La Junta tribune., 1900-06-06
,w...,sv.se ,srvse.
Curtis Shelton chro~Ieses setssssuag
Msppsaines In lusoa.
CABANATuAN, LUzON,
April ii, 1900.

FOLKS Al HONE. - Under che
burning rays Of tropical sun ones
thoughts inadvertently turn toward
the mountain breezes of Colorado
Simple a matter as il seems to
think OF home, it is quite another
thing to muster up ambition to
write.
We have been in this town since
January 3Ist and garrison life is
already becoming irksome. To be
sure we have our daily routine OF
duties to attend and plenty to eat
but after the novelty Of a place has
worn away soldier (and esp.c-
tally volunteer) wishes TO be on
the move. This is proved by the
trouble given the officers when a
patrol or scouting party is ordered
out. Nearly every one able TO
walk wants to go / will not say
every one, as there are laggards in
every organigation1 and as only a
few are wanted, it is hard matter
sometimes TO select the detachment
Understand that after tomorrow,
the 22nd, any armed native will be
considered '.ladrone" or robber,
and treated accordingly. This
means that instead OF taking their
guns and turning them loose as
heretofore, they will be tried and
probably hung. This. in my own
humble op MON, is the proper thing
to do, as it only requires short
acquaintance with the natives to
know that they treat all kindness
as an evidence OF weakness and
cowardice. The only way we get
along with them is by treating all
in the same manner and making
that manner stern and pre-emptory.
This may be denied by the ''gran-
MES" who are crying out against
.'this cruelty to the poor Filipino
but the fact is that the gentleness
in handling the insurrectos is what
prolonged the war-if such it may
be called Being, as we were, at
the head OF the column, with Law
ton on his northern expedition in
November, living off the land and
sleeping in any house where we
could get out OF the rain, we Of abe
Thirty fourth had an excellentrop-
portunity to observe their charac-
teristics. It was his firm do-as-I-
say-or suffer disposition that made
the natives respect that fearless old
general and led Aguinaldo to so
persistently seek his life. "Aggie"
well knew what the result would
be if such man as General Law
ton remained in command.
The "ladrones" have been show
ing unusual activity in the last few
days. Wednesday night two
armed natives tried to slip through
the picket line. They got tool
close to guard and the result was
that we were awakened by three
rifle shots in quick succession and
the next day had two "gugus" to|
bury.
The nexf night we were startled
from our sleep by a pistol shot
about Fifty yards from band quar-
ters. We were dressed in a jiHy
and were just ready to investigated
when we seen the officer of theI
day, young lieutenant, coming
down the road, and the guard con-
sisting Of twelve men, coming up,
They met in front Of our quartersl
and the officer said: "What ID |
|hll did you turn out the guard
for, only shot at dog" Thai
sergeant said some pleasant things.
and the next day the Lieutenant
was sorry he shot At the dog and
will probably be more careful in|
the future.
The wagon which brings us fresh
meat was fred into last night. The
driver was shot through the foot, n
mule through the neck, and tho
wagon full Of holes, but we got our|
meat lust the same. lennon. bet