The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-08-23

Dear sister:-We are more comfort
able and easy than when / last wrote
you. Our company is doing the pro-
vost guard in this city, there being no
armed force near here. There are six
companies here and and valuable sup
plies. 1t is intended to make Candaba
base of supplies for further opera
tions after the rainy season is over.
Our rations are towed across the
river by an armored gunboat which
makes daily trips We are getting
soft bread and fresh meat.
At daybreak we heard terrific firing
in the direction of San Fernando where
the rest of the 22nd, 18th and some OF
the 9th regiments are.
Rains a good shower every night and
each time longer and harder than be-
fore, The river is very muddy and we
have to drink it as our we'll was con-
demned, many OF the boys were having
terrible cramps. Boiled river water
was nearly as bad. Ihave been on the
sick report four days, but am on duty
again.
Orders just came for days rations
for every man. That means the ma
tives have gathered somewhere near
and we are needed. Hold yourselves
in readiness to go, at moments
notice" )" when a fellow is writing and
thinking Of home, these orders knock
it all to the four winds. II we go l
will probably lose all my writing ma
terials and l hate that, it's so hard to
get. Later-Only an attack expected /;
will sleep with our shoes on. in readi-
ness; it's good news to remain here
and rest and let them attack.
The beno drink is a curse. I have
never yet seen native the worse for
it, but our boys, if they drink it, it
nearly kills them. 1t is made from
the refuse OF cane sugar and favored
with something like caraway seeds,
There were barrels and barrels of the
poisonous stuff in every town and city
we took, but only few drank it. A
sharp lookout is kept for beno vendors
fakd Aif caught are tumbled iato the
guard house. 1t tastes like mild wine
and greenhorn will drink it as such
but only once. It's effects are wretch.
ed. One man at Balinag nearly died
and since recovery is not the same.
When on one Of our long marches the
native guide led General Lawton fouI
miles out OF the way, the general
threatened to shoot him, but every
soldier inwardly thanked him. We
were in the foothills Of the mountain:
and stopped for dinner and a wash-uT
at swift, clear little stream. II
seemed pity to dirty it up. We had
started at daylight with a canteen oi
warm water to man and it was after
2p. m. when our part Of the long line
struck the stream. believe our mer
will carry the memory Of that stream
many years from now. For two day
the whole command marched in fill
with hankers away out, going in thu
direction Of large mountain. There
were rumors that it was fortified. W.
called it Aggie's mountain.
One morning our part OF the com
mand reached the top Of high foot
hill. We could see the long line TO
miles and miles in front and rear. l
looked like rope winding around a
the extreme front and rear, only al
occasional flash from new tin cup, a
the sun struck it just right, would in
dictate that the long line was anything
alive. General Lawton is every inch
soldier and can put confidence ant
courage into men, making them willinI
to follow him to certain death. He
very tall, wore a white helmet an,
was mounted on fine large horse, H
looked commanding. Whenever dan
ger was reported from the front, b
telegraph, or the human telegraph
the mounted orderlies, it would not b
a very short time till Lawton woul
come out in front of his staff an
mounted escort.
Later-0ne Of the pleasant thing
, here are ants, three or four kindi
A large, lazy, black kind smalle
black ones that travel in lines in sue
number that they make trail like
: rope dragged through the dust. The
I carry grains of rice. The third kin
are on wood fences, in the houses, an
scamper all over a fellow at night i
bed. After awhile one does not min
them. l prefer them to graybacks, tn
latter thus far are not here. A fourt
kind is found around manufacture
: stone-a little red ant, and when OF
gets on fellow the little william wi
= stand on his head and wade right ii
y 1t poisons like bee sting. They al
scarce.
> Many of our boys are black as IL
> natives.