The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-04-21
Another Manila Letter.

Last letter which will probably
be received from Chas. VanBus-
kinks brother, who was killed
March 18th.
Santa Anna, March 5, '99
My Dear Folks Il have just came in
from the trenches, have washed myself
and partially cleaned up and will now
proceed to remove any anxiety you have
regarding my welfare. am getting
along famousIy, feel fine and thus far
fortune has favored me | have not
stopped any Mauser bullets, but have
been very busy. We are now expe-
riencing some of the roughing OF soldier
life. "E" Co. has been in the trenches
eyer since the l4th OF Feb. l have not
been out quite as long myself, as | had
to stay in quarters on guard for several
days, but had to dig my trench and it
wasn't any fun either. My trench is
aboue by and had to dig through a
solid foot OF hard pan. tell you | had
some beautiful blisters before | got
through. | worked four days on it, and
just as we got things fixed up comfort
able Igot orders to join another squad
and SO all my work was for nothing, but
then it didn't hurt me any, in fact think
it did me good. believe would be
better man PHYSICAL Y had done more
hard work. manual labor, when was
youngster. Our trenches extend in a
zig-zag line in a Northeasterly direction
from Cavite 10 away beyond the Pasig,
covering space OF about seven miles.
Our company is on the left wing third Co
from the river and occupies very i'm.
portant position. We are subject to an
incessant fle during the entire twenty
four hours. We are just on the outskirts
OF San Pedro, SO we have been tearing
down the native shaks to fix up our
trenches. We use the sides and roofs to
cover our trenches with, SO we have very
comfortable little houses, minus the
sides. We are not doing any aggressive
work at present, simply laying in our
trenches for reinforcements to arrive.
1t gets quite monotonous, nothing to do
all day but dodge bullets, eat, lay fin our
trenches and listen to the music of sing
ing Mausers and bursting shells! 1
would have written while in trenches
but had no paper, and everything gets
SO dirty in the trenches that could not
keep any paper in presentable shape,
even if took it out with me. So l got
permission to come in to-day just on
purpose to do little writing. received
your last letter written the 10th of
January, just before l wrote you last.
1t is needless to say that l was glad to
get it. You know that l receive mail
almost every steamer now, got four
letters last mail. cannot answer each
letter separately this time nor tell you
half what would like to tell. haven't
the time. only have little while this
morning to write in, l must 60 on guard
tonight and tomorrow, and then 90
back to the trenches. Luckily 80 far we
have had no rain. l hope everything
will be settled before the rainy season
begins, because if it isn't we will be
apt to see some pretty rough service yet.
Lee Osborne was very seriously injured
last Wednesday afternoon. He was
sitting on the edge Of his embankment
when he was shot, the bullet struck
him in the back, passed through just
missing the heart. He will have hard
struggle, but l believe and hope that he
will recover. He was wounded in our
first engagement, Feb. 9TH so if he re.
covers he will be battle SCARED veteran
in truth! Co. "E" has had two other
men wounded since wrote last. Horn
shot through left ear and Waddington
shot in face. Waddington's wound was
ugly, but neither will prove fatal. On
the 18th of Feb. "E" Co. supported by
"H" went down into the woods and
drove the insurgents out. As the coun-
try is filled with caves and ambushes, it !
was a very nervy piece of work, and won
the admiration OF all Our boys do not
know what fear is! They answer the
to charge as they would the
call to mess. 1t was in this charge that
our two boys we're injured, a lad from
Oregon was killed, about 40 natives were
killed and 30 guns taken. The natives
have about one gun to every five men,
se just as soon as one of them drops