Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-06-14
TA0UIo, PHILIPPINE IsLANDs
April %, 1899.
Dear Sister Jennie:

you can't imagine how welcome 4 was
for yesterday was sad day indeed for
the company stationed here. We'hsd . 4
sharp engagement with the "niRgers"
and had fourteen men wounded, four
OF five Of them being fatally. In order
TO fully understand the situation you
must remember that our regiment is
stationed about fifteen miles south Of
Manila ct Pasig City. Two companies
= and q are stationed ct Petroris, While
pa, ii and C. are ct TGguiR church,
shout two miles from Paslg. TO the
south Of us are the iDtrenchments of
the "niggers". Every once In q while
they come down towards Taguig and
yesterday were building trenches about
one half mile from the church. Our
three companies were ordered out to
drive them back, two companies being
sent In advance while our company act
ed a. q reserve to protect the flank. The
two companies ran right into the mig.
gers before they opened up on them,
and, as result, our boys suffered &C.
verely. Some OF our wounded had as
many a. three bullets hit them, some
were shot through their bodies while
two were shot In the head. One of the
saddest cases was where q boy was shot
through the body while carrying his
brother In on . stretcher He will prob.
ably die while his brother will live.
being shot only In the leg. One of the
boys who died was from Iowa, from
some place near Council Bluffs. He
was shot just below the heart and there
was never any hope for him, but he
never gave up hope and was uncon.
sci0us when he died.
Just about week ago, our company
was sent out alone to the same place
and We had two men wounded, one of
them being shot in the eye, and 1t is
still undecided whether he will live or
not.
The boys are getting tired of this
f00lishness and az they have quite q
number of regulars in town who are
not dong ANYTHING, do not see why
they can not relieve US. We have been
at 1t continuously since the fighting be-
gan on February 9Th and, as q result.
We have only about thirty men for
duty In our company. have not been
of duty for single minute since 1 have
been on the Island, but one never
knows what to expect when they run
US into such Q place % they did yester-
day;
The Nebraska regiment was ambush
ed the other day and lost heavily, their
Colonel being among the killed.
Such 10 war, and l can assure you
that there will be no re.enlistments,
not even for six months. can look at
the dead "niggers'' and not shudder but
can not stand to be around where our
boys are wounded. l6i
Well, We have been hearing good
news lately. They tell US that we are
to be home by July 4th. Hope so, but
can not say as to whether I believe It
or not.
Well, here am once more and 1 will
| try and finish this time. Five of the
boys wounded In the fight few days
ago have died, and maybe one other
will die. Such Is the result of war;.
and while we enlisted for lighting, 1t
does seem too bad to have our boys
even wounded, not alone to say killed,
trying to whip the Filipinos.
Latest reports are very encouraging,
however, a. to the natives being tired
and demanding terms for peace. Hope
It IL 90, for one never knows when he
goes upon the field when he will be
carried off or how he will be wounded.
Take as an example, young man
In our company. He was wounded
just above the right eye and though he
has lost the eye, he still lives. Then
again the man from F company shot in
the eye will in all probability lose the
sight Of both eyes, even If his life is
spared.
Well, 1 won't haunt your dreams
with any more tales of our fights, but l
am sure that all of the boys will be glad
indeed to see the end. / hope that
even before have chance to write
to you again our regiment will have
been ordered home. The regiment has
been out just year today and while to
many the time has been short, to others
1t has been an age. Still, should all go
we'll and we are mustered out at any
time In the near future, I will never
regret enlisting and the trip to Minila.
We have been Informed that when we
return, We will 60, either, by way rof
Hong Kong or Japan. / should like to
visit both places but may not be able to
do 20, unless the regiment does, for I
shall 20 With the regiment and not take
0iIohNkee ben.