The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-02
IN FAR OFF MANILA.
Lieutenant Louis huffman
w rites Interestingly Of
Service in the
Philippines.

4A <@-R ---
arrived in town the other day, were two
letters from Newark men, who are sery-
ing their country in the Philippines, says
the Newark Sunday CALI One from
Lieutenant Louis huffman. a descendant
of the well known family Of that name
of this city, gives a vivid description of
life In the trenches and some of the hard
ships our soldiers must endure. He also
gives a pleasing account of the brighter
side of life there, and, like a true Amer
lean, manages to find pleasant views in
gloomy places. Lieutenant huffman
served in the Cuban campaign and took
part in the fight at Santiago. This whet-
ted his appetite for more, and he left
this city four months ago to resume his
military experiences in the Far East.
Here are some extracts from the Lieu-
tenants letter.
Since my return to Santa Cruz we have
been having a rather quiet time holding
trenches on the south line. No active OPP
e~rations are going on south of Manila and
we have only a small force here, con-
shutting a very thin line, but we are
strongly intrenched. The insurgents are
in force in our front and are very close
to us: in some places they are only 500
yards beyond our outposts. They fire into
US every once in a while, especially at
night, but we do not return their fire
unless we see something TO fire at. It is
such a close country that they can get
right up on the outpost without being
seen. They usually stay in the bush for
a little distance and fire at random, do
ing very little damage, but greatly dis
turbing our rest.
you have no idea how ~fatiguing it is
to be under fire. at night especially. This
ping-ping Of bullets at unexpected NOM
ents is wearing on the nervous system.
Such has been our condition for about
eight weeks. 1t seems to me would give
more for a good Nights rest in a COM
Portable bed in some quiet place than
anything else / know of. l nave been
commanding a company for some little
time now. had command of one at the
fight at Santa Cruz. After that scrap
my company was detached from the re-
giment and detailed as a support TO a
battery, SD l had al independent COM
mand-
"A few days ago / accepted the offer
to become aide-de-camp to General Oven
shine. 1t is pleasanter than living in
the trenches. l awe a house to live in
in the little village of Pasay, where the
Generals headquarters are, a pony to
ride. and. Instead of knowing what is
| going on ia front of a company, have
a whole brigade to cover. II IS the same
position | had during the fight at Santl-
1--WE are not doing any active cam
paigning OF, this side at present; Al the
troops that can be spared from Manila
are north Of the city, where the main
part of Aguinalde ssforces are The IN
surgents have lost light after Hight, ana
have been driven back until now lneiT
San Fernando and San 1sadoro, and the
| idea prevails that no more advances are
TO be made owing to the rainy season.
Where we are, although only hVe Hslss
from the city, we have hard work get
| ting supplies over the roads They are
In bad shape, there is no railroad and the
ia permit boats to land. This very shat
lowness. while it binders navigation,
makes the finest beach for swimming !
ever saw We go IN swlmmiGs til
The water is absolutely CLASSY, but
| oftener there II a light swell The beacn
is perfection-not a stone ana very lsm
| ielly-ish, which give a nasty sung. Inc
beach is not more than five hundred
| yards from my quarters, ana lne view Is
| frirge1 with palm trees. the lights OF
| Manila in the Gista-ce, the ships at an
| chor nut in the bay, and the Deahiliui
sunsets beyond Corregidor Island make a
! nicture grandly beautiful beyond the
| hover Of words or brush to do fun JUS
tice to- 49, - 49,,
s4The Philippines are mucn netteT lnan
Cuba. but this peace policy in the otatesi
| will have It's bad effects upon the natives.
| They have been Dsed TO harsh treatment.
| from the Spaniards, and do not eompre-
bend kind treatment. It has TO be broken
TO them gently. They do not understand
| orr way OF caring for their wounded ana
| prisoners. | should hate to tail into IheIr
| hands as Captain Rockefeller did. l DO
not believe he will ever be heard of
| again" ~.
The second letter is from William Van
Buskirk. who also took part IN the CUBAN
| campaign last year. At the outbreak OF
hostilities in Manila he tried 70 get out
/ there with his old commander, but was
disappointed in this. He got there 5ps5
the same by going as a sailor: he wanted
| TO get in with the soldiers. with whom he
IS more familiar having served IN the
| regular army. and obtained his discharge
from the navy. At present he IS attached
| to the quartermaster's department at
| Calumpit. which is about forty miles
| north of Manila and fifteen south of San
Fernando. Van Buskirk writes that
| owing to the rainy season being on. there
Is very little doing in the fighting way.
He exnects to remain in the Philippines
after the war is over and go into bust