Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-26
THE TREACHEROUS TAGALS
Their Vindictive Attitude Toward the
American Soldiers.
Letter From a Member of Second Ore
gOn Volunteers. Whose Former
Home Was Georgetown.

The following letter was received recent
ly by Mr.. R. Emmett Smith of 1907 P
street from his son, Robert E. Smith, jr,
of Company G. % Oregon Volunteers, now
in the Philippine campaign, having gone to
the islands with the first detachment CT
volunteers serlt.
The letter was dated I'm camp at Santa
Mera, March 20, 1899
The writer says:
MANY of US have almost passed through
the jaws of death since last wrote, but
matters have been very quiet for the past
few days. Gen. Wheaton is organizing an
other flying brigade" and We will be in
IL The long-looked-f movement on the
insurgent capital will no doubt soon begin
Death. suffering and desoaraion are look
ing with baleful eyes upon the thousands
or poor F1iipinoS-men, women and children
on this unhappy Island. The American
volunteer is as generous as he is brave
and, while knowing that many of his COM
rades must fall. and perhaps himself in
the struggle about to begin. there is al
ways sympathy in his heart for the enemy
in distress. The faces of the women and
children have sad and woeful expression
and they will perhaps never learn the fate
of fathers. husbands and brothers.
we have only to go less than two thous-
ana yards from our present camp to find
thousands of well-armei F'tlIdnOs reauy
to give all the fight We wish When
the battle is Oh the native seems to be in
his e-emen-, and the longer this insurrec-
ton lasts the more proficient will he be-
come in the use of arms and the s.eadier
undo" fire. Those who think Aguinaldo is
a gutter can rest easy or uneasy iuss as
1t suits them; but many of us here do not
believe it of him. and think there will be
some desperate fighting, and insurre{>.ion
Tor owing tn ha baJ
Ing now existing against the Americans
All Had n Hot Time.
'Ail the regiments have had a hot time
and plenty to do since the 4th of February.
On the 9th Of this month a strong body of
Insurgents attacked Companies f and G of
the 1st Nebraska and G and X of the I'd
Arizona We Were i'll a pretty tight place
Tor while, and seemed to be surrounded
The lighting lasted seven hours until we
finally made charge right into their
trenches, ana, as is usually the case when
we close III on them. they got ratified and
retreated. Had they stuck to their trenches
our losses would have been much heavier.
ne insurgents are improving in their
Vol!ey firing. and their chief on our front
tSoi De Marania) says ne has a portion of
the best soldiers in the native army. Our
battalion was attached to the 1st Nebras-
ka for several weeks. We have been III two
very warm engagements with them, and |
think Col. Stotsenburg Of the Nebraska
regiment is one of the braTest and coolest
men ever saw, and the greatest leader Of
men in this army. He is cool-headed and
always ready TO lead and bear his share of
all our dangers and hardships.'
tCOl. Stotsenburg was killed after the
foregoing was WrittenI
when charging go in with a dash
and a hurrah, but the most important and
hazardous part Of our work is outpost duty
1t IS not only dangerous but aWeully lone
some. Last night the
pretty close and fired on an outpost [ had
charge of. We did not return the fire as
that would nave exposed our position We
were there to watch the enerny's move
ments, not to give information All the
commands are kept in close touch with one
another through telegraph telephone and
orderhes' as every camp and outpost is
ilap!e 10 an attack a any hour of the day
or night by the restless. active and game
little Tagals on our front.
Treacherous TagaIs
There is not much exaggeration in the
report as to the knitting propensities of the
native. He never misses an opportunity to
stick knife into American. We have
to keep him well covered with our rifle, and
even then he is not a safe fellow to have
around. We call a dead native good
Filipino In our recent movements every
house in the villages we captured had
white flag it. All kinds of white articles
were u7Stl-SlUCklHgS towels pillow cases,
sheets. table cloths, underwear. and, in
fact. any and every old thing, SO it was
white. Many times could not pay any
attention TO flags of truce, as the natives
violate them so often. They will advance
with white flag until within good firing
distance. when they open up on us and if
their aim is good down goes an American
There are all kinds of natives around Us,
armed and unarmed, some with dark uni
form. Other with white some in rags and
others dressed in a Incorporating black
material that at a little distance looks like
flannel, but when you get close it appears
to be cheap calico and looks like some
thing that has come out of a certain dive
house in dear old Georgetown.
The natives are the meekest people YOU
ever met, and the older they are the more
humble and cute they are. The insurgent
officers use the old fellows for spies and
you should see the old white-haired ras-
Gals come up to an American soldier. hat
in hand and all bows and smiles saving:
Much Amego-no combatee Americana
Troops Will Not Re-EnIist.
"All the volunteer organizations on this
island have willingly and cheerfully re-
sponded to every call made on them, but
from expressions often heard I believe very
few, indeed. will re-enist or remain: al
though ready at all times, as in the past,
to do their duty while here. We expect to
leave for home sOun as extended military
movements will hardly be attempted during
the hot and rainy season. 1 passed through
one and know what it is.
DISCUSSES GEORGIA LYNCHINGS,