The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-09-01
Letter From the Philippines


Henry E. Cooper, a son of Bar
clay Cooper, living about two miles
north of Rising Sun, enlisted in
Battery G, 9th Light Artillery, at
the outbreak of the Spanish
American war. The battery was
lately transported to the Ppilip-
pines, with a stop over at Honolulu.
At the conclusion of the war with
Spain he was mustered out and re-
Unlisted in another regiment. AS
an inducement he was offered $500,
which included bounty and trans
portation money, and the offer was
accepted. Mr.. Barclay Cooper has
kindly loaned us a number of let
tiers from his son, from which we
take the following extracts:
We have just landed in Honolulu and have
not had chance to write before. 1t was Il long
trip across the Pacific, but did not get sensick as
most of the boys did. We did not get very much
grub the first few days, but are now getting plenty
and had great feast today. l never saw such n
pretty place since was born and would like to
stay here. Soldiers are just in the push here with
the natives and everybody else.
The next letter is dated TT. San
tlllpe, Cavite, Sept. 2, 1898.
1t took II days to come from Honolulu. We
got very rough grub on the trip, but made out on
pork ana beans which is what we had for break
last every morning. We sometimes got rice and
beans cooked together and filled up on that when
we got chance. Well, this is not II very fine
pihce where we are qualtered. We cannot see
~ yards III any direction for there are walls about
! 10 feet high all around the fort and we have to
stay inside like prisoners, for ii not safe to 90
up town among the insurgents as they will kill
spldler quick as u wink. We have about 100
spanish prisoners to guard. There were about 20
spanish guards killed at post near here IL short
tlhie ago by the insurgents, fellow has to keep
us eyes open all the time. We may have n chance
TO get some scalps yet would like to see Il little
hghtins for that is what enlisted for This place
Is Just across the bay from Manila, miles distant
mere are some sights in the harbor u number of
suhKen ships some OF them are piled together,
looking ike n pile OF old iron sticking up in the
wafer. Same OF the boys who have been over to
Manila say it is not much of a place.
Malate is the next station where
the troops were quartered and the
following extracts were written
from there:
The main thing they grow here is rice and
some tobacco, bananas, oranges and sugar cane
me natives FISH nearly all the time and live in
bamboo shacks. The first floor is generally about
iour feet OIL the ground and they keep their pigs
chIcKehs ana stun underneath. They all wear
wooden shoes and don't wear any clothing like
Americans, but just throw an old sack or ANY,
thlng else around themselves. Malate is about
TWO miles outside of Manila and isa nice little
pace. The street cars run almost from orr door
INTO Manila and it takes cents Mexican money
10 rde down. We use Mexican money here
altogether One American dollar dollar is
worth two Mexican dollars We are getting
Si36O per month. We may be mustered ont soon
but keep on writing until you know that lam on
the road home to the 6 barrens." hone to see
nome once more and if do get there will never
go to the Philippines again. There is no cider or
chestnuts on these islands. | wish YOU could send
me glass of cider.
"hen we got Strengthened out at Cavite we got
orders to go to the trenches, so we packed up and
were out iof II days. It,was n bad place where
we were, mud was knee deep all around ard
everything was wet and muddy all the time. but
no one got sick. for they fed us on quinine once
day. Some of the boys took their medicine but
lived without quinine before Joined the army
and | said could still live without It, so they
didn't get much into me. We had handsome
dinner ON Thanksgiving, roast pig bread pota
toes fine gravey, oranges, bananas, cigar apiece
and each man had pint bottle of beer at his
plate, present from our officers. The weather
here is hot enough for anybody, but everything
is green and nice.
We are now in lloilo hay ana are getting ready
To go ashore. The city is all blazing and has been
burning since ten this morning. The two battle
ships here commenced firing on the town this
morning and kept it up till all was on fire. The
big guns are still firing. Some of our soldiers are
already ashore and have raised the American
lag. If come out Of this all right I will write
you long letter. but there is one thing am
going to do and that is to do my duty and if
necessary to die like soldier.