Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-15
From Far Away Manila,
MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,

MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,
Jan. 81, 1899.
Dear Sister:
1t has been some time since l have
written you, but have been very busy
and when not busy, it has been so aw.
fully warm that l have not felt very
much like writing.
l am supposed to be on fatigue to-day
but happened to get an easy job and SO
got through early, and will spend the
time in writing to you. 1t is quite
warm here now, but they say that it is
nothing to what it will be along in May
or June. Nearly all the boys in our
regiment are well, there having been
but one death since we landed but sew
eral are quite sick. AS far as 1 am
concerned / am feeling fine and 1 am
getting fat Never felt better but
am getting very tired of army life and
wish it were over. Our captain told us
a short time since that we would soon
be ordered home, but hardly think so
for we have only just arrived, and were
it notl.for the fact that some of our
high officers are in trouble, know that
we would have to stay. They cannot
send us home any too soon to suit me-.
Two weeks ago we were paid, and
you shouldssee' the stuff the boys have
been buying since to send home. 1
bought me big trunk, the largest in
the company, and when come home /
will have all sorts of things. You
know that American money is worth
just twice as much as Mexican and
Spanish money, and as we received two
months pay, we had nearly all 1.-THE Span
ish dollars we could carry. / have a
lot of truck; Shawls and hankherchiefs
and l will have lot of things for you
when get home, but won't tell you
all till l get there and let you judge for
yourself. Most goods are very cheap
here and if l had more money 1 would
bring home more than l will probably
be able to do as it is.
don't think / will be able to get q
discharge here if the regiment is order.
ed home, for understand that all must
go home.
There will be good chances to make
money here as soon as everything is
settled but at present it is impossible
to do anything or get into anything
You see we are not allowed outside our
lines, and almost all the chances tc
make money are in the interior, 80 al
present one cannot do anything but
wait.
IT l can get my discharge here as
intend to do, if possible, will Try ant
get into something here OF else go into
the interior.
As to our work here, some of it il
very disagreeable and some pleasant
We have to do out post duty at al
times and while it is divided among thu
different companies of our regiment
still 1t comes quite often. During thu
past week we have been expecting {
battle with the insurgents and we wer'
called out two nights to go out to thu
front. We stayed all night, and slep
on the ground. The last time we wer'
out it rained all night and you can i'm
sgine what crowd we were. W.
could not move, and had nothing t,
cover us but small rubber blanket
You should have heard the boys cus
but that did not make it stop raining
and when we came back in the morn
ing we were muddy looking lot cal
tell you. | persume that is the neares
we will ever be to battle and while
don't care SO very much still | woulC
like to have just few shots fired jus
to see what would happen.
| Well am going to town and will try
and finish this tonight as the mail goe
tomorrow.
Well, we have had another scare.
short time since rebel Lieutenant wa
killed by the Americans and yesterda.
they thought trouble might come of i
and so we had to stay at home and un
der marching orders. Well guess I will
close for this time with love and hes
wishes to all,
Your brother,
JAMES.