The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-15
Exciting Experiences
in the Philip
pines.
HOW THE NATIVES FIGHT.
Hundreds Of American Sol :
diers Are Ill.


Corporal David Sullivan, the Worces-
ter. boy who divided his time the past
seventeen months performing the duties
of special correspondent for The Spy
and in using his trusty "Krag" on the
savage cohorts of Aguinaldo and his
motley crowd of Filipino followers, is
home again, as was stated in q recent
issue OF The Spy.
With the true instinct of a newspaper
man, he at once reported on the firing
line at The Spy office, where he was
given an ovation by his fellow scribes
and welcome home worthy of a man
who has fought both the sulking
Spanlards and the feet-footed Filipi-
nos. For the next hour the returned
hero had to keep his wits about him,
as he answered the questions that were
fired at his devoted head in quicker
succession than the Filipinos ever did
with their Mauser rifles. Sulli-
van is nothing if not modest and
he received all these greetings with
q quiet and unassuming air and an
swered all the questions put to him in
ab9it the same manner that he an
swered the fire of the Filipinos. He
used smokeless powder and placed his
shots well, hitting everything where he
aimed. for it. The questions that were
hurled at him would have phased many
another man, but to Corp. Sullivan
they We're all easy and were answered
as fast as they We're put. He showed
that his training as newspaper man
had stood him in good stead when on
his marshes in the island of Luzon and
the others in the Philippine group. Odd
little pits of interesting matter he
picked up and stored away in his mind
to be sent to The Spy in his letters.
His description of the Philippine ISL
ands of today and his impressions of
the various things of interest on the
island of Luzon make vivid word
picture of the Island, it's peoples and
their customs, not to forget the condi-
lions of the wearers of Uncle Sans
khaki uniforms who are upholding the
honor of this country in such an eX-
emplary manner in the far east.
In reciting his experiences, Corp. Sui
Ivan first recounts how he was smft-
ten with the war fever, and glows as
he thinks of his patriotic ardor being
raised to such aJpitch that he could
not do otherwise than to offer his serv-
fees to his country. When the first
rumors Of hostilities between this
country and Spain were bruited about
Corp Sullivan, then nothing but plain
civilian, wanted nothing but war, and
when hostilities did break out in earn
est, he quickly went to the front with
out any hesitation and straightaWay
enlisted When the call was made for
volunteers to go to the Philippines in
stead of to Cuba, Priv. Sullivan was
among the first of the soldiers to prof
fer his services, and he was assigned
to the Third artillery as private in
Battery K. He was with his regiment
when the latter was sent to Preside,
San Francisco, Cal
When Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt was
given command of the Philippine eXpe-
dition, and all things in readiness, the
Third artillery, with the Worcester
hero, went aboard the transport New
port at San Francisco. Maj-Gen. Mer-
rift was aboard the Newport, which
was considered the fastest transport on
the western seaboard Every pound III
steam that the boilers would stand, and
with forced draft, the fires in the PIT
roaring, the vessel put forth from San
Francisco for a record trip. The men
all seemed to be imbued with the en-
thusiasm which perVaded the boat, and
alb longed to be in the fighting That
they were sure would ensue in the Phil
ippines. All were in eagerness to get
to the scene of Dewey's great victory
and to show that the army branch OF
the service could do as well a 5 TIE ma
val arm. The trip over occupied but
27 days, and then after stopping at
Honolulu. At that time the isle of Hd-
wall was not included among our pos
essions, but all the soldiers, under COM
mand of Mai. Gen. Wesley Merritt paid
a visit to the palace, where President
Dole shook hands with all the mer.
The latter was delighted at the sight of
so many Of his countrymen, and treated
all in very hospitable manner. A
royal spread was served the men on the
spacious grounds connected with the
palace. and. the men dined on fare that
differed strangely from the bareback
and black coffee to which they were
used. That was the only stop that the
vessel made, and steam was again
crowded up and she proceeded to her
destination.
Then came the stirring times prior to
the capitulation of the city of Manila
by the Spanish forces. In those days
the American troops were the aillils oil
the Filipinos, and on the 4th and 5th
of February both the natives and Am
orleans made their memorable charge
on the outer works of the defenses Of
the city of Manila, with such brilliant
results for the attacking parties. After
the fall of Manila and its unconditional
surrender the American troops were
chartered in the city and had thor
ough ENJOYABLE time of it for awhile,
until thea outbreak of the insurgents.
It was during that respite from the
horrors 8of war that Corporal Sullivan
had an excellent opportunity to study
the conditions of the people and the
&Aauties of that wildly grand tropical