Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-26
FILIPINOS TAKE ONE BATTLE.
Soldiers Letter Tells of an Unimportant En-
gagement.

From the Chicago Record.
Archie R. Priest, a private in the
18th Minnesota regiment, whose home
is in Reedsburg, Wis, wrote the fol-
lowing letter to his people. 1t is dat
ed at "Bocave, Luzon, P. l., June Is,
1S99," and reads:
81 have been in the hospital a month
with blood poisoning. 1 was poisoned
in the right hand and ear. The doc
tors could not tell whether it was from
insect bite or from some plant. They
performed three operations on my hand
and one on my ear. l am nearly'well
now and am doing duty again.
"Well, we have passed through a
great deal. We have been ITO miles
inland. We lost a major and a great
many boys. The regiment will be
pretty we'll thinned out by the time
we get home. I had my mind made
up to stay here until took sick, but
now am afraid to try it. Great in
ducements are being offered us to re-
enlist, but I cannot hear them. The
regular army will see some hard fight
ing. You do not get half the reports
of the fighting that is being done.
Night before last the niggers broke
through our lines, killed fifteen and
wounded thirty men and captured two
cannons and four men. I bet you will
never hear of it in the States.
II see by the newspaper reports the
Filipino army is demoralized. This
is untrue in every particular. They
are stronger now than they ever were:
They are learning how to shoot and
can stand fire better than they did be-
fore. They know the country and
can live on half of what the Americans
can. We chased them one hundred
miles and never once came upon their
main army. They would attack US at
night all ambush us in the day time.
o. course we killed great many more
of them than they did Of US, but they
have five men for every rifle. When
Major Diggles was killed he was lead
ing scouting party and was ambush
ed. The boys made hard fight and
got out all right, but they lost the ma
ior all the same. I have got to see the
first man yet to show cold feet. The
major was very brave.
War is so different from the way it
is pictured to you. have. seen the
fellows 20 to bed after marching all
day, without supper, and about 10
o'clock the outpost would open up.
The boys would get up and put on
their belts, never cay word to any
one, fall in line, and in ten minutes
would be chasing 'niggers' through the
Jungle. Probably we would go about
two miles, lie down on our rain blank
cts and sleep until daylight. The boys
are all wishing to get home and out of
this. We have done the hard work 80
far, and the regulars are doing moth
ing. Nebraska and Colorado have
about 500 men left out of 1900. Min
nesota and Oregon are not much bet
ter, but have lost more by sickness
than by battle. Oregon is loading on
the boat now to 90 home. We expect
to start in August. Montana aud
South Dokota have fought hard and a
great deal, but are lucky. They seem
to lose more officers than men. Gen.
eral Lawton says he would rather lose
officers than men, for he can make Gf-
fcers out of men, but cannot make
men.
"Our regiment has voted to be mus
tered out in San Francisco and 20 home
as citizens. 1t will make a difference
of about $40 TO a man, so it is worth
trying to get. If do not come with
the regiment you need not think any.
thing strange. l. may get mustered
out here and go to Japan on liner
and get a government transport from
there"