The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-05-17
LETTER FROM
MANILA.
CORPORAL h. +. JOHNSON, OF THE
TwENTY-sECIND INFANTRY
Writes to his Sister. Mrs. j. b. Thomas,
of fHuntington.-Tells of his Life In the
Phillipines-How Newspaper Clippings
and Letters are Received and Read.

OCdT We uAN oh NStHAN NN%~@
sound at Manila, 4:3O p. m. Quaran-
tine officers inspection; news that
there is plenty for us to do. hope we
are in time; there is firing going on
now. One of our gunboats is shelling
something. We can hear the report
and see the smoke. If this letter closes
abruptly don't be surprised, as we are
liable to be ordered ashore at any min
ute, although we are not in the best
condition, having our sea feet on and
needing exercise.
March 0, Wall City, just outside Ma
ntla.-Ashore and in fine quarters-so
clean and well ventilated; walls like
finely-woven market basket; floors re-
semble fishing poles split in halves;
large veranda running around the out
side; food fine and well prepared. For
supper we had beefsteak smothered in
onions, baked potatoes, bread and tea
and such tea as I haven't often tasted
in the United States. Have strict or
ders to only eat army rations, which |
intend to obey to the letter. While on
board the Senator in the bay, our Ad-
miral Dewey came aboard, but many
of us did not know 1t till next day. We
are in state Of unrest, expecting mo-
mentarily to be sent on to the firing
line. There is firing going on all the
time at night and the gunboats are
throwing shells off and on.
Malata, March 21.-Your first letter
received while we were laying at Pasig
City; town taken after two days. You
cannot imagine how much good your
letters did me. Twas wet and cold, the
letters reused em up and I was quite
Jolly. The newspaper clippings you
sent were read by the whole supply
train guard, which / was detailed on.
On the first day out was In charge OF
the rear Of the sgpply-traip. We use
two-wheeled carts drawn by water
buffalos; they are strong animals and
have great thick horns. They have to
be put into water twice day or viii
get crazy. They were driven by Chi
nese coolies, very low class Of people,
each coolie having sentry over him
They take good care of the buffalos and
feed them like baby, with bamboo
stick; that is, anything liquid. The
buffalo cannot drink unless he gets
clear under the water and let's 1t run
down his throat. The coolies eat at ev-
cry stop, eat everything and would eat
the soldiers rations as well as Their
own. We followed the infantry closely
so close we got ahead of the firing line
and got a shower of bullets for ouI
nerve; one buffalo was shot and 6
guard wounded in the cheek. We hat
to fight. fired about thirty rounds
and only saw one Filipino. But the fir
ing stopped them and we then got oul
train back to the rear. About thirty
bullets struck the train. l understand
the disadvantage our boys are at, II
hunting snealping, hiding natives, tina
know every nook and corner of thi
rough ground. The first day our Twen
ty-second got into action it was terri
bly, hot in the mountains, but the regi
ment showed up in fine style. or cours,
you read Charles Fredmcks name in tn,
list of killed; poor fellow! He was sho
through the neck. l saw his rife; /
had a big mark where the bullet hi
the stock of the gun, then glancing
killed him. They said: HE hardl.
knew what hit him." 1t seemed pit,
to tear Pasig City to pieces, as our ar
tillery did; il was prepared Ito stand
long siege, and well stocked with ey
erything-tobacco by the ton. wen
into fine old house that shell struck
The floors were mahogany, and the fin
old winding staircase terribly shatter
cd. The shell entered just at the top o
the front door. Towns and cities sho,
the ravages OF continued warfare
What was once flourishing and beauti
full are now only ragged walls an
ashes. Filipinos try TO ruin everythin
they have to leave. Our army burns a
bamboo houses, as there has bee
smallpox in so many Of them. Wine
lying outside OF Pasig we had chicke
and duck stew, and eggs-one coul
gather them by the bushel; never !
all my life have l seen so many duclc
My first charge of the guard of Filipin
prisoners was noisy one-had to o.
der some of them bound to stop the
noise.
April 3.-Your letter received Mare
81 was an agreeable surprise; the "cliI
pings" read and immensely enjoyed b
nearly the whole company. We le
the barracks March "a for the flrin
line and the march for CMalolos, whel
we expected a stubborn battle, but
our disgust not over 300 shots we
fired by the Fhpinos. AN the time v
were out I haven't seen thirty armt
natives. March 2e we got into rather
close place, and for a while bu1le
came like hail. We were advancing ,
a strong position near Polo, and . stCl