Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-04-05
Among the Philpinos.

Among the PHILIPPINES.
MANILA
February 2, 1899
Dear Sister: | will try and write you a
short letter this morning, although do
not feel very much like writing. Trouble
was expected last night with the insurg-
ents and of course we were ordered out
and slept out in rice field on our
arms. That was the only exciting
thing about it as we did not have any
occasion to fire and all is quiet today
although we are under orders to be
ready at moments notice. We may
have skirmish some day but it has
been this way SO long that most of the
boys think not.
am well with the exception of bad
cold and this sleeping out on the wet
ground won't do any good to me. Guess
] will have tolay off while after the
trouble is over.
The most interesting question with
us at the present time is when are we
going home but guess it will be some
time yet, and may be longer than we
expect. am ready now but would
rather be mustered out here than to be
sent home
L don't know any news here that will
interest you in the least, but suppose
any old thing will be acceptable. went
through the native burylng ground the
other day. 1t is the one where our boys
are buried. The natives and Spaniards
bury their dead in vaults and so long as
their relatives pay for the use of the
vaults the bones are allowed to remain
there, but when they cannot pay, they
are taken out and thrown in a pile a.
one end of the burying ground. You
may imagine what pile of bones there
is. Some of the boys had their pictures
taken amidst these bones and it makes
a great looking picture.
| Some OF the boys have a monkey in
the room and are having all kinds OF
fun with it and a looking glass.
/ W. iiao IpitC q 5CdlS lclS luSI Wcch
when two of the boys came down with
the small pox. They did not belong tc
our company but were in the same
room. One has the black small pox.
have not heard how they are getting
along but persume all right. There
has been several deaths in the regiment
since we arrived but none IN our com
pany. One of our boys had narrow
escape this morning. He was in the
hospital, when the steward, in taking of
his belt, in some manner dropped hi
revolver and it was discharged and thu
ball grazed his left cheek and took Off {
portion of his ear. 1t was indeed mar
row escape and he will never forget it
February 10, 1899.
am going to finish my letter of some
few days ago and let you know that
am still alive, although was in one o
the hottests fights of the war. No on,
ever imagined that these natives would
ever have the courage to make the figh
they did. 1t was SIMPLY awful, and tn,
way they were killed Off was somethin,
terrible.
The Americans also had quite nun
Der killed, only one being in our com
pany, but about dozen in our regi
ment. You will have seen full account
in the papers before this reaches you
and would wait until it was all owe
were it not for the fact that after tn
next fight ! may not be able to iinisl
it. A big battle is going on now abou
seven miles from here and we may b.
called out at any moment AS to gu
last fight, our company had a position
on the right of the line supporting tn
9Th. artillery 10 the left of us wer
the other companies of our regiment
and the Idaho boys. The fighting a
. Block House Eleven was done mostl,
by thesetwo Regiments and the Flip
mos lay dead by the scores in front o
this block house. | was with our sec
ond Lieut. at the knoll in front of tn
! big guns and while there were all kind
OF bullets flying around near us, non
of us were hurt. In the morning Gen
Anderson sent for us and sent us acros
the field to drive some native shar]
shooters from their huts and it wa
while engaged in this that we had tn
warmest time of the day. Maybe tn
bullets didn't come close and prett
numerous, enough to make any on
afraid but we didn't have coward il
the crowd.
] know thatby this time you have re
ceived all sorts of letters from me ant
will certainly write the Democrat if
can ever find the time. When you writ,
tell me all the news as you did in you
letter. Tell every one that | am wei
and unless the unexpected happens tina
soon | will probably be home.
One may be able to make money her
but he takes his life in his hands wheI
he goes away from his company and
don't think care for any of it in mine
i want to get back to the states, ant
after last Saturday, would never trus
a native, for those near our barracks