The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-10-03

tnem, however, Signa1ed With his nat,
and someone read it, Manila surren-
dered on the 18th; war over"
l afterwards learned a little news
from another sailor, but although the
General and staff went ashore for sew
eral ours. and we have all kinds Of
rumors, there is nothing official.
We pulled back down the bay, three
miles nearer Cavite, at 4:30 this after
noon, and anchored again. We had
quite treat watching the war yes
sells in the harbor signaling with flags
in the daytime, and electric lights at
night; also their searchlights.
We have seen the part of SPANS
submarine" navy protruding above the
surface, and the suburban fortifica-
tons destroyed near Manila.
1t is wonderful what change the
prospect of peace and discharge has
worked in all the boys!
August 22d-There is no sign of dis
embarking to-day, although we have
heard that barracks were captured at
Cavite, with cavalry horses and equip
mentS. The men of course are crazy to
get on land, but I guess they are wait
ing for advices from home before land
ing any more troops, though the reg
ulars expect to be the last sent home.
August 23d-We were disembarked
yesterday, after all, and are CHARTERED
in the fort at Cavite. When the Span
lards evacuated, they left hunks, ETC.,
and it took us but short time to make
the place look decent The volunteers
have been CHARTERED here, but left for
Manila and expect to be sent home
soon.
1t is not very warm, but the mos
quitoes are something awful. The ma
tives come inside the fort and sell fruit,
cigars, etc. Our money is worth more
than twice theirs, and two or three
cents of Spanish money will buy CT
gars that are worth from ten to twen-
ty-five cents in the States.
The natives are small mean looking
people, and are rather disliked by the
men. We have number Of Spanish
prisoners and they are much more in
telligent
The walls of the fort are all damp
with mildew, the woodwork warped
and cracked, glass broken, and all the
old guns, ammunition. ETC., covered
with rust
All the woodwork. tables, chairs,
bunk frames, ETC., are of camphor
wood, and in some places handsomely
polished and carved. The floors in the
principal buildings are marble. There
are boiler and machine shops, dry dock,
etc., in which the natives are now at
work.
About 200 yards out in the bay are
the remains Of the Isle de Cuba, Isle
de Luzon, and several other warships
half submerged The natives at night
go out in boats and steal the brass
work, etc, from which they make
knives, and sell them to the men for
curios. The sentries at night shoot at
them to keep them away. We are liv-
ing on Government straight" poor
tea, hard tack and canned beef, but
expect to have better in a few days.
We heard to-day that war is declared
between England and Russia.
August 24th-We hear this morning
that Premier Sagasta and Weyler have
been assassinated, and that there is
rebellion in Spain.
All our truck has been; landed, and
We are getting better food to-day. Our
rainWater supply is low, and they are
very careful of it. It is very warm
and sultry, and there are good many
on the sick list. We have had pains
in the bowels, presumably from the
fruit or water. Nothing is said Of boil
ing the water as yet.
Later-About 4:30 today we were
startled by shooting up in the little
town about half-nlile from the gate
at the rear entrance to the arsenal.
A few minutes afterwards the bugles
blew ITO arms!" and we All raced to
quarters and fell in-six troops of cav
airy and several artillery and volun-
teer infantry organizations. We were
marched out in sets of fours, up into
the town, G troop, K next, and then
I, the others in reserve inside the walls
and in line in front Of ii, with maya
zines loaded.
c Troop formed an advance guard,
and up we went toward the insurgent
line.
We We're all aware of the rather
strained relations with the insurgents,
and we all itched for a chance to use
our little carbines on them. We ex-
pected, or rather hoped that our time
had come to show the world and the
older soldiers what we could do, and
rather than showing any fear our men
We're as quietly excited as if watching
for game, except one, who tainted.
After the hospital corps had disposed
Of him they brought along down our
column the corpse of an infantryman,
bored once through the heart, and again
through the abdomen, and cavalry
man out of c Troop, shot twice through
the leg. They were covered with gore,
and the sight made US wild for chance
to plug whoever had done it.
We Unra halted in narrow
the buildings all two-story, the walls
sometimes several feet thick and per-
feet Notifications in themselves. The
upper windows were filed with native
women and children, with an occasional
man. Some, who understand Spanish,
heard them shout to those up nearer the
head Of our column, Shall we fire?"
Some native citizen fired around
corner twice into c Troop, and they re-
turned the fire, they think, killing
him all right, though others closed in
on him.
About that time some insurgent lead
ers arrived, and through an interpreter
made some explanations that satisfied
our commanders, and we were finally
marched back.
Everyone has a different version of
the affair, but 1t seems the men were
on pass, came over from Manila, and in
a drunken row fired on the insurgent
outposts, who. returned the fire, killing
the one and wounding the other, while
a third was taken prisoner, but deliver
ed up to us. The man who fired on G
troop was a saloon keeper, with whom |
the killed had had trouble during the |
day.