Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-02-24
IOLIOLP.l.
Special TO the BYsTANDER.


Itake pleasure this evening Of sitting
down to write something about the trip
acrossed the Pacific and soldier lite il
the Philippines Island. We left San
Francisco on the steamer PennsJ lvania,
Nov. 3rd. and had . very nice trip 10 Z
Honolulu H. l. which took eight days w
stopped there four days the natives there
took great interest with Us, they played
US game of base and foot ball they beat
the 5lst. Iowa with the base ball, they
have band concerts every day, and when
we left on the 16th,. they were there play
ing with all their might. "God be with
You till We meet Again" and our band
played my Honolulu Lady" we were 90
days from Honululu to Manila and had
some very rough weather for 4 digs orr
trip was very nice all the way and we
saw lots Of flying fish and shark about
10 or 20 feet long. We passed the La
done Island at noon and about 10 miles
off we saw this Island smoking and they
say there is not level spot on il, it 10
about LOCO feet high. We came into
Manila bay on Dec the It'll. and dropped
anchor at 1900 O'Clock. we layed 40 days
here on the %, the s. $ st. Paul came
in with Christmas boxes and mail for all
the boys, there was about $50 presents
and two bags Of mail, on Christmas night
we had very nice concert gotten up BY
by Champlain Williams. On the 26th.,
they put on board 20 tons of frozen meat
and can potatoes, so ton OF water and
about 500 or 600 tons Of coal, the next
night we started for Cavite Dewey's navy
yard and with the gun boat Baltimore one
dispatch boat three transport Arizona
the 18th. regulars, Newport with Gen.
Miller aud the 9Th, Artillery and the
Pennsylvania with the 5lst. Iowa Vol. We
split the water for II 10 we tried to make
the flying trip so we could take the city
without any fighting, bat was 20 late we
met Spanish liner about half way and
they told US that the Spaniards had lost
the city and had fled so we were to late
and on Dec. q, we struck the Balt!-
more, dispatch boat and Newport with
Gen. Miller went into the city to zee il
they would surrender without any trouble
they ssid nit and our dispatch boat
was sent back to Manila and told Gen.
Otis and he sent tho gun boat "Petrep
and to-day Jan. 8, oil the English and
Germans in The city Of 1loilo are moving
out on the little bargss if any Of you
folks at home could see bis straight hear
you would think that ID was some inter
national navy yard; there are two Fog
lish men OF war, one German and two
Americans. Jau. 5, there were two sol
diers badly wounded one was cut across
the head and the other was cut about the
body the native pushed the soldier over
board and then funded over himself, l..
D. Bates Of the 51st. was on guard at the
time and with an empty gun held five
natives until they were changed together
aud put under arrest the one who did the
dirty work has not been found. Jan. 4,
the Germans tried to land five small boats
full of small arms for the natives and the
Baltimore's launched stopped them, they
wont to the English man Of war and ask
them what would they do if they would
mix with the U. S. and England said mix
and see, they have not tried and don't
think they will. Soldering in the Phil.
ippines IS not what it is cracked upto be
| it is SO warm. frem 11:00 A. NJ. to 500
P. M. if an American does not stay in be
will get sun burned, allthe boys who hayt
been hear any time are sick and tired o
/ this group OF Islands and want % gel
back 70 the states all we cannot get I
writing paper and stamps In Manila ~
are absus 8, 500 miles from dear old low
am now corporal in Go. H. the onl.
colorsd one il tho company and CT cor
poral sank.
CORPORALFRANKR WOOD.
CO. 4. Ola Iowa Ye.
1Ia n