still brown clothes and put on
something soft. A fellow feels dressed up
now with nothing but Il pair of blue pants on.
II they keep On issuing stun to us It Will soon
be necessary FOR each soldier to have trunk
and man to look after 1t. We have three
suits of clothes. two blankets-onc double
and one sinsle-a mosquito net. our instru-
ments. music. music racks. havcrsack and
cantccn, all OF which we have to carry when
We move. But from NIL appearances We will
not move npaIn until We are ready to start
home for we very comfortably quartercd
here and the officers are expecting to be or
dcrcd home at any time. don't see what
they want us here for now-thcrc arc no
Spaninrd here tn light and there are enough
regulars enough to take caro- OF tho natives
ir they get troublesome. But suppose we
will be kept here until peace is declared. and
then IL these islands are taken by tho United
States we will be held for our full term OF en-
listmcnt or until they can get regulars to
take our place. ] have heard. though. that
Col. Hale has asked to he relieved on account
OF his health and that he will not so home
unlcss he can take his regiment, so we may
get out or IL that way.
Huxy 4, tvI,t 10 lo ftsft tnll lar for
we have hid nm easy time compared with
what the boys have been having In Cuba.
Our regiment was ordered out twice ut
midnight The niornln: of the second night
| II was generally understood that that was
| tho day for the attack on Manila. All the
| band was crnzy to 20 so We went to tho ndju-
| tant and got his permission. We all got guns
| and went TO our companies and after n march
| OF about four miles through mud and water
up tn our knees We found that VIC were to do
| nothing but tho customary outpost duty. We
| were stntiond nt Passcc, u little village away
out In tho woods. and had nothing to do but
| lay around all day and cat bananas and CO.
coanuts. But about ninc o'clock that night
they commenced to do u little shooting up In
the trenches and soon It commenced to get
pretty warm and tho bullets and shells began
to sing around us. About 4 o'clock In the
morning II came my time to stand guard.
There arc several fellows In the guard house
now for sleeping on their post, but think
could have stayed thcrs week and not slept
n wink. 1t was the first time had heard the
spanish hummIngbird." as the boys call
those Mauscr bullets, nnd although tho music
was not very pleasant, 1t was interesting
enough to keep II person awake. The next
morning VIC picked mp bullets and shclls nl
around. have several bullets and pieces Of
| A.
Dewey at the fort.
After our relief came up we marched back
to camp through mud u little deeper than
when We came out, and got home covered. not
with glory. but with Philippine mud from
head to foot. 1t was my first experience OF
that kind. and 'although do not regret it,"
as one OF the boys says, "still. have no long
Ing In my bosom to repeat II"
We just got news of the surrender Of San IT,
ago. II seems that there Is nothing that can
stop Gnclc Sam. | wonder whit he will try
TO do next. CARL II. CLARK.