Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-24
FIRST TASTE OF WAR.
A RICHMOND SOLDIERS EXPERT
ESCEs IN TIE PHILIPPINES.
LETTER FROM Trying CAURINGION.
steals Away to Join n brigade, sent
10 the Firing Line, and Marches
Under Shot and Sheii-Experience
in Taking a Colonel.

Mr.. George n. Sklpwith is in receipt OF
highly Interesting letter from Mr.. c..
Irving Darlington, well known Rich
mond man. who, as a member of the
Twenty-third Regiment, is in the Philip
pines He writes:
Polo. Philippine Islands, July 16, 1899
Hoping that you have not forgotten an
old friend, and that a letter from the
other side of the earth might tempt n
reply. even though written by an old
fogy. l venture this:
To begin at Chapter !. 1 left the fair
city on the historic James On January
18th. for the Preside, Of San Francisco,
Cal. where, on February 18th, sailed
on the good ship Roanoke for Manila.
| reached Honolulu on March 9Th, and
during the three days in which my ship
was coaling, etc, l roamed about the
beautiful city, seeing the sights and tax
ing with the natives.
l also walked three or four miles out
into the country to see the body OF Prln-
cess Kalulani. laid out IN state at
her fathers country mansion. 1t was
truly an imposing ceremony, the beauu-
fH woman laid out on platform or royal
purple with al the p0mp and re-
gala of royalty. and hundreds OF ma
tiVes chanting death song FOR the
Princess. who had 70 loved them, and
whom they loved so truly and loyalty
| found the Kanakas TO be a courteous
hospitable. and industrious people, from
what | could gee and learn of them,
and all of those with whom l talked
citizens Of the greatest country IN the
world.
FIRST GLIMPSE OF WAR.
We dropped anchor in Manila bay,
March 18th. and ! had to stay On board
the ship for three days, during when
lime my Only amusement was STUDYING
the topography OF the coast from Mola-
han where the Charleston kept watch
and ward over the enemy, to CaVlte'
where the Monadnock and Baltimore
rode the waters close to the shattered
mills of the once proud spanish Meet.
on the 1st OF April 1 landed, and was
marched with about one hundred others
10 the headquarters Of my regiment ior
assienment TO company. Before day
hreak ON the I'd of April a battalion OF
onr regiment was ordered on the hrlhs
line with flying brigade ana three
of us new men SlOle away anu WV,
with them. After a march OF several
miles we heard the loud voice Oh sui,
| from the Utah Battery, and l Khe"
Vas in for It. We pushed along for an
cher mile. when we came 10 an open
rlce-deld and saw across river al the
| thor side of the field a stone wall, IRON
hebina which occasional puffs OF smoke
| told of bronze warriors with Mausers
o,I eenoingtons Soon the order came
| ~ advance. and we started across the
| aeld AT almost every step the Mss Oh
Nauser the hoarse buzz OF a Drass pui-
Iet from a Remington, pun of aust from
,ice hill would tell us that the
eronov we're hunting us. A member oil
| the hand fell. shot near the belt, when
,re we're half way across the neld, ana
.ornoral of one OF the companies drop
ned Just before we reacheu Tue fVoi'
from shot through the body.
SHOT IN HIS HAT.
Wa went straight into the river and
across IL I'm water up TO, ana above. our
waists holding our guns and cartridges
nr ip the air. out on the other bank
,han M the stone wall, and the enemy
INC negroes could not stand the merry
crack of the Krag-Jorgensen, ana inc
accurately dropped shells from the ltai,
battery. but broke and ran, many q.
tbtm falling before the deadly ann OF
tho American riilemen. II seemeo 10
me when Ae were in the river that every
man VI "a was bound to be kii'ea "s-