Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-06-07

LETTER FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Interesting Statements Of Fights-Insurgents
Heavy Losers-Albay Volcano.

A gentleman in Walhalla has lust re.
coived and handed TIE COURIER for
publication tho following letter from tho
Philippine Islands, written by All Oco-
neo boy:
ALbAf, p. L., April 2, l9OO-I writo
you u few lines to lot you know that
am in tho Philippine Islands.
enlisted in tho U. S. army at Ashc-
vile, N. c., on tho l4th day OF Soptcm-
Dor, 1899, and went from thero to Camp
Meade, Pa.
From that timo until the I'd of Novom-
Der was in Camp Meade. On tho I'd
of November wo left for Now York,
where wo arrived on tho 3D., and went on
board tho transport Thomas, bound for
Manila, p. l. The Thomas sailed on the
4th of November stopping on tho way
at Gibraltar, Malta, Port Said, Sucz,
Colombo and Singapore. At these ports
had tho privilege of going ashore. We
arrived at Manila on tho 22d of Dcccm
Der, 1890.
On December 24th wo went on board
| small boats, called ciscos, and were
taken up the Pasig river to small vii
lage, Tagwig by namo. We wore quar-
tered in large church, and stayed thcro
until the 18th of January. On that dato
we woro carried back to Manila, and
boarded the transport Hancock. The
Hancock, with six other boats, including
tho gunboats Nashville and IIelona. pro-
ceeded to Sorsogon, a city on tho south
eastern point of Luzon, a place where
American soldiers had never been. We
arrived thoro on January 21st and landed,
the insurgents, about 1875 in number, re-
treating without firing gun or taking
their flag.
On the evening of tho I'd tho excite
ment began. We were ordered to be
ready in fifteen minutes to board a
steamer and proceed to takc the city of
Legaspc. aided by tho gunboat Nash
vile. We arrived tho next morning lust
after daybreak, and, as we entered tho
haroor, We saw we were against tho real
thing. Tho insurgents began firing on
us with rifles and artillery. Then the
Nashville began her great work, turning
part of hor guns on the artillery and
part on their trenches, then all you
could 800 was negroes and dirt The in
surgcnt force consisted Of about 5000
men, well armed. We made the landing
i'll about two hours under a heavy fire
from the trenches. The moment we
reached land the boys charged with a
! YELL and in few minutes nothing could
be seen but American soldiers. We were
then ordered to take tho two inland
towns of Albay and Garaga, which we
did after sharp fight at each place.
Aftcr We had succeeded in taking tho
threo towns troops were left to hold each
place.
Our work now began. Wo had about
100 negroes to bury. We piled them in
their own trenches and covered them
with sand. In a few nights the insur-
gents that rctrcatcd under our fire re-
turned with strong roinforccm mcnts and
burned tho cities of Albay and Garaga,
with the exception of tho churches in
which we were quartercd. Tho attack
was made about thrco o'clock in the
morning. Our troops did not leave the
church, but fired out Of the window
~ great many who were wounded and
could not escape the flames were horri-
bly, burned.
The next morning an awful sight met
our gaze. There were about 200 dead
and burned negroes, some of them
nearly shot to pieces.
Since that time We have taken seven
towns and cities, thrco of them being
scaports. Nearly every town cost hard
fight.
Gen. Powow, in command of the in
surgonts, seeing he could not fight sue
ccssfully against the Americans, camo in
and surrendered, stating that ho had
lost 500 men. Our loss was seven men
killed and several wounded.
At tho present timo everything is
quiet, but there arc more insurgents
only a few miles from hero.
About four milos from this town is the
Volcano of Albay. 1t was in eruption
from March lst to tho 18th, and is still
smoking. During tho eruption it was a
grand sight to view, such rs | never OK
pcct to see again. At night the volcano
was, or looked to be, covered with fire
and lava boiling hot, and the town was
so full Of ashes that no one could hardly
scc twas supposed to bo rather dan
gcrous, but tho lava did not reach the
town, so no ono was hurt by tho orup-
ton.
The town is full Of Cinnamon, who
wear their hair long like tho Walhalla
girls. God bless thom! | mean the
girls, not tho Cinnamon.
| must close.