The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-09-10

to the Philippine Islands with one of
the military expeditions was Frank
Russell, whose mother has just re-
ceived a long and interesting letter
from him.
The letter was begun on board the
transport Indiana on July 10th, and
completed after landing in the Philip
pines. 1t reads:
Dear Mother and all at home: We
expect to meet a ship to-day, or at any
rate quite soon, SO will try to write
a few lines and get them off if there is
a chance
Our five ships-the Indiana, Ohio,
Morgan City, Valencia and City of
Para-are steaming along quite close
together In fact, we have not separ-
ated since we left Honolulu. To-day
at noon we will be just half way be-
tween Honolulu and Manila
Something has gone wrong with one
of the ships. I feel the boat turning
around. I don't know what it is, but
will probably hear later on. We have
had three delays since we left Honolulu
Once We waited on one of the ships,
but did not hear what was the matter,
another time they stopped to get doc
tor from one of the ships to hold a con-
sultation over one of the officers who
was quite sick
Day before yesterday one Of the fire.
men Of the Ohio committed suicide by
jumping overheard. He came up only
once, and was not seen again.
I just heard that the Ohio has broken
down, and we will be delayed an hour
or two.
On the 14th We had a funeral on
board One Of the soldiers died the day
before Of Inflammation of the bowels,
I understand. His body was we'll wrap
per in canvas, and there were heavy
weights incased in canvas at his feet.
He was laid on a door, the door being
placed on the railing and two men hold
ing it. The body was covered over with
the United States flag, and then they
read a short passage from the Bible
The band played two pieces, the last
being Nearer, My God, to Thee The
flag was taken off and the door tilted
until the body slid into the sea. Then
taps" were sounded while the body
sank into the dark blue depths.
One of the boys of the signal corps
Is quite sick. He would buy stuff from
the ship and eat just about as much as
three men ought to, consequently it
made him quite sick. A person has to
be very careful not to overload his
stomach in this hot climate. We take
shower baths every night in salt water
pumped up from the ocean, and they
are great
We are getting much better rations
quart of soup, with bread. meat and
potatoes for dinner. In the morning
We generally get stew, hard tack and
coffee, and for supper we have bread.
coffee and quite often fruit or plum.
duff They don't give us any more fat
meat.
AT MANILA.
July 81, 1S9S.-We have arrived AT
Manila at last, and are now anchored
just Off Cavite and among the war YES
sells. l saw three of the Spanish yes
sells that were sunk. They are only a
snort distance from where we are ancb-
ored
Day before yesterday we sighted the
northeast coast Of the island of Luzon.
and we followed close to the coast clear
| across the north end Of the island and
sometimes saw some very pretty scenes
Cavite, August 5, 1S9S-We have
landed and established Headquarters in
an armory, or, rather, what used to he
the Spanish headquarters The build
ing Is fine new one, and upstairs was
furnished up grandly I saw a niece
OF looking glass that was at least
three-quarters of an inch thick.
we landed on the 1st, and on the
"a we ran five or six miles of tele-
graph line and connected with the in
surgents line, which runs into Aguinal-
dos camp. There are three details ONT
on the line now, and we expect to have
connection with our camp to-day. which
is quite close to Manila.
The Monterey arrived TODAY and
was saluted with thirteen guns. Every
body was quite anxious about her and
all were glad to see her come in
LAY before yesterday I was on dutv
UP IN the watchtower, derrick ahou+
eeVehty-nve feet high, which has been
USED for pulling masts out of vessels
ana FOR unloading heavy things of diff
leren1 KINDS. [ was signaling, and could
see all the ships in the bay. Within a
raolus OF half a mile I could see the
remains OF ten Of Dewey's victims. At
low toe we can see quite a bit of the
nuns Of some of them, but the eleventh
one is out of sight. Four of them are
WITHIN oOo feet of each other
Iavlte is quite a. place. There is q
FOUNDRY, machine shops, etc. two places
Tor running small boats up on skids or
ways, for repairs, and over on a small
peninsula, not more than a mile away
the British have a drydock for LARGO
ships
Inc natives are very friendly. and are
around continually trying to sell fruit
ana cigars, and they stand around and
watch US. They think Dewey a per-
feet king.
Out on the point there is a big eight
men gun that was loaded and lust ready
~ IRE When shell from one of orr
shlps struck the wall about three feet
10 one side Of the gun and Just above
the waters edge, killing the seven men
that We're operating it. There are some
great sights here.
We have over a thousand prisoners
IN one prison. and the insurgents have
great number only a few miles from
here
| saw real live volcano on Ladrone
Island. We passed to the north Of It
ABOUT three miles. It was about O
O'Clock in the evening, and it looked
very pretty
The weather is quite cool here now.
1t rains most every day. Sometimes If
doesn't rain-the water just falls down
In sheets. We are very busy, have a
great deal to do, and only a short time
to do 1t in. I expect to see the final