Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-22

A Register reporter yesterday inter-
viewed Mr.. W. c. McClelland, OF Bel
laire, who has recently returned from
the Philippines. Mr.. McClelland was a
member of the Twelfth Regiment Com
pany c., and served nineteen months
on the Island of Luzon, under several
different commanders, seeing much SER
vice, and many hardships, but returns
home in very good health.
He first saw service in Cuba, and was
then transferred to the Philippines,
landing there on the 14th day of April,
1899 For two months he was on guard
duty in the city of Manila, which he
says was the hardest duty he had to
perform while on the island, often be-
ing eff duty only five hours. The cause
of this was that Manila is one of the
hot beds of the instruction, and had 40
be continually watched as the natives
are very treacherous.
From there his company was march
ed to San Fernando, sixty miles north
of the city of Manila, where they had a
battle. At this post they stayed from
June till August. From there to Calut
with the Ninth, Twelfth, Seventeenth
and Fifty-first Iowa, was hard battle,
the troops having to march nine miles
through mud and water from knees to
arms in depth, but they captured the
city and lost no men. From this place
they advanced on Anglese with ten COM
panieS and one gun from the Fifth Bat
terry. This was the hardest battle they
fought, loosing five killed and seven
teen wounded, the first battle lasting
over one and half hours each man
averaging 140 rounds of ammunition. At
the time of the battle the heat was in
tense and when the enemy was routed
only thirteen men of his company were
able to advance, McClelland, himself,
having tainted at the last rally, but the
enemy not knowing their condition re-
treated allowing the American troops
to occupy the city.
In the trenches they only saw five
dead, but found much blood After
occupying the city they were attacked
every night and it took three days to
drive the insurgents off. Some on the
outposts were without food for 4S hours,
but at this place the water was very
good. One peculiar thing was that the
enemy always attacked on the 18th, of
the month, and that these regiments
had hard time to hold the city as they
always made their attack at night, US
ing artillery, and could not silence
their guns.
From this city they went to Porac
and on the way found many new graves
and it is supposed that they were those
who fell in the late battles. At Porac
they set a trap for the Filipinos, but it
proved failure, and from this city they
returned to Angelious. From there
they went to the capital, Tarlac, and
occupied the city, but at Bainboun they
came to the stronghold Of the enemy.
Here they encountered a hard battle but
captured the city. From this city they
advanced as far north of Manila as 120
miles. having many skirmishes but with
little loss.
After this his company did garrison
duty. which was far from what some
people thought it was, as they could not
leave their camp for any purpose with
out being armed, and those who failed
to take this precaution often lost their
lives.
In speaking of the bolo men Mr.. Nc
Clelland stated that they used long
knife like the machette used by the