Evening star., 1898-09-14
WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Letter From n District Boy, Member
of California Regiment.

Joseph Carr, District boy formerly of
the Morton Cadets, who, with his brother,
Josh w. Carr, is now member of Com
pany 1 of the 1st California Volunteer In
fantry, at Manila, has written a letter to
his friends here, of which the following is
copy. 1t was written on large Spanish
application blank, and is held by the family
of the boy as quite treasure:
CAMP DEWEY, Near Manila,
August g. 1898.
THE last letter I wrote mailed
was simply to inform you of our arrival at
Cavite l thought at the time that would
have plenty of time to write later, but
though considerable of our line is own,
owing to circumstances TOO numerous to
mention writing letters in a soldier camp
is very laborious task. And even now I
am setting half in a tent and half out,
with the tropical rain delugIng my back,
so don't be surprised at the brevity of this
epistle We live comfortably in our little
shelter tents, but sooner or later we hope
to be in barracks in Manila. We were in
barracks at Cavite for two weeks, and were
then moved to a spot about three miles
from Manila, over which we soon expect to
see the stars and stripes flying.
L am a veteran. l have smalled the
smoke of battle, and / can now stand side
by side with those bravo men who so nobly
upheld the honor of the country in our late
unpleasantness. IT'S true, there was not {.
great battle, as they are styled. But hope
and expect never to pass such night as I
experienced Sunday night, July 81. When
first arrived the insurgents had driven
the Spaniards to within 300 yards of the
walls of Manila, and there besieged than,
and in this condition we found them
Fer time we took no part in the trou-
BILE, merely waiting for the other troops,
for We were the first TO lard. We were
constantly sending outposts to within the
insurgents firing line, and so matters wens
nnaCefuily enough flor until
tfllery planted few guns on the frs
American intrenchmsnts, Sunday, the 31st.
This was battery of Utah men. They
Were supported by a few companies of the
10th Pennsylvania troops. A Pennsylvania
outpost was sent out between the opposing
intrenchments. concealed by the dense
growth of bamboo and underbrush. At
about IL o'clock the Spanish fired on this
outpost and then it was that Companies d
and of the Pennsylvania Eoys went by
the right flank to relieve this outpost. At
the same time the Spanish came around the
left flank and attacked the Pennsylvania
boys, and while the latter were fixing bay
onats for q last stand, having only two
rounds of ammunition left, the l4th regu-
lars came to their relief. AT the same time
the 1st California Volunteers marched up.
The Sd Battalion returned to camp, the I'd
remained behind for reserve, and the 1st
(our battaliCn) went into the firing line.
We advanced into an open field and there
halted waiting for orders.
While here we were in the direct range
of the Spanish guns, which commenced to
fire soon after our arrival. AS the bullets
and shells whistled over our heads we lay
down, and here six of our men were wound
ed, our captain being among the number
We Immediately moved into the first in
trerchments, and were comparatively safe.
Our captain was shot in the head ana dled
the next Thursday. The first sergeant of
Company A, 1st Battalion, was instantly
killed Since then there have been a few
skirmishes, in which we took no part. and
we now expect that Admiral Dewey Will
shell the town and drive them out or COM
pei them to surrender.
Barring wounded, there is only one sick
man in the whole company. Our health Is
excellent