The record-union., 1899-04-08

|
Fourth United States Cavalry, which
has been doing such active work at the
front in the battles near Manila. After
referring to personal matters the writer
says:
Ermita, P. l., Feb. 10Th.
! Dear Friend: When you last wrote
me that note you never thought for
moment that that note might arrive at
its destination but not find the. owner.
You never thought for a moment that
the natives were going to cause US boys
such trouble as they are causing us
now, but I was always of that opinion
from the day 1 landed in these islands
until it broke out (February 4th at $3.50
p. n) This was the day that we were
waiting for, for up to that day We SOL
diers were humbled by these natives.
Their officers got to wearing uniforms
similar to ours. The soldiers used to
walk past right alongside of ours, and
they would carry their guns loaded and
cooked. They would lay their guns
down on their post and walk right into
our lines as unconcernedly as if they
owned the whole world When they
wanted to get any money out OF the
boys, they used to say "Amaricano y
/
Filipino good friends): But as soon as
they got mad at us they then changed
their voice and would say: POGO tempo
Amaricano Filipino combate." Qn a
short while the Americans and Filipinos
are going to have a fighD.
They have no need of using the above
phrase any longer, for we are at it
already, and / think, to their sorrow.
| ffl1. fo,. t,er -af' Ions cf
1000 killed and as many more wound
ed, and about as. many prisoners.
must say that our Generals do not
want any prisoners, and when they
capture any they take their guns away
and get more guns Furthermore if
We catch any of their men wounded, 10
rid them of their misery we simply put
a bullet through their brains and send
them to their happy hunting grounds.
| They also have what they call sharp
shooters, but this title should not apply
to their men, for it is a disgrace TO
other nia1ksmen. They will shoot
away thousands and thousands of
rounds of ammunition and probably kill
or wound a single man. So far they
have put five of our officers to sleep,
dilu dOUul eighty HlGIl, anu Idpc
wounded at least 200 men. They have
not killed nor wounded me yet, but
this does not mean to say that 1 did
not have narrow escapes. 1 have been
fired upon by a whole squad Of natives
at no farther distance than a hundred
yards, and I was on horseback too.
About hundred of our companies were
along with me, and only a single man
IL
Four horses were wounded and one
killed. So far K and I Troops have
lost four horses and eight wounded,
but 1 expect. that before we get through
with the natives we will lose more-not
only horses but men.
The Fourth United States Regulars
are about the heaviest losers SO far.
They have lost fifteen men killed and
ninety wounded. They also have lost
one officer killed and four wounded.
The First Washington Volunteers are
the next in line, but they have been on
the firing line ever since the 4th inst,
while the Fourteenth lost their men
only in two days fighting. Still, during
these two days fighting the regiment
killed at least 500 natives.
Most of the fighting now is being done
in the First Division, First Brigade.
The First California, Washington and
Idahos belong to this division and con-
sequently areo kept very busy. The
Fourth Cavalry constitutes the right
flank of the First Division but the ma
tives have not made break yet I
do not know the reason why, but kind
of think that those little short guns of
ours are considered by them to be able
a
ways off. Our guns are sighted at
2O00 yards The natives did come
within a mile Of our trenches, bul they
did not venture any closer, and we
would not waste any ammunition at
such a range. Next day the Fourteenth
sent out company of about fifty men,,
and the natives were laying for them,
and opened fire at about 200 yards. but
they only wounded three of their men.
Still. had the cavalry not gone to their
assistance they claim they would have
been annihilated When a native is
shooting I'd rather be the man he is
shooting at than be about 200 yards
| in the rear.
Our station at present is at Ermta.
but we belong to Pasey Pasey. l and
K Troops are kept pretty busy chas-
| l1lS HdllV6S lllSlut VI OuA iiiAS', Ioi liiSs
have been setting quite a few houses
on fire, but the damage they have been
doing is to themselves and not 20 the
! Americans. In most cases we help
their work along, and every native we
see running away we take shot at
him and bring him down. Why, the
city is simply deserted by the natives,
and only Americans Spaniards and for
eigners can be seen walking the streets
| of Manila. The natives have all gone
to join Aguinaldo.
| Two days ago the First California
caught native priest just in the act
Of putting on the robes after a skirm-
| ish, and consequently he was just rid
died with bullets.
I AS the Scandia has arrived with the
Twentieth Regulars, we expect that we
will make q little advance on the na-
tiyes. and as soon as the other regi-
ments arrive, which will be in about
month. then we expect to follow the
natives into the hills. But as it is now
we are simply holding the lines. as our
firing line is at least fifteen miles long
and it takes more than 10000 troops
to hold such a line. This does not
mean to say that there are only 10000
soldiers here. but there are at least 1000
at Ioilo, about 2,000 in the hospitals,
about 5000 in Manila, and Cayite has
about 1900. Our officers are bothered
over the situation, for the report Iob-
tanned from spies Is that the natives
49, ,,,oce;per aro,,nd MaloIOs Maiab0n