Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-02-13
SENT TO CALOOCAN.
Mai. Birkhaeuser Of the Forty-fifth
Infantry Writes to His
FAMILY

Infantry Writes to His
Family.
DR.. j. e. Birkhaeuser of Milwaukee
has received some interestering letters
from his son, Maj. Theodore K Birk
haeuser of the Forty-fifth infantry, U.
s. V, who left the city last Novem-
Der for the seat of war in the East, and
is now campaigning in the Philippines.
Writing on board the L. S. army trans
port Senator" under date of December
%, Maj. Birkhaeuser says:
Arrival at Manila.
Here we are at last in the far East.
We arrived last night at II o'clock. We
had fine trip from Honolulu. No rough
weather at all. Church was held every
Sunday and | was choir leader. AS most
of the officers are Episcopalians, we held
the service of the Episcopal church. We
are lying about two miles out from the
city, and the bay is full of all kinds of
about 100 yards, the Baltimore and
Brooklyn are anchored. while across the
bay, near Cavire, are the Monadnock and
Monterey and other ships of our navy.
About three blocks off are two British
warships. We are ordered out to Ca
loocan, station about seven miles from
Manila. | suppose. though, we will be
there only fer a short time and then go
farther out in the country. \ 32-day
trip on the ocean is nothing to sneeZe at
and you get awfully tired of the food.
However, l have gained about ten
pounds CT more. Over the bay, near Ca
wife, is what remains of the Spanish fleet
wrecks of several ships. The city, at
distance, looks quite pretty. 1t is awful
ly warm here: the persplration Is run
ming down my face, and some of us are
sitting around in our undershirts. 1t
doesn't seem much like Christmas wealth
The transport Hancock passed us and
signaled the death of Vice-President Ho-
bart. SO far L have enjoyed the trip
very much.
First Impressions.
Speaking a few days later, of his i'm
pressionS of Manila and the natives, he
says: This is the strangeSt town L
ever saw. and l have seen a great many.
The Filipinos as class, are small peo-
pie, but very treacherous. We all carry
our guns There are all kinds of people
herc-Chinese. japanese, Americans
French. English, etc. The city is closed
at $50 p. m. and nobody but United
States officers are allowed on the streets
1t is awfully warm here. | am wearing
my khaki uniform with the thinneSt
kind of Undertaking. and handker-
chief tied about my neck. The horses
here are little ponies. and the natives
drive their 'curameta' like fury, almost
running over people on the street. | was
over in the walled city of Manila today
and it was a great sight. You should see
the railroad cars. They are about ten
feet long and three feet wide
At Ca1oocan.
Writing from Caloocan. on Christmas
day, the major says: I'VE are at last en-
gagged in actual warfare. The headquar-
ters of the Forthwith regiment are To-
church is fortified by the regiment and
section of the Sixth United States ar
tillery, with two field guns and a gait
ling. My regiment now covers a line
about two and one-half miles long. We
have entertainments thrown up ali around
us, as this is the defensive line of the
city, which lies about four miles in our
rear The day [ got here, / had to patrol
or make reconnaissance toward where
the enemy's lines are supposed to be.
gong out two miles IN the country, and
then across the front of our regiment
two miles from it and back. This was
done IN the direction where Gen. Law
ton was shot two DAYS before. We ran
across number Of natives, but of
course they all claim to be amigos, or
friends. The insurgent lines lie farther
out, about ten miles at our front, and
there is a large number of our troops
out there doing business. We have
heard considerable cannOnading this aft
ernoon, but do not know whether it is
salutlng or our Warships bombarding
along the coast.
THE church where I have slept until
now IS a large, fine structure, and there
is Spanish blockhouse just outside of
a high wall around the church. which
was captured by the insurgents from the
SpanlardS who took refuge III the church,
which was, finally captured by the ma
tlves, the latter killing every Spaniard
IN the church. The insurgents held the
place until it was captured by our troops.
and great many Filipinos were killed
there. 1t looks like pictures l have seen
Of Just such scenes: Horses, cannon.
soldiers everywhere and shot and shell
holes through everything
1t IS very warm here. have to wear
the thinnest kind of clothing The water
around here is not good to drink, and
they bring it out in cans from Manila"
Pleased with Honolulu.
Speaking of Honolulu, he says: '"This
spot is almost a Paradise. Beautiful
petual summer. Today we (siX officers)
took carriage ride and went all around
the city. There are very many beautiful
homes here. Everyone has palms, pine
apple trees, banana bushes, cocoanut
trees and a thousand other things in his
yard. The people are greatly mixed. All
classes are to be found. Chinese and
japanese are here in large numbers.
Everybody, even the natives, seems
rich enough to ride. There are many
beautiful turnouts. The cocoanut trees
grow in abundance and are all full of
cocoanuts. [ wish everybody could come
to Honolulu and see the beautiful sights.
l saw Spreckels' house today. 1t is a
lovely spot, but the owner is away most
of the time. 1t is now five years since
last he was here. There is one thing the
people understand to perfection and that
is-to charge. My expenses for today, for
carriage hire, lunch, etc, were about So.
but l don't regret that. as saw a good
deal for my money. 1t was great fun
this morning. when our ship came in, to
see the Kanaki youngsters swim out and
dive for the nnnninS that 1un thrn1xr. r.,