The evening times., 1899-10-12
A LETTER FROM MANILA.
Soldier Writes of the Hardships of
the Campaign.

i
the Campaign.
BALTIMORE, Nd, Oct.- 12.-Mr. Fred
erick M. Kipp, 1905 Eastern Avenue, has
received "a letter from Baltimorean who
is soldier in one of the regiments OF In
fantry in the Philippines: The writer is
not enthusiastic in regard to lie there,
nor is he complimentary in his remarks
about the conduct of affairs from mil
itary standpoint The letter is in part
as follows:
I'VE are stationed about forty-four
miles from Manila, doing outpost duty
until the rainy season ends. There is
town about eight miles north OF US called
Mexico, ami It is reported that Aguinaldo
is there, Eith s1s, 900 troops, waiting for
us to attack him. suppose We will graf
ify him after awhile, but. to my mind,
there seems tc. be wanting head which
will be capable of properly directing mil
itaFy matters
/. Last week it rained so hard we had
to DO outpost duty in water up to our
waists. 1t, looks as though we will be
compelled to get boats and move the
troops in them as the only way to get to
the enemy as the rice fields are inundat-
ed with fully two feet Of water. 1t is
terribly hot here, especially after a rain,
and then the earth emitS steam which
is not pleasant to smell, and which has, no
doubt, great deal to do with keeping our
sick list heavy. We have about 5000 men
in hospital sick from fever and dysentery.
Men are dying like cattle and from ap-
pearance it seems that the surgeons take
BUT little interest in the sick. 1t makes no
difference what may be mans ailment,
when the surgeon looks at him he pre-
scribes thirty grains of quinne. 1t does no
good to kick, because it frequently hap
pens that if you do you will be tried by
court martial and fined or imprisoned for
INSTRUMENTATION.
Il think it would be good idea for tns
Government to do away with Hospital
Corps, for so far they have proved TO be
of but little use to the army.
1T is outrageous the way the men are
being treated. Last week one OF the men
lost his temper over the treatment he had
received from one of the surgeons and told
him to go TO hotter place than Manila.
He was tried and fined three months pay
and sentenced to serve three months in thu
guardhouse. Another private was fined
$l20 for having his belt of while he was
on guard duty. A private by the name or
Johnson, In Company F, who had only two
court and sentenced TO one year in prison
and dishonorabie discharge because he
overstayed his leave three days. The man
also fought In Cuba.
They are doing whatever they please
with the soldiers out here. just because the
poor devils are helpless and can't get away
from the tyranny. We are all disguised ana
sick from bad treatment and from starva-
tion, resulting from eating rotten meat and
hardtack.
The only way we can do any more fight
ing with success is by the Government
sending 100 600 men here. With that force
we could clean up the insurgents in cou-
pie OF months. II they don't do it there
will be fighting going on here for the next
| fifty years. There are not more than TO-
600 troops here which are fit for duty.
IF Washington would only recall Gen
eral Otis and send General Miles here
! there would be a great cnange in the
hearts of the soldiers, for all the men of
the regulars love General Miles, and they
know he would Sc that they got proper
| treatment. We call him the bullfghter out
| here because Of the way in which he fought
| embalmed beef.
In active campaigning We have been
/ getting up at a. N. and marching and
| fighting until about 9 p. M. crossing riv-
ers by rope, hand over hand, with all Of
| our equipments on our shoulders and If We
| lose any of them We are compelled to pay
( for everything lost. In crossing one of the
| rivers a few weeks ago I lost my belt
| bayonet, haversack, and canteen. They
sank TO the bottom of the river. l tried
! to recover them, but was unable to do so,
! being completely played out. l had to pay
| for all Of them. We call this treatment
robbery on the part of the Government
| For the last ten days we have been on half
! ratiOns."