The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-05-17

Below Is another interesting letter from
Frank II. Foster, Company A, battalion OF
engineers, United States army, to his father,
e. l.. Foster, Newark, N. j.
MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,
March 80, 1899.
My company is with the army which to-
day, hear, has entered Malolos. When 1t
was ordered away was on detail work at
the Lake, building bridges, 80 could not
go. There are just enough men here to do
guard duty about quarters, so L am on
guard every other day and night, and be-
tween guards am generally on detail work
out in the country building bridges, conse-
quently am very much exhausted and
good many hours behind in sleep.
As for news, you cannot get any better
than is published in the Sun, although In
some ways it is misleading, in that 1t rep
resents the insurgent army as being broken
up. The fact Is, Ii Is not we'll enough Or
gauized to be regarded as broken up, and
1t is not necessary for the insurgents to be
well organized in order to give battle. This
being the case, it is very difficult to APP
proach the insurgents or get them cornered.
Considering their loose management, the
Filipinos seem to have well organized 5ys-
tenn for supplying their army with ammu-
ton, for they seem to be plentitully sup
piled with that on all parts OF their line
At the present moment they are using
black powder which they manufacture
themselves, utilizing old shells and Rem
ingtop rifles. The Mauser ammunition Is
not used to the extent that it formerly was.
Thousands OF insurgents have been killed
and taken prisoners. They drive all OF
their people before them when they re-
treat, and destroy everything behind them,
so that all the ground we have taken is per-
fectly barren of shelter or Inhabitants. l
do not doubt but the people 80 driven out
will soon be in very destitute condition,
which may tend to an uprising among
. thnv oil III.
pinos and uphold their own people, they
are not, by a large majority, willing to go
to war with us, but are compelled (as
have heard) to do 80 under penalty OF DEATH
Forty thousand troops would not be too
many to take care Of the situation here, for
as we advance the ground will have to be
occupied, and at present our army Is ad-
vancing fast and continually .dwindling in
numbers. This cannot safely continue
mnch longer, unless, happily, the war
should be brought to speedy close.
am very much annoyed to see that some
of the papers in the States are advocating
the pacfying OF the islands and then offer
ing them for sale to the highest bidder.
1t seems to me inhuman and barbarous to
even think of such a thing. To think that
80 many lives should have been sacrificed,
30 much blood shed and 80 much misery
caused for simple pecuniary ,gain-and that
by nation and people that does not know
what need is-makes my blood boil. Such
thoughts or possibilities as these. cause
soldier to lose heart. To think that he is
going into battle, not for the sake OF honor,
but for stipulated sum OF money, and to
satisfy the demands of colossal ignorance
and stupidity, makes the soldier Disguised
with himself, and makes him feel that he
has been patriotic to no other end than to
be made toy and tool of. 1t does not
seem credible to me that such can be the
end.
You can understand how badly troops
were needed here when you know that
they were taken off the transports the day
after their arrival and sent to the front with
winter clothing on. II the conditions of
the moment were to continue, no more
troops would be necessary but the time is
speedily coming when they will be. The
insurgents are now retreating 80 fast that 1t
is difficult to keep up with them. From
this it is evident that either they are
thoroughly scared, or that they are leading
US into country where they can make
stand and from which 1t will be delicate
task for our army to extricate itself, il the
chase is prolonged, for the insurgents fall
back upon their supplies and increase in
numbers. while our army is continually di-
minishing. For the last two days there has
bsen some heavy firing out at the water
works, and last night there was heavy fir
ing on the extreme right of our line, about
two miles from our quarters, probably the
customary firing by the insurgents along
this section.