The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-06-09

getting along Someone who was at
the hospital in Manila yerterday just
told me that Captains Watson and
Clark were doing much better than
expected. Major Metcalf was wound
in the foot by Il Mauser. The ball
passed through the joint of his great
toe and will probably lay him up for
u long time. Captain Buchan's wife
died in Manila yesterday, April H.
of fever. She used to teach in the
State University and was very fine
woman. They had Leen married
since the Spanish war began. / think
they were married at Frisco in June.
The supply train that left La Iona
church was certainly one Of the
sirangest sights | ever saw. Each
regiment had two four mule escort
wagons, some eight or ten pack
ponies and eighteen water buffalo,
(caribao) carts with Chinese drivers,
and when six or eight regiments got
in line it lOoked funny to say the
least. They had great time crossing
rivers on railroad bridges and bam-
boo RATS. sometimes the RATS would
spill them into the river. Once our
train had gotten on high grade APP
preaching a railroad bridge on the
ties of which planks had been laid.
Well one cart broke down on the
bridge and the railroad train came
along and the track had to he cleared
so the whole thing was rolled down
the bank into the ditcl, and auch u
mess az it was. After that every.
thing for our brigade was put on the
railroad train and the carts and
wagons went on empty, The rail
road afforded an exceptionally fine
means of transportation. Had it not
Deen for that it would have been i'm
possible for us to have come to Ma
lolOs so quickly. The roads were al
most impossible on account of rivers.
But the insurgents did not under
stand destroying railroad and so it
was soon repaired, and the train
caught up at May canayan on the
third day and ambulance trains start
ed to Manila. Commissary and
ordinance too, were brought up more
quickly and easily in that way.
When we left La Iona we had but
three days rations and mad it not
been for he railroad train | do not
know what we would have done,
some other way 1 suppose. We
might have lived Off the country az
there was rice, pigs, chickens and
cOcanuts in great plenty.
Well, have strung this out more
than intended to. / would not be
surprised if you know more about it
than | do, your having read so mauy
accurate accounts of 1t long ago. We
hear reports of an advance to Calum-
pit where there ~ "a railroad water.
ing station, and that the volul teers
are going home, that they are not
going on the firing line any more
and that they are going home in the
order that they left Kansas, Iowa
and Tennessee being last, and that
the Oregons are going to leave for
Frisco this week on the Sheridan,
that Kansas Republicans have voted
"eternal gratitude" to her soldiers
and that California has voted $500 TO
each of hers. But for all tina. | guess
the goth Kansas will uphold the rep
utation of the United States and
Kansas be just as glad 10 get back
and love her native state as much as
any of them. Perhaps we will be
home by next Thanksgiving or
Christmas. In the meantime "herc's
'opin," Love to all and regards to
friends, Your afiectionate son and
brother, WILFRED W. NELSON.
q. NJ. Dept. 10th Kansas Inf y. :.
v, Manila, p. |.
4 P.S. Wehav licked the FllipinOs
and kicked them and driven them
away from their homes, fields and
cities, and III our conception of the
word have licked them good But
they don't seem TO think so, and
sometimes | think perhaps there is
more rhyme and reason to their way
of fighting than we know. Lots OF
them were killed AT first but the
most Of them run soon enough now
and they get their families and u
great deal Of their supplies, furni-
ture, and notably their carts, horses
and boats away some where. And
they have killed and wounded lots of
ours, somewhere near the Thousand
mark, and we are getting good deal
Of territory to guard aud railroad 10
protect. think they have figured
on scattering "a in such way that
they could attack small bodies.
But they certainly have made q sad
mistake as there are enough Of as to
hold more than we have taken yet,