The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-06-08

fine descriptive tone about the follow
ing letter, lately received by Mrs. A
F. Judd:
Manila, p l., May Z, 1899
My Dear Friends: If there is any
thing that cheers a wounded soldier,
it is a letter of friendly sympathy, and
yours arrived two weeks ago When
/ received it, | looked at the envelope
and thought, well, here's a letter from
mother; | wonder how she managed
to get it here so soon? You know, no
matter how big boy gets, as soon as
he gets into trouble, the first one he
thinks of is mother.
This didn't happen TO be mothers
letter, as hers came later; but L assure
you, yours was none the less welcome,
with it's message of sympathy, and
kind proffer of hospitality. / know
that you will be glad to know that
have passed the convalescent stage.
and although not in condition for duty.
run all around during the day, and
spend my time as please. You have
undoubtedly read the full description
of the fight at Malabon: but every SOL
der likes to tell his tale, especially
when he can show scar or two to
substantiate it.
Malabon, it is admitted by ALL was
the Oregons' fight, as our regiment did
some of the hardest work of the cam
paign there, and incidentally made
one of the most spectacular charges of
the war. l was not with my company
in the fight, as l have, for the last
seven months, been on special detail
in the regiment cOmmissary depart
ment. On the day of the fight. word
came in that ammunition was needed
and that special bull train" would
have to carry it out to the trenches.
Immediately was placed in charge, and
started with the train to cross the
fields and get the shells to the front
How | ever reached the boys in
safety | don't know The fight was
raging furiously, and bullets We're
sweeping over the battlefield like sleet
in a storm, and the air was ringing
with the musical 'jurg' of the Mauser
and the heavier swish of the Rem
ingtons.
This may seem slightly exaggerated.
but you can Judge for yourself how
thick the balls were flying, when three
struck a box of ammunition that | was
unloading before | could place it on
the ground, and | didn't drop it any
too gently, as | was expecting every
moment to hear it explode.
Well, shortly after | arrived, the or
der came to charge the next trench,
and the boys, with a fierce yell, start
ed on a run with death across an open
field, of 800 yards, with a cross fire
from three directions converging on
them.
Boys We're dropping so fast that the
hospital corps could not take care of
them, and when a man is wounded
every minute is precious. and he
should be taken Immediately to the
dressing station. | couldn't see the
boys lying there under the tropic sun,
| helpless and suffering, without going
| to their assistance, and so | made
| nine trips, bringing in a boy each time,
exposing myself each time about fiji
| teen minutes to this fire. There were
| five trenches to take, and | followed
| the line from trench to trench. and at
| the last trench, while going for a COM
| rade from my own company, | received
| the shot that nearly eXtinguiShed the
| vital spark The ball entered my left
| cheek about two inches below the eye
| SCATTERING the upper jawbOne, and
passing out, with a number of teeth
| for company, through the right cheek
| My mouth was terribly lacerated, the
| doctors extracting thirty-eight pieces
| bone ten days after the battle, while
| only yesterday a tooth was removed
| from where it was imbedded directly
under my right eye. | was a terrible
sight, and my best friends. including
| Maj Cardwell of the General Hospital
| who was our old family doctor, failed
to recognize me when brought in.
| | am, however. almost fully recoy-
| cred from the effects of the wound
| which, unfortunately, has left me
| slightly disfigured, until l can get tC
Gods country" where surgical den
fist will remedy all this, and George
will be his old self again.
We boys, who have been in the hos
pital, have none but words of praise
for the noble work of the doctors, anC
above all the nurses, whose cheerin:
words and smiles. and wOmanly sym
pathy, will never be forgotten by an!
who lay helpless beneath their min
istering hands.
| have praised my own regiment a
they deserved; but it is only justic
to the boys in blue and brown to sa.
| IndI every itSiLutul VI JiAS ' OiutlOtVi
: on the island have fought hard an
nobly. and 10 the credit of the Amer
lean arms.
Trusting that this war will soon END
and that on our way back l am priv
LEGGED to meet you all again, | remain
very sincerely, your friend.
GEORGE SPICER.
Co. z. Second Oregon Volunteers.