Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-20

nave perhaps bean saved with better care
ana hourlshment.. Such is war, however,
ana those who go into it ought not to
sfu1nbie over their, condition
Prisoners and VaIuabIes.
THE regiment entered Manila 600 strong
ana We're the first troops inside the walled
city. One battalion of the regiment was
left at Cavite, and COMPANY F. was sa-
iected by General Merritt as his body
guard. We We're, 4 believe, the only Amer
leans inside the city for part of a day and
one night and got no sleep for two DAYS
and nights. We left Cavite with two days'
rations and the sea was so rough we had
10 wade through the surf to reach land and
Tor three or -four. days provisions could
not be landed for us. We were in a strange
city with enemies inside and out and. by
report, here is what we got and guarded
treasury vaults containing $gDO,0GO; thou
sands of prisoners. LOCO stand of small
arms. 1000 swords and knives 100 service
able field pieces, a few of them being fine
Maxim rapld-fring pieces; 5000 900 to 1900 =
ooo rounds OF ammunition for rifles 300 tons
OF powder. number of fine buildings, in
Guiding excellent machine shops for re-
pairing artillery and small arms.
some of the Spanish regiments who were
on duty inside the walled city had never
seen the trenches. were dressed in Snowy,
fauitless uniforms and carried arms of
the latest improved pattern, striking con-
trast to the uncouth looking Americans in
forms. with old Springfield rifles in their
| hands These thousands of naughty we'll
equipped and weii-disciplined Spaniards
tameiy admitted 600 men within their walls,
impregnable to infantry, turned over to
them millions of dollars worth of property
and meekly presented themselves as prison.
ers of war. This is what done by one
American regiment at New Manila, or the
city inside the walls. The other regiments
had their hands full fighting and taking
care of the Spaniards on the outside of the
walls and keeping the insurgents cut OF the
city.
1--WE are now two miles out, between the
city and the insurgents, and have to be
watchful and strict all the time. We can
only get two hours leave in any one day
when off duty. | was on duty a short time
ago at the great Manila magazine, and
post where two of the 18th Regulars are
said to have been wounded We had strict
orders to shoot to Kill any one approaching
from a certain direction or trying to cross
the beat About > o'clock in the morning.
with a pretty good light from the moon, L
saw u native sneaking along to break the
guard They are as quick as cats, and can
scale Il wall like a cat. l fired and missed
him, but the report of that old Springfield
raised tumult far and near, and soon the
reserves and soldiers were rushing around
in all directions. Old soldiers know what
a noise the Springfield rifle makes when
fired off in the stiffness of the night.
There does not seem to be that true,
| unselfish comradeship in the ranks OF the
Spanish army that there is among Ameri-
can soldiers. The Spanish soldier, indlVidu-
ally, is not coward nor is he ungrateful,
but he has been miSerabfy treated by MS
officers and his government, and 1t Is no
wonder he is disheartened, and at times i'll
natured and SO willing to surrender, in Or
der to get back to his native land. The
Spanish soldier is to be pitied. not con-
demned and derided."
Camp Full of Rumors.
A second letter, written a fortnight later,
| more fully describes the life Of the Ameri-
can soldiers in the Philippines. Extracts
from the letter are as follows:
1.-THE camps are full of rumors of con-
templated movements of the forces here.
and it locks as If there was trouble ahead
of us and plenty of it. L see no reason to
change my previous statements as to the
insurgents intention to fight if they are not
given their independence. We are on duty
very often, and a. soldier has to be at his
best at all times, for we are subject to
call at any hour of the day or night, and
| it now looks to me as if the insurgents
must either give UP their arms or fight. 1t
Is said that recruiting for the insurgenr
army is going on briskly, and that their
recruiting officers can be seen at CaVite and
outside New Manila at all times. There is
no telling now when we Will be ordered
home. l do not think it will be hard to
govern large majority of the natives,
but an American soldier has no business
| ment in this country. Several of the 18th
Minnesota were badly cut UP few days
ago in trying to arrest some natives. The
natives resisted and would not surrender,
but started to run, when the sergeant of
the guard fired and hit one of them in the
leg. He dropped, as If dead, and when the
boys leaned over him to see where he was
hit, he suddenly sprung up and cut the
sergeant and two private soldiers very bad
ly The sergeant was game, however, and,
although desperately wounded he killed
the native before he could get out of range
| OF his gun. Seven of the gang were cap
tured, but We could not recognize any of
| them as belonging to the parties which
have been giving us much trouble. These
people fight with knives. and the first thing
| for an American to do is to take distance
and cover the whole outfit with his gun,
and order them to throw away their weap-
ons, and If they Will not do so. then shoot
| to kill
The recruits for regiment reached
| here the 2:sd. We were glad to see them,
and on Thanksgiving day gave them grand
cinner, consisting of oyster stew, roast
chicken, mashed potatoes, potato salad