Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-13
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. J. A. DeGEH.
Written Upon Arrival Of His Regiment Il
Manila.

Rev. and Mrs. q. +. Degen received
letter. Monday. from their son. Lieut..
j. y. Degen of the 35th Infantry. in
the Philippines. This was the first
news they have had of him since he
sailed from Oregon several months ago.
The letter is dated Nov. 9, and it tells
nothing of his service. for it was writ
ten before he had landed from the
transport in which he sailed across the
Pacific. His regiment has not been
heard from since in any of the reports,
either. though Adjutant General Rich
ards finds from his Army and Navy
Journal that it is not far from Manila,
and it is believed they have had no
serious fighting as yet.
Lieutenant Degen wrote a brief let
ter. sections Of which the Journal gives
herewith. lie was in a state of I'M
certainty, for they We're ordered ashore
to go to point about 80 miles from
Manila. and their destination as well
as the entire condition of the war,
We're unknown to them. He had, how
ever, received word OF the Transvaal
war and the victory of the Columbia
The following is the extract from the
lieutenantS letter:
L. 5. Transport Sikh.
Manila, Thursday, Nov. 9, 1899. l A. NJ.
Dear Mother: We are in the Balm
gan channel. north of Luzon, at day
light. Sunday morning. We kept with
in 10 or u miles of the coast all the
rest Of the way down. The whole
country is very pretty. with rugged
coast and mountains rising quite high
short distance back from the shore.
Here and there we could make out
small houses among the trees. and once
in a While Il small village on the shore.
Tuesday afternoon, we met two trans
ports and a gunboat. going north with
caScoS in tow. We found on arrival,
later that the 33ri We're on board Of
them. but their destination is il secret.
probably Lingayen. We passed Cor
regidor at $50 +. NJ. Tuesday, ana
came to anchor about four miles off
the city, little after s. The Rio, With
the rest Of the regiment. came in at
that afternoon. The Valencia. which
left Honolulu Il hours ahead Of us, ana
which We passed. last Wednesday,
came in about midnight and anchored
just behind us.
At daylight, yesterday morning, We
with the rest of the fleet. The Balti-
more. still in her war paint. is just
ahead of US. We can see just enough
of the city to rouse our interest. only
two or three officers went ashore, and
= they went on business We did not
get much news. We are just month
behind the times. All the news We
have is that the Columbia Won the
Yacht race. and that the English have
lost TWO regiments and a battery i'll
the Transvaal We did not even know
whether there was war in the Trans
vaal, though we guessed it,
We 60 ashore at s this morning, To
take the train for san Fernando. north
east Of B.color. From there we march,
in the same direction. to AraYat, on The
Rio Grand". WE don't know how far
il is from here or from the front. As
near as Ne can figure it out. it is about
50 miles from Manila, 50 il must b.
pretty near the front 1t is quite pos
sible that we are to help effect
junction with d force from the north.
We know too little of the situation.
however. to form an accurate opinion,
and by the time this letter reaches you,
YOU will know where and why we went,
and what we did.
Too sleepy to write any more and i
shall have to get up in three hours.
With love to all,
Affectionately