The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-06-09
IN The PHlulpPlNge.

We have permission TO publish
the following letter from Walter
Lynch, of Light Battery q, Sixth
.(U So Artillery, to his mother,
Mrs. ID. A. Lynch, dated at Iloilo
April l3, 1899:
"Dear Mama: Nothing Of burn
ing interest has occurred here since
my last letter to you. The troops
have been occupied in guard duty
and fortifying outposts. a belt of
land about 200 yards wide has been
cleared in front of our western line
from Che straits or Iloilo River to
the bay, and lights have been ar
ranged so that the war ships now
guarding the harbor can locate our
lines i'm the event of an attack from
the natives &c night This has oc-
cupied the first and second battal-
lions, which were notion guardduty,
several days, as cutting bamboo
with axes is slow work
Breastworks of sand bags were
placed commanding the road along
the shore; the bridge over Jaro Riv-
en- has been strengthened to permit
the crossing Of our artillery. This
bridge is within the territory now
guarded by the Eighteenth Infant
ry, and is the most exposed point
on our lines. tits almost constant
ly under fire from sharpshooters.
| On Wednesday, march,, anattempt
to burn this bridge resulted in a
sharp engagement, but the insur-
gents were driven back by our ar
tillery and the Eighteenth Infantry.
/ We pursued them to within short
| distance Of their intrenchments, but
night put an end to the engage
ment.
Companies q. d., II. and NJ. Of
the First Tennessee were sent to
Jaro as a reserve, but were not call
ed into action and were returned to
their barracks for the night. A
private of the eighteenth, on guard
; in front Of their barracks was kill
ed in this engagement, presumably
by a stray bullet from the front,
though there are grounds for sus-
picion that he was shot by one Of
the Amigos in the village here un-
/ der our protection. Another man,
. also a private Of the eighteenth,
|. was wounded on Friday, March 3.
: ga movement was made by COM
f panies f. H., l., r., i. and NJ, sup
n ported by our artillery, to run the
/. insurgents out of the woods near
the mouth Of Jaro River, between
that stream and the bay. From
4 this strip Of land heavily covered
! with timber and with dense belt
. . Of sugar cane in front, they have
- harrassed our outposts for some
y time. Shortly after IL a. M, after
i the woods had been shelled by ou1
= artillery, troops in extended order
. trayersed this strip forcing the ell.
= envy back across the river
"Mama, | am getting tired ol
i this place, for we have hard time
st here. The weather is SO hot W.
as can hardly exist. We have thre,
al hours drill every day, and when i
g. is over we are almost exhausted.
I'd "I have been in FIVE battles sine,
of | came here, but everything is yery
ut quiet now. / have been very fort
50 unate so far.
ne we had a fight near Jaro, anC
1t. General Miller hurried battalion
re of the eighteenth to the front
Oy ing the desired position under con
stant fire. AS the insurgents usr
y black powder their position wa
no easily located, and battery G.. threw
i shrapnel with deadly effect. Th
i natives very stubbornly held thei
! ground until reserves were brough
N from Iloilo when they fed, but no
,f until several well aimed shrapne
i burst among them with deadly eff
- feet The Tennessee regiment hel,
" the left flank in gallant style.
Il g believe | have given you al
n the news worth mentioning. I an
IN very anxious to hear from you, AM
iII have written as often as I have ha,
the opportunity Give my kindes
regards to all friends, and writ
..n' often to your absent son,
us " "WALTEB LYNCH."
ic Miss Victoria Bane, daughter Z