Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-01-18
LETTER FROM LUCKIE.
THE MEXICO SOLDIER DESCRIBES
TEE CAMPAIGN IN THE PHIL
IPPIEE ISLANDS.
FRED. has SEEN SOLID SERVICE.
He Has Been Wounded Several Times
in Some Hot Rngagemsnt-Dirty
Towns and Habits Of the Ma
tives- Interesting Items.
FRED. has SEEN SOLID SERVICE.


November, and marched ell day, ad
vancing on Mabalacat, the first sta
tion north Of Angeles, but not q sho
was fred, and we fonnd the town de
serted. This is . very small town an,
OF not much Importance. The onem!
had torn up the railroad. We stage,
At this town, doing post duty and sen
out scouting parties. / was with on'
party. We went about 4 miles an,
broughtin twelve men TO work for thl
Government, bat found no trace o
the enemy. We left Mabalauat oi
November iith, advancing on BAN
ban, expecting q hot engagement, a
this was the place where the rebel
slaughtered thousands Of SpanIards
Marching was good and we made goot
time, Wheeler leading our column
with troop q, Fourth Cavalry, and we
the Twelfth, In the reserve. Col
Bell was on the left, and took his posi-
tion on little mud hill. Col. Smith
who has been transferred to the Seven
teenth Infantry, over to the right, thu
Ninth Infantry left Of Col. Bell, anS
with the assistance Of battery e, o
the First Artillery, and Troop h, o
the Fourth Cavalry, which is with Col
Bell, made up the advance. We hal
marched, would say, about 8 milei
when we halted. We were just few
miles from the awful deep and wild.
river that we had to wade. / KEEP
dreading Il for thought we would al
be drowned, or perhaps killed. o
course, firing was going on all tbs
time. We were in the reserve on I
dark road in watch with Col. Bell
Smelling the enemy's trenches. WI
kept up constant firing for over Al
hour, and the enemy was firing brisk
too, and We were getting our full share
Of them, but fortunately no one wal
hurt. We soon heard voices ringing
throughout the air, and we knew thaI
Bells men were charging the trench
es. Soon we got the word, forward
and now came our dangerous feat
wading the river. Il was very swift
and nearly up to our shoulders, and
came near going under. We found
the trenches deserted; the enemy
went every way. II is claimed thai
"Aggie" commanded the troops her'
and had a train with two eDgineI
to escape from us. A large bridg,
was across the river, but the enemy
had torn the trestlewoFk from undel
10, and had run three engines into th'
river. The trenches were we'll made
with doors leading from the back o
them and right to the edge OF th'
river. This river is Joined from tw'
rivers, forming into one, making
pass between the fork which is called
the Mountain Pass, and the enemy
thought we would come that way, lik'
the Spaniards did.and be slaughtered
but we are Americans.
Talking about a dirty town, this 4
one of them, and I was glad TO heal
that we would leave in the morning q
4 O'Clock. We we're quartered In
house that was used Is guard house
We found gun rack, but no guns
Several prisoners came In and sur
rendered their arms to the Ameri
cans, and captain came In with hi
company. Several Spanish prisoner
were found here. Ool. Bell pulled on
the same night and was hot after th'
rebels. The railroad track was al
right from here to the next town, ans
we got word that Bell had taken 1t
90 we knew we wouldn't do any fight
ling at that town, and at o'clock WI
left, and would have made Tarlac
which Is supposed to be 60 well forti
fed, and being the place where th'
rebel chief had his headquarters, bu
moved them shortly after, as he hear
that troops were coming from Dagu
pan, which Is the end of the railroad
But, I viii tell you about that battle
The roads were so bad that morning
that we did not make but one tewn
marching into Oapas ct HAS on No
vember 12. Dol. Bell pulled out then
We have done our share Of the fight
ing, and have been on the firing I'm
for seven months, longer than an,
regular regiment over here. In tn
afternoon we had to help the carts uI
the hill leading up from the river, an
aud II was rough work. / felt .
sorry for the poor animals that dra'
those carts, but II II was not for ther
we would 90 hungry. Then, the bat
terry had troubles OF their own, too, q
the guns were heavy and would sin
through. Then we went down 70 th
river, where We had Q good swim 70
twenty minutes. and We certainly fel
fne. We let our minds rest abou
"scrappin.u The Lieutenant went !
with us and seemed 10 enjoy IL.
This is rather : pretty town, built
square. Il has . ine church an
good houses. We are now getting int
a beautiful country Of ine woods. W
have been viewing bamboo grove
} and mountains In the distance fc
scenery, but now we are near th
mountains. The air is better, tool
, 1 have improved very much since
: came up north.
!. Twas hit again, but the wound h'
healed up, and I guess viii be q
. right soon.
! We left oapas st O'Clock, Nov. L
and marched across another lara
bridge which the enemy tried to bio
ND. The fuse and everything was
readiness, but we soon had that In OF
hands. We went seven miles that de
and arrived at . little village calle
MurcIa, q very small place, but ha
: lots Of fun there. There were onl
3 two companies Of the Twelfth here
Q companies O and D-while the rest
the Twelfth went on TO Tarlao, whic
/, was taken BY the division scout
: ,Aerien never dreamed Of an attac
! 50 coon, and vas waitangio wheatOl
but the scouts got In and Bell was ju
a little too late. He was mad, to-
. bat Il dIdn't do him any good. "
y stayed at Murcia until the ten comps
q nies Of the Ninth Infantry arrived, Q
~. ts,h of ucvanhar. and then v