The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-12-14

GulGUINTo, P. l., October 81, 1899.
EDiTok News HERALD AS l have
been receiving your paper regularly, will
drop lev lines for publication.
We .it Frisco" May 30lh, 1899,
aboard 'be United States Army Trans
po,t G,ol,, which is splendid boat. In
eigh, na,s We reached Honolulu, H. l.,
wbe'" ". remained three days coaling
up. II is lovely place and tbe short
stop WIS enjoyed by all. Then We
steamed out for Manila.
The night of June 23d we passed
large volcano in eruption. 1t was
grand sight and there we're but few
aboard who had ever witnessed such
beautiful sight.
June 2Sth we arrived in the harbor OF
Manila but remained on board until
July lst, when we went ashore in canoes.
Then followed a three mile march to
to Malate Barr acks, where We remained
until July 9th. From there we marched
to where Caloocan once stood, u distance
of five miles. Here We pitched our
tents and began experiencing the lives
which real soldiers live. 1t began rain
ing shortly after we reached this place
and continued for eight hours Thesec
ond night was put on outpost duty about
half mile from camp across ravine
1t rained so hard during the night that
when morning came the ravine WAS
swollen go we had to swim to get our
breakfast. Here we remained with water
over our shoe tops for over a month.
Our next move was 10 Guiguinto,
where we are now stationed My first
experience in real battle was August
IA, 1899, when we we're fred upon about
two o'clock in the morning OF course
we at once turned out bare headed and
bare footed and began pouring volleys
into them. This caused them to soon
"vamoose." By ten o'clock that day we
had driven them to the mountains, q
distance of about seven miles. Company
IF" was pretty trembling crowd for
the first few volleys, but soon cooled
down and called it sport, laughing and
talking as they advanced. Since then
we feel perfectly at home in our trenches
pouring volleys from our "Krags" at the
"gugurs."
On the 18th of this month "F" Com
pany's railroad patrol we're surprised
within thirty yards of an ambush aud
outnumbered about four to one. The
"gugurs" began youring volleys into US
before we were aware of our position.
We at once fell beside the track and an
swered their volleys, which soon caused
them to retreat. Only two Of our patrol
were shot The enemy have proved
themselves to be very poor msrksmen.
They do little damage except keeping US
up from three to five nights every week.
There are many queer sights in this
country especially during rice planting
season. The caribou, better known as
"water buffalo" is used for drawing the
the plows. They are kind of water
animal and must be kept wet while at
work. The rice is planted during the
rainy season, otherwise the caribou could
not be used. Water is always plentiful
in rice fields and as the men walk along
they keep one foot busy kicking water
on the water buffalo while plowing with
them. The women do all the work in
the fields except the plowing.
In the cities Spanish ponies are used
to draw the csrremets and what few
buggies are used. Most of the freighting
is done by the women on their heads as
the "niggers" in the South do.
The people in the interior are very
ignorant and don't know what shame is.
When children under twelve years OF
age have as much as q bamboo hat they
are in full dress.
Tropical fruits Of all kinds grow here
in abundance the year around. All we
can see from our camp is cocoanut, ban.
anana, mango and bamboo groves.
think the people in the States have
entirely the wrong idea about the eli.
mate here. During the day the sun
shines hot, but there is always cool
sea breeze which makes it nice for
marching. The nights are always cool
and you can sleep comfortably under q
government blanket. Health in general
is good and most of the boys are perfect.
| ly satisfied and don't seem to care to
come home before the rainy season,
which is long way off.
Duty is tolerably light. We catch
guard every other day and there is q
march every day. As We have to mount
guard "poco tempo" will close for this
time. LOUIS FAHRLANDER.
Co F, IL U. S. Infantry.
Paid Dear For His Leg.
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