The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-10-07
AT MANILA.
Blue Earth County Boy Writes
Home.
A Member of the Thirteenth Minnesota
Regiment, Who Enlisted With Other
University Students.

George w. Evans is a member of
the Co. A, Thirteenth Minnesota, and
is at Manila with the regiment. He
is a son of E. B. Evans, now Of Min
neapolis, and grandson Of the late
Major E. p. Evans, of Garden City.
He was born and raised in Garden
City, and is now in his twenty-second
year. About thirty university stu
dents enlisted in the Thirteenth, and
George was one of these. His par.
ents this week received the following
letter from him.. which will be Of In
terest to all, and especially 10 all VINO
are acquainted with JnlS exc .llenG
family:
MANILA, Friday, Aug 10, 1898.
DEAR tOLKS:-l suppose you WON
der Wnere 1 am and what l have been
doing. Well, will try TO enlighJen
you somewhat The voyage from
Honolulu 10 Manila was unevenufuI
save that saw an active volcano and
lots of Islands. We got into Manila
Bay the 29vh Of July and saw all or
Dewey's fleet. Stayed on board until
the TIN or August when we landed In
heavy rain. Struck camp about five
miles from Manila. Did guard duty
in camp until about ii O'clock when
we went in trenches near Manila; in
camp part Of next day-wento out again
the 18th to take the town We stayed
in trenches until about 9:3O O'Clock
when the cannonading began. We
got orders to ADVANCE, and after going
about mile got mixed up with the
Spanish-lasted about half an hour
when squad OF about forty surrend
cred right in front Of US. We were
under fire for about twenty minutes.
Talk about bullets flying; it was quite
exciting can tell you. L was III the
water up TO my waist most of the
time. Then we threw up entrench-
ments, advanced and didn't stop until
we were in the city. There Is ever so
I'LL get home.
am having a good time 1t is kind
of hard at times, but l can stand it..
We have been on twenty-four hour
guard duty for several days, and don't
have much time-hOWever, have
seen all of the city. 1t is curious
old place, like the old cities one reads
about We don't get much news, and
when we do it is old. We are in bar
racks in the city and pretty comfort
able quarters. There were several
men out Of our regiment killed, and
Sid Pratt, you all knew him, died
yesterday of the fever. 1t was awfully
sad l can tell you. was on the
squad that buried him. He will be
missed so much at home. I am feel.
ing fine and the climate doSen't seem
to effect me. l smoke cigars most of
the time, as all the natives do, women
as well as men. l could tell you lots
more about the fight. but 1 suppose
you will read about it in the papers
before you get this. There is post
office established here and it is quite
convenient. | miss you all and often
wish to be with you, especially when
we have bacon three times a day for a
week-two slices of bacon, three hard
tacks, little sugar and coffee
never drink the coffee as can't stand
it. Charley, Swany, Ralph and the
rest are all right. Idon't know when
we will getsent home. but everyone
lis hoping it will be soon.
The natives are curious lot of peo-
pie, going nearly naked and awfully
brown in color. They are lazy lot
never shining II they can help it.
They work for cents day. They
are fairly intelligent and have
straight black hair and black eyes
Many of the women are good looking.
They have peculiar way of walking,
just like Bunnell walks. I saw five
of these coolies carrying great big
piano and going much faster than I
could walk. The natives have canvas
that they make out Of the trunks of
trees and live in matched houses
made out of leaves and built about
four feet from the ground, to keep
out the snakes, lizards and insects.
They build bridges of bamboo. They
have lots and lots of fruit to sell, such
as bananas, pineapples, oranges and
many kinds whose names I don't
know. The fruit is altogether diff
ferent from that one gets in Mime
sota-it is so much sweeter and richer.
Talk about rain. This is the rainy
season and it does nothing else. The
tlrst two nights after landing we slept
on the ground all the time except
when we were swimming The third
day the regiment bought beds on
stills, and we stretched our dog
tents" over them and were quite COM
Portable. Mr.. Lane, as you probably
know, was left in Frisco, and / can
imagine how sore he must feel to be
left out of it altogether.
1t is rumOred here that our pay is
to be doubled and that we are going
to get $500 when we go out instead OF
pensions, but If we believe all the
rumors that are afloat it would keep
ZIG hrIcv