The Columbus journal., 1898-09-07

about the Gze OF grass-hopper.
Well. Harley, We were on the water
thirty-swo days. There vas one of the
Nebrasks boys that died on the water.
and thQfe were two moro from Colorado,
and one officer. It's Q wonder that We
all didn't croak. There were 1881 men
on our boat.
CAHP DEwBY, July Z, q, 1893
DRAR FoLxs AT HoxI:-I will start
another diary letter. We are on picket
duty today. 1 Am with tho Co. Com
mander, Lien. Jens. Part OF the boys
arc tho reserve, the remainder on picket.
It IL . little exciting to hear the
bullets fly, with once in awhile cannon
shot.
The natives al smoke, even the chill
dren a. young q three years old, the
women too, and such q sinking stencil
I can hardly bear it.
July 7, p
Nothing exciting today. The boys
are not allowed to 60 out Of the sound
Of the trumpet. Tomorrow I am going
with detail Of carpenters to build
bridge, out about q mile this side of
Manila, and close to the Spanish lines.
July 25
Well, we are back, having finished the
bridge. tell you it il IN artistic piece
Of work, made principally out Of bsm-
boo. It was constructed to run the
artillery over, which will be tonight
While We vere Ct work the bullets would
Ay over and whistle all around US. A
shell burst in . tree about 100 "a. ds
from US and bloved the top Of, pieces
going over us.
When We came home No went straight
down to the beach, within half q mile of
Manila, just to see il they would shoot
ct us. We saw the Spanish tribunal,
hospitals, old forts, all in the hands of
the insurgents. W. saw the old Span
ish fort where the insurgents massacred
the Spanish.
July 26.
We bave nothing much to do today,
% the boys are turned loose today and
viii 10 after this, except during drill
hours. General Merritt got in today,
and the rest Of the expedition will be in
tonight, and ws will 60 into battle Sun
day, unless orders are countermsnded,
but I hope not.
The Nebrasks regiment are going to
be the artillery support, and suppose
some of Us are going to get killed. We
are expecting to have trouble With the
natives after We take Manila
July q.
As I have q chance to send letter, I
vill finish this. OF course you have not
received my last one yet, and have not
received any since We left Honolulu.
I was helping to build pier out in
tie bay yesterday all day, and got vet
Ill over.
Iwish l could know the news that
yoQ know this morning, about the war.
. When Gen. Merritt arrived he fetched
soue San Francisco papers, dated June
.. They were nearly . month old, but
We srasped them like exiles, and con-
sumsd news which wss stale, but which
vas news to us. hardly know what to
wr,te or how to write, only We are tired
Of the tropics and are all crazy to get
home.
We have heard that peace negotiations
are in progress, and all hope that peace
will come.
But Dewey 10 in q hurry to capture
Manila, before such news reaches him,
and % 10 pushing everything a. fast as
he can.
understand that tie Nebraska regi-
ments are to be the artillery support 20
10 are going to be in pretty hot place.
Everything smells rotten; 80 much
dad undergrowth, the whole country
beine nothing but . mat OF timber.
You can 60 for miles and miles, and
notldng but bambee, cocoanut, banana
trees and some sweet Locust.
: The people are old at fifteen and
twenty.
Vel, must close, % there is nothing
to write about.
The native horses are Shetland ponies,
and they have great big carts with heavy
tops al they can pull They do all their
farming and freiehting with water buf-
falo. They have dogs, cats and mon
keys-you can buy . monkey for 31.00.
Ihave made up my mind that don't
want to live here, nor anywhere else but
in Nebraska or the United StateAL
Ian we'll and hearty, and think the
weather viii not a6ect me very much.
/ an homesick though, but that 10 ooth-
ing exceptional, foe ve are all afflicted
with that.
Dewey captured . German ship loaded
With mutton. going to Manila for the
Spanish soldiers, and gave the mutton
to u He took . couple shots at the
ship, one going jnst in front Of the cap
tain, knocking him down, and taking OF
part Of The piloe house. He also cap
tured ffom the. Spanish feet (vhen he
had tie battle) ono million sentoruss
Mexican dollarA
We ars having . good time, although
the Nsbrasls rsgimsat gets the vofst
Of everything. I mean in the way OF
picket duty. II there arc any risky
places 70 90. Gen. Green sends after Ne
bfaGks boys because hs knows they will
%, and 20 vheee no othse men viii.
Ths otAr dsy. when - wanted msa to