Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-08-25
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Letter from Tlr. Van Taylor to HIS
1Other.


Mrs. George Pagan received from
her son the following letter dated San
Pablo, P. l., June "a, 1900:
DEAR MoTHER-Your letter of May
18th was received June 49, 1would have
answered at once but was ready to 90
on a three dav S "hike' when the let
ter was handed me. At p, IN. June
10 with Lieutenant Courtney and IS
men we started out on what we thought
was pleasure trip. After marching
through beautiful cocoanut groves and
crossing many streams, we reached the
little town, Thong at $3.50 the same even.
ing, distance about 8 miles Thong is
garrisoned by Co. E, Both Inf. 1t was
after supper when we arrived and we
thought we would have to cook our own
meal, but they were clever set of fel.
lows and IN short time they had a sup
per prepared for us and we were invited
to the mess hall, where sat down (stood
up meau) to nice bread. bacon, Bos-
ton baked beans, coffee. without sugar,
and apples, The meal was fine and we
were in good condition to enjoy it. Af-
ter supper we went down stairs, took
smoke and the conversation started, each
company, in a good natured way, try
ing to impress upon the other that their
respective regiments were just little
better fighters than any others. The
Manila papers call our regiment, the
39th, ''Bullard g American Indians, "
During this pleasant rivalry Lieutenant
Courtney came down and told us we
we w>uld move on to another town ten
miles distant. We were ready at S:15,
but how we dreaded to go, for it was
so dark one could not see the man in
front of him and the mud in places was
knee deep, After we had "hiked .
FIVE miles we came to a river the size Of
the Noxubee. Of course we plunged in
and crossed without any trouble We
then had miles more to go, some parts
of the road rocky and others muddy,
At II p. m. we reached the town. only
to find some more bad news. The cap
tain Of Co. If. of the Both was there with
detachment and had orders to take the
two attachments to San Juan de Boo
Boo, about ten miles farther, to get
there by daylight and capture band of
ladrones (robbers) supposed to be there.
We rested an hour and started again
and you can imagine how worn out we
were when we reached our final desti
natiou. However we had a much bet
ter road than the first one, and the
moon had risen and it was much lighter
We reached the river San Juan is stu
ated on at a, but did not cross IN
til daylight. The river is shallow but
very swift, and in crossing we had tC
lock hands. but we got across in few
minutes and went into the town, which
we searched thoroughly bnt did not ac
complish anything
The next thing for US was sleep and
rest The captain got some empty
houses and we were not slow in getting
: into them. We fell down most any
where and went to sleep. About
O. o'clock we all got up and drank a cul
of coffee, then went back to bed anC
slept all night. the next morning thu
21st, was feeling good got up at day
light and went out and got nice chick
en-. At breakfast we told the boys w
wouldn't eat rusty bacon all the time
After breakfast the boys all seemed
to be fresh. We recrossed the river OF
bamboo ferry and went the nearest way
to Thong, stayed there that night an,
came back home the next day on tn
wagon train. So the trip was not s
pleasant as we thought when starting
out.
am doing fine and still in the com
missary. like the country better ever
day. I have learned great deal sine
/ have been here. | was truly sorry t
, hear of Mr.. j. R. Dinsmo 'e's death
} Nexubee lost good and useful man.
receive the Beacon regularly and enjo
reading it very much Regards to a
friends and tell them | would like t
hear from them,
Your aft son.