Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-20

Sergeant George Altmyef:
Side boy who enlisted in the Re-
army two years ago, and has seen SER
vice in the Philippines, is visiting re-
latives on the South Side and in Ben
wood.
He returned to the city Friday and
surprised his relatives. who had not
heard from him during his absence and
did not know whether he was living or
dead. With the pleasure of again
meeting kindred after a long absence,
was mingled the pain of hearing of the
death of his brother, P. J. Altmyer, a
prominent South Side undertaken and
furniture dealer. who died about a year
ago.
Altmyer enlisted in the regular army
at Pittsburg, and was transferred to
the Seventeenth regular infantry,
which was stationed at Fort Antonio,
Texas. He remained there until the
war broke out, when his regiment was
sent on the third expedition to assist
Admiral Dewey at Manila. The expe-
dition left San Francisco on June 9th.
Before leaving San Francisco Altmyer
was promoted to sergeant.
1t required nearly a month for the
voyage of 5000 miles to the Philip
pines, the expedition stopping at Hon
olulu. 1t landed the latter part Of
July at Cavite, under the command Of
General Anderson. Cavite was the first
point taken by Admiral Dewey, and
here the United States troops remained
until time for the attack on the city
of Manila. From Cavite to Manila is
about ten miles across the bay, by
which route the soldiers were trans
ported. Altmyer's regiment was in the
front of the attack on Manila, being
the second from the water as the battle
line moved along the shore of the bay
towards the city. There was no hand
to-hand fighting, the Spanish soldiers
retreating within the city and firing
ineffectively as they dropped back. The
city was taken without much resist
ance.
Altmyer said Admiral Dewey was re-
garded as great hero by the soldiers
and sailors at Manila as he is by the
people here in this country. He said
Dewey is a nice old man." and every
man under him is his enthusiastic adj
mirer. Speaking of the climate and
the people of the Philippines, he said
he liked neither. The sentiment among
the soldiers there was opposed to this
country taking the Philippines. The
soldiers are disguised with the coun-
try and the people, and as soon as the
try and the people there, and as soon
as the terms of enlistment of those
in the regular army expire,
they accept their discharge and
return home. Many of those who have
been discharged would have re-enlist-
ed if the army had been in this coun-
try. The soldiers at Manila were suf-
fering from sickness and disease, com
mon to that climate. and many had
died. Before Altmyer left, smallpox
broke out and was making havoc
among the troops.
At the expiration of his two years
service, Altmyer received an honorable
discharge and started Immediately for
home He left Manila on October 18th,
went to Hong Kong, visited Japan and
Honolulu again on his return trip, and
landed in San Francisco about a
month afterward
Altmyer does not regret his army
experience, but has no intention of re-
entering the service. IN the same regt-
ment to which he belonged was an
other Eighth ward boy named Wooster,
who is still at Manila.