The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-30
BACK FROM PHILIPPINES
HARRY w. EssMANN's EXPERIENCES
IN THE LATE CAMPAIGN.
Holding Back Death Rcturns-Otis
Very Unpopular, but Lawton Is
Idolixed by Soldiers.

perlences as a soldier in the regular army.
He enlisted in the Third Artillery July q,
1888. at the Indianapolis recruiting station.
was sent to San Francisco, from which
place. after a stay OF two weeks, he was
shipped 10 Manila His experience on the
transport. according TO stories he heard at
Manila, was a much pleasanter one than
that OF some OF the other soldiers sent 10
the Philippines. When he landed at Manila
the war with Spain was still on. and he.
with his regiment. acting as infantry. being
without field pieces, took part In the assault
and capture OF Manila. Along with the rest
of the soldiers. he did police duty in the
city until the night of Sunday, Feb. 5. when
the first outbreak OF the insurgents occurred
just beyond the outposts stationed around
the city In the direction OF Caloocan. The
firing began at 1870 o'clock and from that
time until the fall or Malolos, Essmlann and
his companions were constantly In action.
The back OF his discharge enumerates the
different engagements In which he took
part They include all the different fights
as given out in the dispatches from the
Philippines at that time Before the battle
OF Caloocan, Essmann. with squad Of his
companions. captured the first Filipino pris-
oner taken by the American forces. He was
WHAT Is kuoWH d. dulSO. ne HdO 10
arms and was with the insurgent army as
laborer to throw up trenches and do such
other work as was necessary. The Third
Artillery was the first regiment inside of
Caloocan and pulled down the Spanish flag
from the railroad station and ran up an
American one In its place. This work, ac-
cording to Essmann, was done while the
temperature averaged Us degrees. and on
81 rcd
155. A squad of soldiers from Essmann's
regiment. while in Caloocan. found a num-
Der OF ten4nch siege guns, which had been
buried by the insurgents before they left
the town. They were eighteen feet long and
the same day. found $4,000 in gold, also
buried in the street This find. however.
was not exploited and was not generally
known until some time afterward, because
OF the severity OF the discipline forbidding
the iooting OF the towns occupied by the
American troops. Several OF Essmann's
friends several days later showed him rolls
of money amounting to 5000 each. indicat-
ing that an equitable division of the spoils
had been made.
OTIS VERY UNPOPULAR.
Shortly before this Essman had passed an
examination a frst-class gunner and was
made q corporal. He continued In this ca
pacity until the fall Of Malolos, after which
his regiment was withdrawn from active
service and simply occupied the town as
garrison In discussing conditions in the
Philippines Essmann said that the losses
in the different engagements We're heavy
and tremendously exceeded the numbers
given In the official reports from Manila.
According to him there Is no secret IN Ma
Mia that these returns were held back In
many cases for several months and that
many Of the bulletins being received at the
present time announce the death of men
who were killed months ago. At the time
Essmann left Manila he said there was lit
tie or no fighting going on, but the bulletins
were sent out just the same, with the idea.
he said. Of not alarming the country by the
receipt OF news OF the death OF a large num-
Der OF men at one time. Essmann said that
General Otis was the most unpopular man
In the Philippines At present, and that on
the contrary, Generals Lawton and Funston
are idolized by all the enlisted men. He said
that on several occasions he had heard
army officers discussing the policy OF Gen.
eral Otis and condemning him for not al
lowing Generals Lawton and Macarthur to
well In hand
On one occasion, Essmann said, while
nando. General Lawton had the Fillpinos
completely rounded up" and In shape for a
complete capture had achievements been
sent to him when asked for. He was able
TO maintain his position without the rein
forcements. but could not make the neces-
forcements. however iaWton ra a tive rem on
oers 10 abandon his enterprise and did so to
the disgust OF not only himself but the
that IL was generally known and commented
on freely that General Otis had never been
on the hiring line and knew little of the ne
cesslties or the strategic work required in
carrying on the operations of Lawton and
Macarthur He was also accused by the
men OF favoring his own regiment, the
know how he received his discharge. He
said hs did not apply for II, though anxious
70 return home. but he was informed at
this country, and he is under the Impression
that he owes II to Governor Mount.
BEvERIDGE ADVISED OF CONDITIONS
He left Manila June 5, with several trunk
loads OF relics gathered in different parts
Of the Philippines. On his way home re
visited Hong-Kong. Shanghai and Annoy.
In China. and Nagasaki and Yokohama in
Japan. He sailed TO San Francisco from
Yokohama. While on board the steamship
Esmeraida. going from Manila to Hong
Kong. he met Senator Beveridge and Mrs.
Beveridge. and during his talk with Mr..
Beveridge ascertained that the latter was
fully advised OF the real conditions of things
IN the philippines and deplored IL. He said
the principal complaint In the Philippines
came from the volunteers. who have cheer
IuiIy done the most OF the work In the cam
paign At great disadvantage. The insur-
gents. Tor the most part, are armed with
Mauser rifles. which will carry a bullet eff
fectively at 1900 yards. while the volun-
teers, except twenty-five men In each COM
pany. are compelled TO use the Springfield
rifle. which will not carry nearly so far,
with the result that. in assaults, the Amer
leans are shot before they can get within
range Of the Filipinos. He says ii is the
nrm belief OF the soldiers that the govern
ment could furnish Krag-Jorgensen rifles
IL 10 chose. and that IL would do so II Gen
Otis would bring II 10 the attention or the
authorities.
Another source OF complaint from the SOL
diers is that the army rules and regulations
specify that on a soldiers discharge he
shall be given travel pay from the place
or discharge 10 the place of enlistment This
according TO Essmann. Is entirely ignored
at Manila. where volunteers are regularly
discharged and given travel pay only FROM
San Francisco 10 whatever point they were
enlisted at. In this way soldiers are COM
PEELED 10 pay their fares from Manila 10
San Francisco. which Is a heavy item many
times taking all the money due them FROM
the government. AS an alternative. how
transports. which few OF them remembering
their voyages 10 Manila. will accept. In
addition 10 this the army rules provide that
for every twenty miles travel a soldier IL
entitled 10 one days pay and one days ra-
lions. which In EsSmann's case amount 10
the government. ESsmann brought many
interesting relics from the PhiliDntnaS Hc