Arizona republican., 1900-07-30
SCOUTING WITH FUNSTON
A Patriotic Letter From a Soldier of
 the Rank and File.

Andrew J. Hartzell of Glendale has handed in for publication the following long letter from his brother, George c. Hartzeil of the Thirty-fourth United States volunteer infantry but who has for some time been engaged in scouting with General Fred Funston. The first part of the letter gives a good descrip- tion of the trials and hardships of the rank and file in the Philippines, the suf- ferings they endure and the dramatic interest that attends a guerrilla war fare made necessary by circumstances.
 The latter part of the letter Is devoted to comments that ought to make any man proud of the American soldier, wherever he may be found. It is bub- bling with patriotism, considerate Judgment, and an appreciation of the necessities of the situation. His re- marks addressed to the so called hu- manitarians and anti-expansionists should cause those of that ilk who may chance to read the letter, to crawl off in the dark and hate themselves to death:
 San Ysidor, P. l., May IS.
 Dear Brother; This is lonesome day, and I will write you a long letter, The rainy season is just commencing The rain is regular every day and plenty of it. Really 1t is more pleasant now than when We had no rain. for it was so dry, dusty and hot. The fruits have a very fine flavor at this season of the year.
 I hardly know what to write. do not know what would be more interesting than one of our many scouting trips. We never go in large numbers, usually from ten to fifteen, but sometimes have detachment of cavalry with us; have on two or three occasions had as many as sixty or seventy men, but We went far back in the mountains, where ru- mors said, there Were still large bodies of insurgents. but rumors are always congregations. Soon after I wrote the last letter to you We left San Ysidor early one morning for the mountains General Funston in command. In all there were about sixty men. We left the last barrie (small town) behind us at 10 o'clock a. m. and were watering our horses in a, small creek; the point had started on. My pony had just got through drinking when the point opened a rapid fire. I ran my pony up the creek bank and out in a rice field near our men, dismounted and soon caught up with the advance and began to shoot at the ladrones, who began to run. We were ordered to charge. My pony had followed behind me and I was in the saddle in a moment and away We went. Some few escaped, two. l think. some were killed, some wounded and we took few prisoners. But we were soon on the trail asain, for the noun tains. We came to a small stream and camped there for dinner, for it was al= most the noon hour We rester our horses for a couple of hours and then started to continue our march We were soon in the mountains and travel ed up the river bed until nearly night. when We came to three grass houses. The natives claimed to be amigos ffriends), We thought they were la drones, and they undoubtedly were. but we could not find any thing to prove that they were, but we did not go half a mile till we came to one of their out posts. A few shots were fired and one ladrone was wounded. We captured one gun and their supper. The supper comprised rice and venison We all @'H~N 'IAAScA AOl SuppGl anu dS Nt WSsil in camp we could see the Iadrones watching us from the top of the noun tains; they were about a mile and a half across the canyon. We put out a strong guard and the rest tried to sleep. but l doubt if any one got a wink of sleep that night. The whole camp was a solid ant bed. There were ants by the millions, they would get in our hair and on our face; we kept on our pants, leggins, shoes and hats, but the little black vermin would get next to the skin in spite of us. They surely knew how to bite and seemed to take a pride in 1t. 1 heard names spoken many times that night that used to hear in church at home. Maybe they were not taking those names in vain. but I am certain theye was no one praying.
 Frequently through the night we could hear the distant report of the la drones' rifles. and thought that they were assembling to give us battle in the morning. Their outposts could be plainly seen on the mountains. They had Probably prepared an ambush for us, but General Funston is not easily led into a trap.
 As soon as we had breakfast We took a trail that led in a northerly direction. We were trying to get in touch with Major Wheeler, who was out scouting with a couple of infantry companies. In the evening we gave up our search, left the mountains and camped in the valley at a town called Papia. The next morning we started south again along the foot hills, and by noon We were back in the mountains again near where the ant bed was. We surprised small camp of ladrones about F D. m. killed one and wounded several others captured seven guns and considerable ammunition at this camp, then we started toward the valley again but did not go more than two or three miles until We came to a small creek of pure water, and here we stayed till next morning. At daybreak there was Q nr1Iard left at 0apon and tba remainder