Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-04-20
A Letter From the Philippines.
MANILA, =. l.,

nerELO the ldSt three NttNS' "'ia ~
YOU know how am and how things are
here. III tell you just what | know and
saw myself. Everything was quiet here
up until February {. That night about
gp. m. firing commenced on the rightot
the American lines in the Tondo dis
trict. This is native part Of the city
and is where the Bilibib Prison is. The
firing began 10 get get harder, and by y
o'clock the firing was all along the lines
for several miles.
About a. m. sunday morning the
Washington volunteers opened up IN
Paco, not far from my place. All the
first firing was on the left and center :;
the left was in command Of Generals
Macarthur and King
When daylight came the fighting was
on in good style and the Americans
could see what they were doing. The
heaviest part then was at Paco, and
from there TO Santa Anna. After day
light got good horse and went with
Captain Berkheimcr. Of the Third Ariil-
lerv. who is inSpector-general on Gen
eral Anderson stah We went TO Gensr-
al Oyershine's headquarters at achurch
one mile northeast OF Malate. There
had been no firing by OyerShlne'S 5 Brl-
gade M 10 =, O'Clock. when she opened
M at block house l3 by the TIN Caillor-
MIA Regulars and ON the left OF them
bv one battalion Of the North Dakota
and California Volunteers aud one light
battery of the 9Th Artillery, regulars
The Americans were behind the old
Spanish trenches the natives were IN
trenches about five or six hundred yards
i'm front The natives used MauSerS and
Remingtons and they were thick The
first twenty minutes Twas nj the church,
which was used as field hospital by our
men. saw seventeen wounded Amerl-
cans brought in. most all from one com
pany of the llih Regulars, who had tried
to steal a march on the natives aud the
natives rushed them back Now next
the lith opened all along from the block
house to Fort Malate.
Fort Malatc opened up with two field
pieces Next the L. ; Monitor Manan-
ioch. which was anchored od about one
half mile, opened up her big guns and
quick firing guns. Things were red-hot
for while, and you bet was looking
out for Bub. had agreed 10 90 with
this officer and stayed with him. We
next went back from place to place. |
saw then lots OF shooting and thought
the Americans would kill all the Fill
pinos off in a short while. We next code
to Paco to see how things were there.
When got there saw Paco most all
in flames. The great old church aud
convent that had stood FOR a century
were tumblng in, all on fire. The
Americans had turned the artillery on
the church and knocked it To pieces.
WHY the soldiers did this is because the
church and convent and all houses that
afforded any protection were full Of Fill
pino sharpshooters, and they were shoot
ing our men down, so the only thing was
to burn them out The fighting on the
left had ceased, and one place yet on the
right where there was bamboo thicket
and swamp, where one could see moth
ing ahead Of him. The Tennessee regi-
ment hadn't been in the scrap yet, and
they were anxious TO fight, 50 they were
brought up and with the nth and ith
cavalry they charged the trenches, yell
ing and shooting In ten minutes the
natives were all gone. Now this was
about p. m. When | got to the insur-
gents trenches behind the charges | saw
dead Filipnos everywhere. The Amer
leans got good many wounded natives
here, which they cared for just as our
men were. Our men advanced about
two miles to little village and put out
our outpo,is. and everything was quiet.
The next day rode over the same
ground. The Americans turned out
many Of the prisoners which they had
captured the day before with good
guard, and gathered up the dead. saw
32 dead buried in the first trench. Close
to Santa Anna saw G4 dead Filipinos
buried in one trench aud 2 in another.
This was only a small part.
wasn't across the Pesig River, but
from all accounts the insurgents loss
was heavy. Since then there has been
fighting every day. The country is bare
the houses all burned. Where three
weeks ago stood pretty little towns now
are nothing but ruins.
The Americans are about three "a
seven miles from Manila, and holding
the ground they have gained and wait
ing fer reinforcements. The insurgents
have broke ont in Manila several Iime'
and tried to burn the city. \ good part
Of the native part Of Manila is burned
There are great fires here every night
and one can hear firing any time.
know many people 10 the United States
will say. "Oh. the poor Filipinos. " and
think the Americans don't treat them
right. I'll tell you right here let tbose
people come here and see who the pooi
! Filipinos are and they will change theil
minds. / saw for myself two young
Americans laying side by side with then
throats cut and all hacked TO pieces
! A doctor here with the Red Cross on hii
arm who was in the field helping th'
wounded fell in the hands Of the insur
gents and he was found all cut to pieces
! The Americans are not fighting civil
lied nation. They are fighting peopl'
that are worse than sayages. They arr