Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-04-13
WITH THE FIFTY-FIRST.
Clyde Baker Writes the Republican
from Cavite.

Cayite, 7, /, March 3, 1899.
DEAR FRIENDS AT HOME;
AS Il has been some time since | wrote to you
| thought would try To write u few lines again.
We layed in Iloo harbOr thirty days and did
not land On the Goth of January we started To
Cayite and were very glad to move because We
thought there was a show OF landing. just be-
fore we started Gen. Mi Ter was over To bid us
goodbye. There is u man who thinks well of
the 5lst regiment and we think well of him. He
said that he hated to see us leave him but he
could not helpit. lie said that If they had any
fighting down here he would like very much to
have us with him and after he had talked with
the Colonel he went down the gang plank and
stepped into his private launch and sailed away
We all gave three cheers for him and he
answered 1t by waiving his hat and In less than
five minutes our boat was moving. II was dark
before we got out of the harbor so we did not
get to see much of the city that evening. We
sailed along and the sea was II little rough
Wilson was on guard and the next morning l
took his place because he was sick. Several of
the boys were sick but 1t did not last long.
On the 3lst we arrived ut Cavite and anchored
close TO Dewey's flag ship, "Olymphia" the
Boston and two or three others. AS we passed
the flagship Dewey's band played us two or
| three pieces of music and then gave three
cheers for the 5lst Iowa. Close to us are the
wrecks of the Spanish ships that Dewey sunk
One in particular is the Spanish flag ship, the
| "Reina Christina" All we can see of 1t Is the
two smoke stacks and part of the upper deck.
In the evening Of the 3lSt we received % sacks
of mail. II is the largest mail we have ever re
ceived. Late in the evening we got the mail
and we were all happy and busy reading the
news from our different homes.
On the 1st of February we were making
pre- 9arations to land and were very busy I'M
loading the cargo. Six companies landed on
the end and took all of our boxes with them
and took charge of them. The band went
ashore the 3rd About noon a British gun
boat came In and gave the naval salute, and
the Olympia" answered it. Now we can say
that we have seen and heard two large gun
boats fl re their large guns. Every thing was
still on the 4th except in the evening when we
received orders to be ready to leave the ship by
seven the next morning. The time came and
we shOuldcred our KNAPP sacks and boarded two
large barges and started for the shore. We
gave three cheers for the pennsylvania" as we
left her. In about a half hour we were landed
and marched to our quarters. We were sur
prsed to find such fine quarters rs we have.
After we had cleaned up our quarters we went
down on the wall and saw the great fight ut
Manila. This fight was the greatest fight OF the
war. Both land and naval forces were knock
ing the Insurgents right and left. We could
see the shells from the gun boats burst and
throw up dirt and smoke. All of us were
anxious to have fight in Caylte.
On the Sth of February Dewey gave the In
surgents in San Rogue until nine O'Clock on the
9th to lay down their arms and raise white
flag. Well in the morning ut nine o'clock the
white flag was raised but the Insurgents set
fire to the city and then fed to their intrench-
ments. We had n call to arms and marched
across the causeway and into the burning
city we went. We had Il great time getting
through the flames but by the GOODNESS OF our
Major we accomplished the task. After getting
through the fire we took q rest and had II cold
lunch. We felt refreshed and soon formed into
q long skirmish line and made a clean sweep OF
the whole neck of land After gong about two
miles we came to the swamps and rice fields,
but we did not stop for them but waded mud
and water ND to our waists About five o'clock
we came to u narrow neck of land where we
camped We made guard and put them on
out post duty. We were all very tired from
carrying our guns, belt full of cartridges. can
teens full of coffee and haver sacks with 100
extra rounds of ammunition.
On the 18th companies G, l. and NJ cane back
to Cayite to help guard the city. Those We left
out to the out posts were the first battalion, one
trO op OF cavalry and two batteries. After they
got rested they commenced building earth