The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-28
The Philippines.

Subjoined is another interesting letter
from Frank II. Foster, company A, battal-
ion engineers, United States Army, to his
father r. l.. Foster, Newark, N. j.:
L~-. MANILA, Philippine Islands,
May 8. 1899.
Conditions here are unchanged. Fight
ing is still going on, although Aguinaldo is
negotiating for terms for the surrender OF
his army. AS no one believes in the sin.
cerity OF the man, the outlook is doubtful.
However, II he does surrender, 1t will not
end there, for IL Is evident that he does not
have entire control over the armed natives,
who will continue to commit depredstions
until they are stamped out by a strong
civil government.
To what extent this campaign has been
planned to surround the insurgents do not
know, but that they have not been cornered
is known and regretted by all. Our lines
are expected to enter San Fernando today,
but no severe fighting is anticipated as the
spirit OF the insurgents 1t ems to be some
what broken, and their army appears to
decrease instead OF increase in numbers as
they fall back upon their supposed re.
sources. Our lines are delayed consider.
ably by the lack of supplies, due to the de-
struction Of the railroad bridges near Cal
umpit. The number killed and wounded
daily does not seem to decrease. The army
is now getting 30 far away from the city
that detailed accounts OF the operations are
70 be seen that since the first days battle,
February B, the insurgents have been acting
on the defensive. They are very careful
not to attempt to enter or hold position
from which they cannot readily retreat, and
also delay our advance by well placed lines
Of entertainments, constructed so far in
heir rear that as yet we have not been able
to reach a position in which they are not
we'll fortified
The destruction of property by the insur-
gents still goes on, and more thoroughly
now than formerly Previously the army
had been able to forage, and acquire con-
siderable food, such as chickens, ducks and
hogs, which were found In some places In
abundance. Lately they have left abso-
lutely nothing and their destruction of rail-
road property has been nearly complete.
1t is plain to be seen that there are educat-
ed men in the insurgent army, and that in
the light OF their own plan of campaigning
they are TO degree successful, although
they are losing very heavily and can only
meet with defeat in the end. AS for our
own army, our soldiers cannot be too high
ly praised for their bravery, steadfastness
and endurance under great suffering from
heat and sometimes lack of rations. On
account OF the smallness OF our army it
would be a difficult task to perform any act
of master generalship, and as the facility of
movement OF our troops cannot be compar-
ed with the rapid retreat OF the insurgents
it will require larger force on our part to
accomplish what might properly be expect
ed were the conditions OF the two armies
more nearly equal. The only hope of the
insurgents now is to prolong the warfare as
long as possible, which policy they are
carrying out to the best of their ability, and
no doubt that from their own point of view
the result IL very satisfactory.
III General Otis succeeds in securing a
peace in the near future. he will accomp.
lish feat which no one here expects, and
/ hat nnN p,a1, 4
surely receive, the highest praise. Among
the generals in the field, Lawton seems to
be the idol OF the soldiers. Although he
has not engaged in any battles yet, he has
accomplished the purpose OF drawing the in-
surgents from their entertainments with
| out giving battle or the loss of life. In the
amount OF ground he has covered the diff
culties he has met and overcome, he has
displayed generalship that stamps him a
pronounced success.
| Barring the heat OF the sun, the coun-
tries yet to be overcome are not as favor
| ably conditioned to our purpose as the
ground covered by our troops at the pres
| ent time. What the conditions will be in
| the rainy season is all conjecture. although
it is certainty that the war will proceed
| with as much vigor as ever; also that the
insurgents will be at disadvantage as we'll
~ ourselves, and probably more so, for we
are better able to contend with the ele-
ments than they are. Although we may
not cover as much ground in that season
We will very likely meet with less resist.
lance. The insurgents, by destroying their
| houses and property and driving their own
| people before them, cause no inconvenience
| to us; in fact it is very much to our advan.
| tage, for II this were not already done il
might in many cases impose the annoy.
ance and stigma of doing it ourselves. This
| will also impose upon the insurgent army
the obligation of feeding their own combat
| atlantis from their own supplies in the rear
| or permitting them to starve. In either
| case the result is likely to cause friction be.
tween the insurgent army and the unarmed
nations, and possibly create a serious up.
| rising OF the latter, which is not imminent
| Just now.
The war must be prolonged to time far
| into the future, but the final result, in any
event, will be the same. With every al
vance OF the army the country presents
new features which strengthen belief in the
great resources and possibilities OF the
island. The climate is not unhealthy. The
| mornings and evenings are delightful, al
though the heat in the sun, in the middle of
the day, is intense. In the shade it is al
! ways cool and breezy. However, excuses
In any form cannot result in anything but
disaster. The army hospitals here are,
without exception, models. They seem to
be based upon the saying Of Napoleon that
"the individual soldier is everything in i'm.
portance," for he receives all the attention
and skill that is known to the profession
They are grand monuments that do honor
to their projectors, their conductors and the
American government.
Major H. B. Foster, now on duty in the
city, Is filling position that requires exp e-
rienced and capable officers, and in my