Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-04-26

=
as we'll as good description Of his
experience as a soldier. &ter former
ly lived at Biron and is nephew of
Andrew Stone of that pl: !. He en-
listed in July last year to ther with
Ole Rund and Hans O. stensen Of
Grand Rapids and all thr of the boys
are in the same regiment
TAYABAs. Isle of Luzons ~ l.. Feb
ruary 20. 1900.
FRIEND OMHOLT:-1t is some time
since you've heard from me and I have
passed through some exciting and try
ing scenes and through some tedious
and tireSOme marches and although |
consider myself a pretty good man
physically, | am feeling ljadly used up
at present. Upon the arrival of my
regiment. the 30th q. s. Volunteers
at Manila, we were placed in the
trenches south of the city for about
two months when we were marched to
San Pedro de Macati, town about six
miles south Of Manila. San Pedro is
quaint old place containing many old
Spanish ruins of ancient stone build
ingS and one Seryiceable church of con-
siderable age which is quite a grand
affair. There are the ruins of second
more modern massive cathedral which
was destroyed by the shells of the
Utah battery during the fighting Of
last February. From San Pedro as
part of the flying column of General
SChWan we set out on the 9th of jan
uaTy and marched up the right bank
Of the Pasig river and alCng the right
shore Of Laguna de Bay Lake of the
Bay The river is about Is miles in
length and the lake read es back in
land [ should judge about forty miles
| further. On the morning Of the third
days march we heard the first sound
of hostile bullets, our Macabebe scouts,
members of a tribe called Macabebes,) J
| having stirred up their OutpOStS. All
that morning there was occasional
| firing in front and to the right but our
battalion was stopped on the road by
| ruined bridges and it kept two COM
panieS Of u. S. engineers busy pro-
viding means for US to cross the
streams. The second battalion
advancing by another road was more
successful and overlook them near
Binyang driving them with consider
able slaughter. Here we saw the
dread reality of grim war for the first
| time in the form of dead and dying
men. Binyang is city OF about 10, 900
people and fine appearing town. Ny
company, B, was Quartered in a
SumptiOuS old Spanish residence over
night and in the morning we resumed
the march, and such march. 1t was
excessively hot and sultry and few
miles out from town you could begin
| to see an occasional blanket tossed to
the roadside. These. INCREASED in
frequency and the rGSG was fairly
lined with all manner Of soldiers para
| phernalia excepting of course guns and
| ammunition. Thousands of dollars
worth Of property must have been
thrown away that day and hundreds
of men dropped temporarily out of the
ranks on account of heat and eX-
| hauStiOn. We encamped just outside
SLANG and entered it next morning,
the enemy having fled the day before
upon the advance Of our cavalry but
they left several dead behind them
grim mementOeS of war, lying stark in
the roadway. We were compelled to
60 back from there and help our wagon
train over the almost impossible roads
and having been furnished new sup
ply Of ratiOnS we marched to Indang
and here again the cavalry had cheated
us by driving the enemy before we
could arrive. Here our regiment was
divided, my battalion going to Alph-
OnSO and from AIDhOnSO we took a
narrow roadway and commenced a
gradual ascent up toward the noun
tainS passing through beautiful
country which made US feel as though
we were at home again as we surveyed
the fields of Indian corn and other
familiar crops on either hand. Up
ward we continued our course passing
into a region of forest and new clear
ings, the falIOwS and blackened stumps
looking all the world like the newly
settled regions of Wisconsin and then
into deep forests, some of the grandeSt
hardwood timber in the world to be
found there. There is a world OF
wealth for the lumbermen of the
future in these islands with it's ma
hoganv ebony and other valuable
woods Finally just as sunset was
approaching we suddenly emerged
| from the timber belt and found our.
selves on the grassy brow Of noun
tain with a sheer descent below US OF
about 5000 ft. 1t was one of the sub
limeSt sights | or any other mOrta
ever witnessed; below US a circular
basin surrounded by rim Of noun
tains rising steep and sheer, in the
center of the basin beautiful lake
7 Lake Taal) lying calm and placid
rejecting the mountains of the further
! shore. from it's centre a volcano rising
/ | in the form of perfectly round cone
emitting steam and smoke, and Ovel
all the rays of the setting sun, reflect
/ inc rays of yellow, purple, gold anC
/ green tintS, such as no painter can eve
!. hope to picture. 1t was sublime. bu
/ soldiers are not allowed to survey
/ scenery and we were rushed to The
/ left along the brow of the mOuntai!
/ until path was reached which wOunC
! down a spur into the valley and dOWI
| we went. Such a descent. 1t wa
|. nearly midnight before we emerged il
: the valley below and camped in
damp field-tired, fOOtSOre and hungry
also wet to cur hips from foTding
! stream lust before going into camp
We rested here one day and then mad
a fatiguing march to San Tomas. ford
: ing many streams on the way. On
| incident of this days march L Shal
ALWAYS remember: we had been unabl
) to procure fruit since leaving Sal
Pablo and here on the brow of hill al
orange tree bearing ripe fruit wa
! espied. The football rush made 70
that tree would make Yale or HarFaTt
green with envy could they have wit
: messed it. Two whole companie
broke and rushed and those orange
| lasted about 10 seconds, then some on
: espied an orange orchard further alonj
and shouted Come on boys, there
+ 4