Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-16
Claude j. Balm Relates His Hxper-
fence in the Philippines.
FORMERLY A RESIDENT OF OTTUMWA
accidents of the Campaign Truthfully
Told by q Returned lows, Soldier
Gen. Otis From the Vol.
unteor's Standpoint.
From Wednesdays Daily.

Claude j. Balm, late private in Com
pany n, Fifty-6rst regiment, Iowa in
fantry volunteers, was in the city yes
terday enroute to Fort Madison to vis-
1t his parents. Mr.. Balm prior to his
enlistment was fireman on the Burl-
ington road between this place and
Creston, and has many friends who
will be glad to hear of his safe return
from the Philippines.
Mr.. Balm enlisted at East Des Moines,
April ~, 1898, and after stay Mt Camp
Mckinley and the Preside, San Fran
cisco, embarked Nov. 8, 1898, with his
regiment on the transport Pennsylvania
for the scene Of trouble in the far away
eastern islands we now call our own.
The regiment arrived at Manila Dec. z,
1898, and stayed on board the transport
in the harbor until after Christmas,
when it was ordered south on the Iloilo
expedition under the escort OF the
cruiser Baltimore. They were accom-
panied by the Eighteenth regulars on
the transport Arizona, now the Han
cock. They had orders to land peace
ably, If possible, but at no time was it
possible to perform that duty in the
manner laid down. On Feb. 2, 1899,
they came back and landed at Cavite
two days before the hostilities began.
In speaking Of the events that follow,
Mr.-Bain said:
II was detailed at the ice plant, Ca
vite, and on the night the trouble be-
gan was in theatre in Manila, in com
& mon with other soldiers, when I heard
a voice saying that the outposts had
been fired upon and for all soldiers to
get to their regiment. Previous to this
we had been expecting trouble, but
did not know, OF course, when it
would come. Aguinaldo had given us
thirty days to evacuate at one time,
and at another he gave us fifteen days
to get out, but you know where the
flag is planted there the soldier stays.
We had been insulted by the Filipinos,
who were free to come and go on the
streets, and If one OF us would slap
one of them or resent the insults heap
+ ed upon us we would be clapped into
the guard house for thirty days. This
was hard to bear, but our officers did
not want US to be the aggressors, and
we had to grin and bear it.
ION this night, Feb. 4, 1890, they
had attempted. to plant sentinel at
the side of ours on the San Juan bridge.
Our sentinel resented the action, OF
course, and shot and killed the Flip
Into, together with two of his COM
f:nfons. No sooner had the shot been
fred than sheet of fame burst from
the enemy's trenches and the trouble
had begun. Upon the. receipt of the
news every man made for his regiment
and when on the street seized street
cars or any convenience to quickly get
to their proper stations. did not get
down to Cavite until the next morning.
asked and was granted permission to
be relieved at the ice plant and after
long time got to the front with the
rest of the boys. was in the battle OF
Onngua river, April "a; Pululan (east
and west), April "a; Calumpit, April
25; north Of San Fernando, May rs, 90,
81; around San Fernando. June 16;
north of San Fernando, June 90 and
July 4; advance on Calumpit, Aug. g.
missed many Of the battles because
bf the work I had to do at the ice
PANT, and it was a long time before /
was relieved.
How does it feel TO be shot at? Well,
1t makes a fellow think OF home and
mother, and he would give anything to
get out of it, but the rest of the fel-
lows did not run, and of course could
not. After I fred my first shot 1 was
Z all right and forgot all about the
Mausers whistling around. The thing
that impressed me most on the field
and suppose it was the same with
most OF the men, was when the next