Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-05-22

called to the relief of some skirmish-
ers who had been wounded. -Four
men went out to protect the litter
that the wounded were to be brought
in on and while they fired at the Fill
ipinos the disabled were carried to the
hospital. AS it was one of our men
sustained wounds. Savage fighting
indeed.
Mr., Peterson was at Corrigedor
when the siege of Manila occurred but
he could see the flash Of the guns
from our ships and hear the heavy
boom as the vessels threw their shells
over and around the city. 1t gave
him a real idea Of what war is. From
his quarters the night attacks pre-
sented a beautiful display both on
land and water.
His superintendent at the Mills
training school requested his return
to New York, and his discharge was
cabled from Washington. Before his
return, however, Mr.. Peterson spent
ten days in the trenches in the vicin-
ity of Caloocan, and there saw quite
few skirm1shes and night assaults in
the neighborhood of the waterworks
of the city of Manila. The Kansas
and Montana men, to his mind, were
the bravest of the fighters, as has re-
Gently beenIproven. Every afternoon
just before sundown, the captain of
the Montana battery allowed his men
three practice shots from the heavy
guns. The Montana boys were in
sight of the enemy's trenches which
day after day they would work to per-
feet. When the time for the ''practice
shots" arrived the company assem-
bled. and when the heavy shells hit
those trenches and exploded there
were several Filipinos less and their |
trenches were ruined. Mr.. Peterson |
lso went into the country, country
thick with virgin forests of ebony, |
camphor, mahogany and woods pecu |
liar to the khot climates; saw where |
5 ONE of the Montana boys had pros
way, and the more he saw of the
country the greater was his desire to
remain. His judgment is the same as
all who have been to the islands, that
hey are wonderfully rich acquisitions.
While at Corregidor Mr.. Peterson
saw our warships daily and had the
pleasure of seeing Admiral Dewey
1t several different times. He Sc
cured, among his large collection of
some of the foremast of the
1agship of the i'll fated Spanish fleet,
part of which he had made into a
cane for present to his father, and
gavel which he has presented to his
Masonic lodge in New York City. En-
;raved upon the gavel were these
ines: "Taken from the foremast of
he Reina Mercedes, the flagship of
he Spanish submarine feet in Manila
larbor, March, 1, 1899." Upon it's
presentation quite a celebration was
leld, and the gavel is regarded as the
most valuable as we'll as the most
historical in any lodge in the city.
Fortunately for Mr.. Peterson the
Scandia" was ready for return trip
nd he was given passage on her to
an Francisco. The boat touched at
Iagasaki, Japan, for coal, and then
roceeded homeward, reaching San
francisco the first of April. Mr.. Peter
on came direct to st. Adams to visit
is sister, Mrs. Folsom, and to meet
is father, who went there to greet
i'm. He is thankful to have reached
ONE as he did, as Mr.. Peterson, sem
,r, died very shortly after his sons
sturn.
One of the best known magazines
/ the country has made an arrange ,
lent with Mr.. Peterson to use some
his valuable collection of views
aken in and around Manila, and the
announcement of the article will be
lade soon.
Mr.. Peterson was glad to meet his
ID friends here, and in his quiet, un-
way, entertained quite
amber with descrip tions of his trip
1ring his recent short visit. The
-oNIToR is especially grateful for this,
le foregoing interview.