Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-18
ChaS. 0. Pierce Tells Of Con-
ditiOnS on the Islands.
VALUABLE POSSESSIONS
War is Over But Guerilla Methods
Will COntinue-His Own Ex-
p~erienceS,

! Charles o. Pierce formerly a bicycle
dealer and well-known race rider in Butte
has written the following interesting let
ter to the Inter Mountain from the Phil
~ippines:
Poso, PROVO, P. l., Dec. 2, 1899.
Gentlemen-The organization of which I
am a member, Do%rr7ngton's Scouts, has
been located at this point, for about ten
days. We are all nearly shoeless and can
go no further until we get shoes, ordered
for us at San Fabian, a point on the west
ern coast of Luzon and distant from here
about fifteen miles. Ny detachment has
been strictly in this campaign n III
point Of hardships, I don't think any AVE
a much more han we have. Some Of
the men have, to some extent, been
troubled with malaria, but the rest that
We have had here has brought them out
all right. AS for myself I have been
very fortunate and when necessary l have
not yet missed duty. I a taken ex-
cellent care of my health, however, keep
ing particular regard to avoid stomach
troubles. / drink no water except when
boiled or from a clear running stream.
There are many ways that a man can
preserve his health that seem insignifi-
cant but in the long run amount to a
great deal. We are distant from Manila
about 155 or 100 miles by the route over
which we came. We are under General
Lawton n came through country and
towns on the line of which he has been
the head in this campaign.
Tarlac was the objective point and
movements toward that city were made
from the south, east, north and west, with
the hope of surrounding Aguinaldo and
force him with troops to surrender.
When Tarlac was reached, not a brown
man. was there; they had "vamoosed,"
Aguinaldo had with a small portion of his
command eluded them. So to a great
extent the movement had failed. At
Humian a town below here hat we came
through, Aguinaldo got out just a short
time ahead Of General Young who was
right after him. At Payug, a bull train
was captured containing about $S4 1000
packed in boxes.
The extreme difficulty in transferring
; provisions to sustain the troops is
! makes a movement of this kin so hard
TO accomplish here. This movement can
! not however De called a failure as perma-
| nent connection and occupation is made
of ountr that we never before have had.
I think so far as further fighting hat
there will be but little except a guerilla
method.
Aguinaldo's forces are scattered and
%disbanded. and he will never be b to
make much resistance. His great aid
the railroad, is lost to hin. We have
troops to garrison and hold all captured
territory and in my opinion that is what
the subjugation Of the island amounts
to. "Aggie" is 10th to let go his author
ity which is quite natural but the native
masses will take kindly to our adminis-
tration of the islands as soon as they
come to realize our good intentions.
Eventually this country is sure to prove
a valuable possession, as 1t is the most
fruitful country that I have ever seen.
ord T,,vop in itS ahi1itv RI nrO6ncp 10 n
empire OF itself. The natives seem to be
quite industrious in their own manner,
and are not so treacherous and vindictive
as I had heard they were.
Thus far ! have not been disappointed
in the country and my service has not
given me 'tcold feet either. We have
been in three nice little skirmishes, but
thus far have had bu one man killed and
one wounded. In one engagement at Tai
avera we were attacked by 700 insurrec-
tos but it was about 4 o'clock In the
morning and dark. A great many shots
our side was done, h to kill Colonel
Starts horse and wound a few more.
The scouts followed the insurgents at
daybreak, supported by troops of cavalry.
We had a nice brush with them for three
miles and lost one man with one
wounded. We killed four insurgents
and ounde seven or eight others thai
we knew Of.
We had a brush with about 400 Coo
Coos the other day in an expedition that
thirty-four of us went on in the noun
the 23rd Of November shrdluu shrdluu
tains about three miles from here, on
among us. OF course these little skir-
mishes amount to nothing so far as ac-
tual war goes. out to a great extent thai
Is about all the fighting there is.
Some years since I read a book by
Crane. called the ''Red Badge of Cour-
age" Mr.. Crane was a war correspond
ent in Cuba last year and made an en-.
viable record for himself in that capacity.
In this book above mentioned he makes
1t appear that all men or nearly so, get
the u fever as soon as they get into
action.
have heard the Mauser bullets in close
proximity to my ears; have seen them
splash water in front of me. in one in
stance and my experience goes to con-
fradlct Mr: Cranes RED Badge" I
think had his book been written after
his Cuban experience it would have been
altogether different.
a go to bed and rest as peacefully on
a night when an attack is expected. as at
any other time. From what l have-seen
the majority Of soldiers are the same.
The average enlisted man who is able to
get IN the line for mess and after eating
MS "hrsts," to scuff1e and scramble for
seconds" don't lie awake nights when
an attack is expected.
we have been inland so long that we
are Just beginning to receive mail dated
the middle of. September. We hear moth
ing OF the outside world and even of
events that transpire in different parts
OF the army we are uncertain. What lit
tie see don't guess at. Our command
er Lieutenant Darlington is a fine man. a
good soldier. and much loved by his men.
The boys would do anything for him.