The Somerset reporter., 1900-02-22
Letter from Manila.

Mr., Uriah Foss has received q letter
from a young man In Manila who was
/ formerly In his employ here, from
which we are permitted to make the
following extracts:
Manila, p. l., Jan. IL, 1900.
Friend Uriah:
suppose you think 1t about
time you heard from me, but the TACT
is, we have been so unsettled that NJ
first we did not know where we were
going. We are now camped about b
miles from Manila, and within l mile
of the firing line.
To begin with, we had an elegant
voyage, but long and wearisome, last
ing forty five DAYS. We stopped ut
Gibraltar, from which place j sent
ietter to AL red, then ut Malta, into the
Mediterranean sea to Port Said, through
he Suez Canal to Suez. and into the
Gulf OF Sutz, through the Rcd Sea to
Alden, into the Indian ocean and ARABIAN
SEA TO Columbo, Ceylon, through the
Bay of Bengal to Singapore, through
he Cult of Siam and China Sea into
Manila Bay, l2,l40 knots, or about
10, 900 miles.
Thai ia about the mlage we went
from n. Y. on November l6, and sailed
into Manila Bay, January l, 1900, New
Years day.
You talk about your hot weather for
having season there. 1t is not IN IL at
all with this climate. Why, you can
pull up piece of green grass here ana
hold IL up In the sun, and 10 the space
II a minute IL will dry and ignite so
YOU can light your pipe with 1t. On
January 6 we left camp, with two
ratlons, 25 hard tack and a can OF
pressed beef, also canteen or coffee.
Tor town called San Mateo, about IL
or Is miles from our camp towards the
mountain, and reached there at about
| 80 o. m, the same day, (only com
paws, E. and H., or about 2l0 men,
.iiaL night we oamped on the spot
where Gen. Lawton was killed and
expected fight before morning, but
nothing happened, and after getting
breakfast the best way we could, (for 1t
was inky dafEA we started for town
called San joe, situated about IL
miles further into the mountains, and
which was in the hands of the rebels.
We were REINFORCED at Sal Mateo by
" company from the 9th Infantry,
making our force 300 strong; well when
20 got within sight of the town. there
was not soul in sight, and we thought
probably they were planning an attack
ON our rear, but such was not the fact ;
as all the Young men in the town fl d
into the mountains when they knew we
were coming, leaving only the women
and very old men behind; conse quently
I'VE capture the place without firing a
hot. or without the least resistance on
their part. We camped there that
night land started for home the next
morning, with but very little tn eat IN
our haversacks. and after marching
all day through rice. fields and swamps,
over hills and mountains, through
rivers and streams, we reached camp
footsore and hungry on the Sth, having
teen out three days on two days ratlons.
But ii is an elegant country, rich In all
kinds of minerals, while we went
through grass 20 and % feet high,
banana, cocoanuts, bread fruits and the
like, grow in abundance. The boys all
feel fine. | suppose you Know tnat
here are three of US here ana In the
same company from Skowhegan, Eddie
Pomelow, william Stinchfeld, and my
self, and we feel and are In good health,
and hope some day TO see you all again
when this trouble is over.
Yours respectfully,
GEORGE F. W. FOSTER,
43d u. S. lntantry,
Mnsician. Co. E, Manila, p. |.