St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-09-05

ouI Objects, only very small per cent.
nave shown up, and much smaller per
cent. have been captured of the number
they were known to have had. They
are all friendly, and if so, where are the
arms and ammunition? None of the
big leaders and promoters of the insur-
rection have been captured on this island,
ana Agulnaldo is still at large in Luzon.
This is not the fault of our officers or
men, as every effort has been made to
round them up. These men have been
hghting tor years and know every cor
ner OF the land and every trick of firing
and running away, Nothing can be
more evident than their apparent friend.
ship for the Americans when we are in
force, and nothing can be any more bar
barous than their treatment of an
American soldier when they have him
where he can do no harm. We have
seen it advocated in some American
papers that we ought to offer them pro.
lection until they had organized strong
government and proved themselves
capable OF running their own affairs if
they will only come in and turn over
their arms. This will never come about;
IN navy b1u just SuSu pl OUllSGS lOI GGll-
turles from white race and foreign
power, not one of which have ever been
kept and each time they were betrayed
the taxation and oppression was harder
than before. Can we blame them for
not trusting a new and unknown peo-
pie, and for judging the integrity of all
white races by the ones who have for so
long tvrannized over them?
In 1897 there was an uprising of the
natives against the Spaniards. For
many years they had used the same tao
tics they are now using with US. All
signs OF discomfort had vanished, and
they were so friendly that they were all
allowed to carry revolver or gun for
self protection. But when things were
right the treacherous signal was given
from the unprincpled leaders and the
friends of yesterday were slaughtering
right and left. All the Spaniards who
could escaped to Iloilo. From that time
until the American occupation this lost
territory was never recovered. In one OF
my previous letters wrote about visit.
ing Barotac Nuevo a Pueblo about six
miles from Pototan, which was garrison
ed by company of the 44th. AS every
thing seemed so quiet, the authorities
withdrew all but 35 of this company
and stationed them at other points. On
the Sd OF this month the insurgents at
tackled the town at l O'Clock in the
morning. 1t was
A COMPLETE SURPRISE,
the Americans not knowing anything
was wrong until the town was surround
ed and the rebels began firing from all
directions. 1t is estimated there were
200 rifles against our little squad. 1t
the instructors had charged boldly for
ward no doubt they would have over
whelmed our little band by numbers, but
they do not care from experience to get
too close so they kept up random fire
until daybreak. AS soon as it was light
enough to see four OF our men mounted
on ponies tried to break through their
lines and go to Pototan for reinforce
ments. At the ford of the river they
found the enemy in such numbers that
| they made a circuit and succeeded in
passing the lines in the direction of
Dumangus, where another detachment
of their company is stationed. Only a
! short distance out, when passing the
Barrier of Lublumb, they were fired up
on at short range. One American was
killed outright and one was wounded.
! The dead man was left on the road
where he fell and they succeeded in
carrying the wounded man back to
Barotac Nuevo.
The situation was getting worse all
the time, when native boy, who work
ed for the company, offered to try and
secure aid They undressed him and
gave him a letter to Col. Dickman at
Pototan. The native had no trouble in
passing through. Col. Dickman had Co.
L, of the Goth, under Capt. Whipple, of
North Adams, Mass, on the road inside
of Is minutes. Good time was made
for the short distance, but on arrival not
an enemy could be seen and the insurgents
were in the mountains. Col. Dickman
also ordered D Company of the Goth by
telegraph to close in from Bonata, but
| it was too late when they arrived to
capture anything. AS soon as the gar
rison was relieved Co. L proceeded to
the Barrier Lubunab, burned it entirely to
the ground, and destroyed all of the sur
| IOuuuluS plOpCilN' lClS lHS iouuu IhS
| body of the dead soldier. with his hands,
feet, ears and nose cut off and his body
| otherwise mutilated.
IN CONCLUSION.
Those who are delaying the cause here
as much as anything are the fanatics
and anti-expansionists at home who are
making un-American speeches in Con
gress and writing nonsensical letters in
the papers. These speeches and letters
are reprinted here and distributed among
the people, together with circulars from
the ringleaders of the instruction in
structing and pleading with them to
stick to the cause, as the majority of the
American people are not in favor of the
war, and at the next election there will
be change in the administration, and
with it a change of policy. You see, the
native knows as little about us at home
as the anti-expansionist knows about
the native. If the ignorant American
1 would come here and see for himself he
would stop writing, saying and doing
things which will cost many good
American lives and save many dollars OF
the peoples money. AS the situation
now stands do not expect the volunteers
home any before their time is out.
respectfully yours,
HARRY E. STILES,
Chief Musician, 26th nifty, U. S. v,