The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-25
BOOTS. THE MASCOT
He Fit All Through the Manila Cam
paign.
San francisco Chronicle.]

Boots" the mascot of the Tenth
Pennsylvania volunteers, and veteran
of the Philippine expedition, came back
to America yesterday on the City of
Paris.
Boots" whose real name is Robert
McDermott, is but IS years old, and
six inches short of five feet tall, but
he wears the blue of the army and the
stern determination of one who has
seen service He carries a regularly
certified discharge from his regiment.
| The document recites that Boots was
enrolled in Company B as a mascot on
July II, 1898, to serve two years, or dur
ing the war, and that he is honorably
discharged by reason of his returning
home to attend school.
mo objection to his re-enlistment is
known to exist Under the head of
distinguished service, is entered the
following: Conspicuous gallantry in
action with his command before Ma
late, early morning Of Aug. l. I'm
der battles, engagements etc, engaged
| in, is IN battle with regiment before
Malate, early morning, Aug. l, and
! capture OF Manila Under remarks
| is, AN intelligent, well-behaVed boy,
| entitled to the consideration and kind
ness of all American people. Charac-
| ter excellent. Service honest and
| faithful" The document is signed by
Col Hawkins of the Pennsylvania regi-
ment.
Boots" tells the story of his adven-
lures since leaving San Francisco
which will make the average boy glow
with envy. He left here on the Yea
| landia and when three days out, fell
down a hatchway and broke his arm.
| Coupled with seasickness, he suffered
much and bravely
Tho eT1roppT cat h nm
and, arriving at Manila, he had re-
| gained it's use. Boots" settled down
at Camp Dewey with his company, and
| Jared as it did In the trenches before
| Malate he carried water, ammunition
and otherwise made himself a blessing.
| When bullets flew like hail Boots"
took their flight philosophically and
was not afraid. AS he says, "Dey
come SO quick a Teller didn't have no
chance to dodge 'em. an yer couldn t
see EN- tell dey wuz past"
When Manila surrendered, Boots"
| was in the van of the troops entering
the town. During the fight previous,
he had captured d Spanish rife and
outfit and was ready to do valorous
| execution, if necessary. He still has
| them in his possession, with other tro-
plies of battle
Boots meeting with Admiral Dew
y
tic language. On Aug 10 he found out
that the Olympia, then in harbor at
Manila, was to go to Hong Kong short
ly. He determined to go with it.
Il gets in a sandpan," he says vivid
Fillerpeener an boards de ship Dere
wuz a Chinese guy tells me der admi-
rails in his cabin and ] goes in. He
wuz sittin' at fine table wild the cap
tain, an l salutes. [ said Admiral
l want to go to Hong Kong, an he
says l could. l salutes again and
ducks"
Boots" describes graphically the
trip to Hong Kong. his stay there and
the journey back to Manila. He was
IS days on the Olympia and was made
much of. He says that disease began
to attack the men in such numbers that
Col. Hawkins concluded that it would
be best to send him home. When the
City of Para was ready to leave,
Boots took passage on the trans
port.