Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-04-19

ing our desires were gratified and from
then until about ten o'clock it was one
continuous roar of musketry, inter
spersed with the louder roars of our bat
terry.
During the darkness the insurgents
held their own, but as soon as 1t was
daylight, land you cannot imagine how
long that night seemed to last), and our
boys had the order to advance, the
enemy began to retreat, leaving their
dead and wounded behind. This retreat
soon became panic, and had our boys
only been able to pursue them they
would never have stopped going, but
after chasing them for six or seven
miles the boys became tired and stopped.
Our headquarters were moveo from
our old quarters to Santa Anna and are
still there, although we are about five
miles further at the present time
Since that time our regiment has been
constantly on the line, being confirm
ally under fire, and every once in awhile l
making an advance into the enemy's !
country when their sharp.shoot,rs be-
came too numerous or too bold.
Only the other day we advanced into !
Itlo MINUS III AAOhp Va oo
and drove them from their position,
killing nearly fifty while our loss was
only one man killed and three wounded.
This was very good but awfully hard
on the boy killed.
| In the first engagement our loss, all
| told, was tifty-fou killed and over two
| hundred wounded. Since then several
more have been killed.
Our company has been fortunate,
only having one killed and two wounded,
but that was more than enough. AS to
the insurgent loss it has been estimated
at from three to four thousand.
always wondered what would do
under fire, but cannot say that l felt
the least bit nervous but l always had
an inclination to dodge, and even now
when we are, to say the least, slightly
accustomed to being shot, you can see
us going through all kinds of motions
when a bullet goes whistling over our
heads, although it may be fifty feet
high.
i War is indeed . terrible thing. can
! not recall the scenes l witnessed upon
the battlefield without shudder, and
to tell the honest truth we'll wish that
it was over and we were on our way
home. Still with the arrival OF fresh
troops it will be only question OF time.
and it is rumored that even now Aguln-
! aldo is suing for peace at any price,
+ and it is to be hoped that it is so, for we
cannot help but lose quite number OF
7 men the next time we go after the in
, surgents to drive them out OF the woods
in our front.
j OF course one would never tire in
telling what he did or saw upon such
and such a time, but will leave all this
4 for some future time when l find &C.
. casion to write you again.
/ must say that the Democrat is a
most welcome caller when it comes, but
' for some reason or other, l have missed
S three or four copies. This is probably
due to some fault in our postoffice here,
g connected with our regimental head.
quarters, Still, whenever it does come
IT ia almost as welcome as letter from
home.
remember in my last short letter to
9 YOU of having promised fuller descrip
J. ttion of the city and its various inhab
itants. 1t will not be out of place fol
f me to add few words about this inter
1t esting town and its curious people
It Situated on the Pasig river and Mantle
y bay, it has most advantageous posi-
is ton as regards commerce. The city
e NAV be divided into two distinct parts
or Old or New Manila. Old Manila, o.
b as we call it, the "Walled City" is en-
tirely surrounded by two massive walls
e These, before the time of modern artil
n lery, afforded the very best defense
from all outside parties. This walled
g. CITY was the chief stronghold of thu
IS Spaniards, and it is there you find thu
Spanish and insurgent prisoner, unde
s. American guards.
y The most interesting portion of Ma
Mia is the new town, and even this, will
d it's narrow dirty streets and tWo-stor.
3, buildings is not the most pleasing o
u sights. True one sees some very prett.
le and interesting sights but they canno
re remove the more numerous ones tina
d. are loathsome to the eye. The people
A. that is the natives, are lazy indiffer
i. emf class. but still they are in some re
s. spects, a very shrewd people. The.
8. fully realize the value of American
1t money, and they charge three or fou
times as much now as they use to dur
4 ing the Spanish rule. They are expert
in the act of begging but when you asl
for q banana they expect you to pa.
for it or anything you get.
They seem to learn to speak Englisl
very G:lickly, much more so in fact
than we acquire their language. l
nj will be some time when we come HON
r before we will be able to rid ourselve
t. of some of the words that today w
er use almost constantly, especially whel
If talking with the natives. Their prin
,e cipal foods are rice and bananas.
ID Bananas are found in large qaahtitle
At all over the Islands, where they groy
10 wild. The natives live mostly upol
', rice, however, and in this respect the
T. resemble the Chinese, of whom Their
are quite number on the Islands.
le The natives have very little time 70
IN the Chinese, and most of their numer
IN GUS attempts to burn Manila have beel
ut directed to the Chinese quarters.
fit The Chinese inhabitants of Manil
r. are quite interesting. Most Of then
are thrifty, as can be said of them i
to all places, but they are also very grea
10 thieves, taking anything that they ca
ly lay their hands on, from dresses an
n jeweley down to old rods of iron tina
lie one could see no earthly use in takin
d. away. Still Mr.. "Chino"' will max
n use of them in some way or other.
n n town is known as "The Escolta,, and
10 is on this street that you find most O
I'd street you find stores conducted b
ID Spaniards, Jews, English, German
N Americans ana Hindoos. The India
t. stores are by far the most interestin
&c and these people are more than mate
ID for the Jews in conducting a sale. A
r, a result one can hear of sales at all kin
v. OF prices, for if you try long enough yo
st can usually buy at almost your ow
a. price.
70 Well guess l had better finish thi
letter and try and send it by the mex
as mail, and then will try and write 20
" again after our next charge. Wit
at best wishes to all my friends.
At / remain as ever,
10 JAMES MCCARREN.
!: GEN.LAWT0N RETURNS