The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-05-25
A Letter From the Philippines From .
Dubois County Volunteer.

April 8, 1900.
Mr.. EDIToR.--I thought would
write brief article to the COURIER.
have been in the Philippines since
the Sth of Dec. and have had some
very bad health, but at present am
in good health. am a member Of
Co. ID. 39th u. s. VOL, which has
a good fighting record among other
regiments on this island. We
haven't been in any severe battles
yet, but our chances are good, as we
are about So or 10 miles from Ma
Mia, and in city with about 20,-
900 population, and our total
strength at present is about 800.
There is but one battalion in this
city.
We are fully prepared for the
rainy season now; have sufficient
rations to keep us four or five
months in which time the rainy sea-
son will be ended.
Ny opinion is that the war is
practically ended, as very few fights
occur now. The enemy are in very
small bands. They are badly
broken up and scattered about, rob
bing the natives Of what little pro-
visions they have to live on.
The health among the troops here
has been misrepresented in the
States. There has been but one
death in Co. ID. on account OF sick
ness, and some Co.'S haven't hac
any so far.
| find many Hoosiers in the 39th
but then old Indiana is well repre-
sented in all regiments.
The Philippines has about thu
!, same climate as Cuba, but the healtl
is much better, but if owned thes'
islands would leave them to &c
back to Indiana once more.
} We are expecting ten day
! (hike, as it is called here) marcl
soon, and think we will have som
, fighting. Well, a soldiers life i
{ lonely any way with out little ex
: lcitement; would like to have an
: other scrap like the one at San Jua
Hill, Cuba, something more llk
war, than this bush-whacking bus
ness, carried on by the Filipinos.
:, Onr Colonel is a tine officer an
/, so j. our Capt. Robert l.. Bullar
is our COL. he is an Ala. man, an
!, braver man never stepped on tn
!, Island Of Luzon. He is kind to hi
:. men. but neyer-the-l he likes
!, see them fight. He and Col. Ar
derson, Of the 3Sth, and about te
! men. rode in a town and capture
'sthe town and $4,000. They wei
into town like some wild Indian
yelling and shooting with all the
i power. This frightened the native
! so that they took nothing with thel
! but their arms and ammunition an
I got out Of town Immediately. The
! imagined the whole American arm
was advancing upon them.
!, There is some grand sceneI
/, around San Pablo. There are tv
. large mountains in sight which a
constantly covered with cloud
!, = and in the north end OF town is
lake about two miles square, whi'
!, furnishes pleasant bath, and the
! is running water on almost evel
% = street. The natives don't use Il
= washboard, but are seen beating al
u rubbing clothes with rocks al
: clubs, aud about one washing do
/, them up forever. They treat y
. very nice until they can get the a
a. vantage of you, and then take
!, weapon called bolo and chop y
1. = up. They are as treacherous
!, our Indians, but still they
I cowardly.
"A Our chances for getting back
II the States are very slim until all
the rainy season. Think probab
| will get to vote at the next eli
ton. Here S to all. am.
SHERIDAN ID. SIMMONS
Sergeant Co. ID. 80, u. s.