The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-13
LOSSES SINCE FEB. 2ND
THE REGIMENT REPORTS THEM
AT 225 MEN.
MUCH SICKNESS AMONG THE VOLUNTt ERS
Suffering from Thirst at MaIoIos. Fresh Troops
Moving from Manila to the Front.
These are to be REPLACED by
Troops Newly Arrived.

Troops Newly Arrived.
Manila, May S.-Nia Hong Kong, May
l2-The First regiment Nebraska vol
unteer infantry is taking the usual step
of respectfully petitioning the division
commander. Major Macarthur. to tenn
porarily relieve Them from duty at the
front The regiment is badly exhausted
by the campaign in which it has taken
an active part, and not many more than
800 men of the organization are at pres
ent fit for duty. On Sunday last 100
men of this regiment responded to sick
call.
The men, in view of the facts, have
prepared respectful memorial to Gener-
al Macarthur asking that theil regiment
be withdrawn for IL short time from the
fighting line, in order that they may
recuperate. The memorial states the
men are willing to fight, but are i'm
no condition to do so owing tos the strain
of long marching. continual fighting and
outpost duty in which they have been
engaged. 1t is added that many of them
have been unable to have their clothing
washed for months, past. having been
compelled during all that time to sleep
N their uniforms. TO be in readiness for
lighting. The memorial AIDES that since
February End. the regiment has lost
225 men in killed and wornded. and 80
since the battle Of Nfalolos.
Inc officers of the regiment propose
to preser. II similar memorial on behalf
If the men. The splendid record of the
First Nebraska in the entire campaign
and the tone of the memorial prepared
ny the men are such. that no :mputa-
ticn Of INSTRUMENTATION can he brought
against them.
Officers of the regiment said TO the
correspondent of the Associated Press
here to-day that they thought the men
had been worked beyond endurance and
should be given IL rest. and some of the
regular regiments which are now guard
ing the city sent to the front.
Five volunteer regiments and the
Utah Battery of artillery are at San
Fernando. They muster i'm all about
2.o00 men. Many of the soldiers are
i'll hospitals.' suffering from the heat or
other causes. The wounded were all
suffering acutely and showed the effects
of exposure to the sun when they ar
rived. Three days rest has already
worked wonders.
Since the army entered Malolos the
soldiers have had little water to drink
except that which was brought on rail
road trains from Manila. and that was
of poor quality. The astesian wells at
San Fernando are doing much toward
making the men c0ntented
FRESH TROOPS TO THE FRONT.
Manila. May 12-4:2O p. m.-Fresh
troops are beginning to go to the front
Two battalions of the Seventeenth in
fantry tregulars) that had been holding
the lines about the city of Manila. will
join Major General MacArthur's division
at San Fernando tomorrow, and one
battalion of the same regiment will re-
infOrce Major General Lawton's division
near Bac0lor. These troops will be re-
placed here by the Twenty first infantry
regiment. which arrived from the United
States on board the transport Hancock
yesterday.
Captain Grant of the Utah battery
whose success in managing the army
gunboats Laguna de Bay and Vadonga
has won for him the sobriquet THE
Dewey of the Army" has been put in
command of the recently purchased
Spanish gunboats whose arms the in
surgents captured These vessels are
now being prepared for operations on the
rivers and along the coast. The re-ft
ting and arming of the gunboats is being
pushed with all diligence.
FILIPINOS ASK BETTER TERMS.
London, May IA special dispatch
received here today from Manila says
that the Filipino Congress now sitting
at San Isidro is composed of 56 mem
bers. of whom twenty favor peace and
an equal number are irreconcilables.
The others. holding the balance of
power, are ready to admit that abso-
lutte independence is hopeless of at
tainment, but demand better terms a
the hand of the United States than
those offered.