Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-09-07

1eAefcf aVpe yoa are DetAer IN
health. AZ I have nothing to do, II
viii try and write Jon another letter.
We are nov on the north line and
have been holding II a month. Every
thing is very quiet; the rainy season
Il on and there win be no fighting
during the rainy season. think they
viii give up before the end OF IL, as
they have nothing to eat.
On the firing line means 9 good
dosl 10 the American soldiers; Il
means that while Jon are on the out
post you have sleeping under your
protection several thousand soldiers.
In the west Of San Fernando We pro-
rect about nine miles In length, the
Seventeenth Iowa and several other
regiments guarding the other lines.
We are now just 500 yards from the
enemy. They r too cowardly to
attack ne, a. we have the finest set Of
trenches on the island; they were
built BY the enemy and they know
them.
We are holding the line where the
terrible slaughter took place. The
enemy, led by q priest, came up to
within 100 yards Of our men, who laid
low until the command WA given to
ere, when the boys in blue poured .
true vollsy into them. killing hundreds
and wounding many. Those who
were left ned; very few were left to
tell the tale. We will do the same
thing II they viii only come up, for
the Twelfth United States Regulars
consists Of fine, strongand brave men,
with the finest set OF officers who
ever commanded any regiment.
l will speak in reference to our
brave captain, A. o. Ayres, one of the
best men l ever knew. We would
follow him anywhere and be is one Of
the finest drill-masters the regiment
has.
Let me speak OF the brave China
men, as they should all be respected,
for they do noble work on the hring
line. In the islands Cinnamon are
numerous, most OF them working for
the government The Chinaman has
been an important factor in rendering
service to the United States army in
the Philippines. he has with him his
buffalo cart, which has been the
means by which supplies (includ-
ing rations and ~ammunition) have
not only reached the front, but he has
In most cases kept in the immediate
rear OF our troops as we advanced.
The work accomplished by them is
something wonderful and the loss Of
sleep they a undergo seems impos-
sible. Let the advance stop for a
moment and the Chinaman proceeds
to gather something for his or to eat.
The care taken Of this animal Is the
finest possible; every time a stream is
crossed the animal 10 taken out and
given a bath, thus being refreshed to
continue the journey. The Chinaman
also proves his value TO the army by
his work in connection with the hoe
pItal corps. II has been the custom
to have the wounded carried to the
rear BY Cinnamon, each litter being
transported by two of them and
guarded by two. He seldom shows
any fear while near the firing line, nc
matter how thick the bullets ara fall
ing around him. l will tell you an In.
, cident Of the advance Of PAranaque
June 10-11, 100. Our battalion wal
coming TO the real from the firing
line, when / saw a party carrying I
wounded soldier who had been sho|
through the thigh and they had q
cross an open space exposed to thu
enemy's fire. had stopped and wal
taking care OF my dear friend ant
comrade and the Cinnamon carried
their burden to whers I was sitting;
told them to hurry on to their desti
nation with the wounded mar and Il
return to me as soon as possible
THE Chinaman receives one Mexican
q dollar a day for this work and nees
fear no competition outside OF hi
own countrymen. I viii never speal
hard OF the poor Ohinaman, for h
did me q good turn, carrying my com
rade two miles, and It was awful hot
It but 1t did no good, for he died in m,
d arms. The boy / knew In privat,
life and we had been such clos
friends, only to lose him on the battle
field His death was only q poo
= soldier laid to rest, but to me IL wa
!, like o brother; l must brace up, a
our captain told me, for g soldier Il
supposed to have no time to grieve.
Well, I have been IN the servic,
eight months and l wish that It wal
!. over, not that I am Dissatisfaction
never 60 into anything with my eyeI
olosed-and II the question was left Il
! me whether or not to hold Use Islands
! l would say yes, for they viii be a biz
thing for the government; whether II
will be for the people is Jet to be told
The Filipinos can't hold out much
longer, for Aguinsldo has said be
knew he could not whip the Ameri.
can army, but that he would worry us
but I see 10 is worrying his army mors
than rs. he attacked one OF our lInsl
, Just a short time ago; I had to stof
, everything, az the bugle sounded
E "Fall In" and everything was topsy.
turvy. / had both shoes and leggIngl
on and my gun was TO clean; l had
inst come on guard and vas too tired
to do anything, 80 l wasn't much Of
soldier, was II We got back to quar-
tiers after a few exchanges OF shots
. and YER no worse OF for the little
excitement.
III Well, Mr.. White, / an too hot tc
1 hardly breathe and will take 9 plunge
into the river. With love to Mexico
: and her people, for there lie no place
J like Mexico, and she deserved the
! State Fair, I win close.
Yours Truly,
FRED. LUcKIE,
Company D, Twelfth Infantry.
The County Money.
The County Court ct lie meeting