The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1898-10-05
McKINSTRY AT MANILA.


Manila, vas received by a Wadsworth
friend recently, and will doubtless be
read by all with much interest:
am in a bad and interesting place,
even il my letter is not very interesting.
Have had a hard time of 1t last week.
We landed at Cavite last Monday, and
after resting there IL hours they picked
out 20 Of the most rugged of US and
started us out building a line to the
front and were driven like a lot Of slaves
for four DAYS. First day from camp we
strug about eight miles through rivers,
marshes, ETC., raining the hardest ever
saw it all vet to the skin. At 10 80 p. m.
after beingon the road since 5 a. m. we
were halted at a place called Baccor, a
few miles from A~guinaldo's (the Insur-
gentschieD headquarters, given a supper
OF rice and water, then put us to bed
without blankets in our wet clothes in
of the native houses on o bare BAN
boo floor. We're called at 20 next morn
ing, given q breakfast OF coffee and a
limited amount OF bread and rushed all
day eating nothing but rice and fruit.
That night we Jared pretty much the
same as first. The third was pretty
much the same, but We managed to get
to vi blankets and slept more comfort
able. This morning we reached the
front and | was sent here to the intrench-
ments with a field set. l had to string
about 30 yards OF wire with shells fall
ing all around me. One OF them cut the
wire right behind ME and one shell
burst not more than 80 feet from me.
| am now right in behind the intrench-
ments, with shells falling all around and
the sharp shooters of the enemy. who
are about 800 yards from here, keep pop
ping away at every head which shows
up-at same time l rather enjoy 1t, and
ii it wasn't for the aim wouldn't half
mind it. The country is flooded with
natives, the most miserable set OF people
you ever saw. They have no clothes
on and covered with running sores and
the most sickening looking sight l ever
saw, they know absolutely nothing.
The villages are all run in one street.
When you come to Q village it is one
string Of huts for probably two miles,
then you will find q stretch Of probably
q mile with houses about 100 yards
anarf fhar anotlor ~villaua Tha.a 10
thousands of them all over the country.
I'd hate to think our army WAS fighting for
their liberty. At Cavite you can see the
remains OF the Spanish feet showing up
out of the water, probably 10 or IL
ships, masts and bulls showing out.
Every house here has a little stand it, it
with bananas, cocoanuts and cigaretts to
sell. Those articles and other fruits sell
Tor nothing almost, but you can't buv
chewing tobacco at any price. 1t kind
OF turned my stomach eating horse meat
the first day, but can stand anything
now.
Gen. Merritt's headquarters are still
on the Newport and we have commune
cation with him by means of flags (, ON
Cavite. Our company came out in a
very bad condition in regard to supplies,
etc. and it has caused us considerable
hardship.
am very confident OF being made a
sergeant 500 az the Captain makes his
appointments, but may meet with dis
appointment, hut am pretty well salts
fed with being made corporal. l have
been broke since ] left Honolulu and am
patiently waiting for payday. Thought
my financial difficulties would end when
| left Wadsworth, but don't seem to be
any better off In that respect than 1 ever
was. a
Now let me hear from you regularly,
- you can't imagine how welcome q let
ter would be- just now. You
can't imagine my disappointment
this morning when the fourth
expedition arrived and had mail
for all OF the boys except me.
Captain told ms this morning he had
recommended me to the Major for pro-
motion on account of my action in re-
pairing wire under fire, probably means
sergeant or first-class sergeant, latter
pay is t55. 90 per month.
The news came later that Tom received
his promotion and is a sergeant at $55