The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-18
ALL KINDS OF RUMORS
Many Montana Troops Are Anx-
ious to Return.
lHE LIFE Is REPULSIVE
A Letter From Manila, Written Before
the Beginning of Hostilities- Some
of the Resources Of the
Islands,


Twin Bridges, March ia number
of letters We're received this week from
Manila, and among others the following
descriptive one was received by Post
master Pease from Sergeant Fred Rog-
ers, his old Butte friend. The letter IS
quite lengthy and says in part:
Il think | have waited about long
enough for your letter to have been
written and mailed. and so l will an
swer it before it gets here. l take it
for granted you have written, but our
mail service here is so irregular we
can tell nothing about the time of ar
rival or departure. We are still here
and liable to stay for some time vet
from present indications. There are all
kinds of rumors afloat, but we can find
no foundation for any of them The
most encouraging of anything we have
so far heard is that there are a num-
Der of regiments now on the road TO
take our place and, If this be true, we
have a chance of seeing home some
time. To the people in the states this
kind of talk sounds like Inconsistencies,
but 1t is not; it is more Telling of dis
content AS you know, a majority Of
the Montana command are men who
left lucrative positions, and great
many who left a business and they
naturally would be anxious to return.
The life here is one that is repulsive to
any man who has the least bit of am
biton. But l think | wrote this in my
last letter and promised something for
this one.
No doubt you will be surprised when
l tell you l have quit smoking cigar
cites, but it is a fact; | smoke nothing
but cigars now, for they are cheaper
The last box / bought contained 500 and
and are equal to anything in the states
which would cost $50 thousand The
500 cost me $3.50 in Mexican money or
$2.25 in American gold. That is what I
call dirt cheap. The cultivation of to-
bacco is one of the main features of tho
Islands, and with 'abacca' or Manila
hemp and cocoa oil from the chief arti-
Giles of commerce. Rice ir; cultivated on
every island of the group and with FISH
Is the principle diet of the natives. Pork
is the prevailing meat, which seems
strange for a hot climate, but hogs
thrive from the filth which the natives
are too lazy to clean up. The cattle
here are all small and peculiar sys-
den-the female side of the family is
never allowed to be worked, and other
customs relative to the male leaves
peculiar race of animals and has the
effect of spelling the horse family. In
Manila you can count all the horses
over 500 pounds on your fingers. The
carriages of course are built to suit the
horse and altogether make a neat ap-
pearance.
n q Y.n nj Gn, Sf Ia
is called the cool season. During this
season my dress consists of light satin
shirt and light duck pants and shoes
and a light straw hat. Only a few wear
underclothes, and they are of the light
est make. One of our luXurieS is to step
under a shower bath when we get too
warm. l take an average of three baths
in "a hours and think l will be clean
when / get home.
Every six days my company goes to
the outpost just outside the city limits
and the other day had an experience it.
will not forget. The whole city is
guarded on the outside by a system Of
outposts to protect the city from any
surprise from the insurgents and also
to stop any munitions of war being ia
ken to the insurgents camps, which
are just outside the lines, and in most
places in sight of them. AS I said, my
company was on one of these outpOsts
when suddenly several insurgents came
up with arms and demanded to be let
through into the city. AS this was
against orders the men refused to COM
ply Herewith and brought their guns
to a charge. The insurgents fell back
but a little ways and We're joined by
about so, all armed and acting in a
very threatening manner. There We're
only six of our men now facing so in
and one of that number had
to be sent to the support for reinforce
ments. AT this time it was discovered
that the insurgents were closing in on
of cutting off retreat, but the messen-
ger got through and the balance of the
1T once deplOyed for action.
The five men had orders not to shoot
except in extreme cases and so began
to slowly retreat so as to join the sup
port and gain time for the reinforce
ments. This lasted for some time and
things looked very serious, for now the
insurgents had about 800 in sight and
the devil knows how many out of sight,
when the reinforcempnts asked for
came upon a run and the natives fell |
back. Thus ended the Battle of the |
cross Roads without a shot being fired, |
he only blood being shed when ONE ser |
yeant scratched his cheek on a thorn |
This is the nearest the Montana regi- |
nent ever came to fight. and still we |
nave the name of being the best fight |
ng regiment on the island. So much |
or personal size and much talk. We |
nay be good fighting regiment, and |
t is natural we should be, as we came
rom Montana.
Well old boy, would like to see you
Igain anyway, army or not ! am stu |
leeping my good health and think / can
ret along for awhile yet, although there
S a great deal of sickness among the
men. The Kansas and Tennessee regi-
nents are losing quite a number from
mallpox. Remember me to my friends
nd give my regards to the doctor and
irs. Pease, Hart and Mrs. OWsley, and |
eserve portion for yourself. Just
write line or two.
ct. NJ. ROGERS,
Sergeant Company f, LIST Montana In
fantry L. S. A, Manila, Jan. &C.