The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-15
A LETTER OF INTEREST
FROM ROSCOE CONKLIN, WHO Is
NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES.
He Relates His Experiences I'm His
First Battle-says Natives Don't
Know How to Shoot.

Roscoe Conklin, formerly of the Journal
city staff. who is now with the United
States army in the Philippine islands, has
written letter home. describing his first
battle. The letter is dated Nov. 10 at Jaro,
Island of Fancy.
Mr.. Conklin says: "a few days ago
wrote to you that we were about to march
into the field to open the campaign. We did
so. We are now back in Jaro and expect
to go on the like again Tuesday evening
next or Wednesday morning. 1 was under
fire with my company for the first time.
but 1T was only for few moments and no
one was hurt with the exception Of one
man in Company B, who was scratched on
the hip. but not so seriously as to prevent
his going on with the company. He found
his leggings. -
But we were yet to have an awful half
hour before returning to the road. The
rice field extended over about a square
mile. 1t was divided off into squares and
every forty or fifty yards there were
ridges about two feet high and as broad
on top, forming rectangular spaces. The
purpose of the ridges is to form reservoirs
for the rain which otherwise would drain
off. Rice will only grow in water and this
effective and primitive way of growing 1t
Is adopted in preference to any more COM
plicated system of irrigation. 1t had been
raining several days. In places the water
was knee deep; in others il was but a few
inches deep on the top of soft mud in which
We sank knee deep. Clambering over the
high ridges between patches we often fell
forward on the other side, our rifles stick
ing in the mire and our blanket rolls and
shoulders blowing up the ground. We
were heavily ladened with blanket rolls.
cartridge belts, canteens and haversacks
and tangle OF tough and wirey rice blades
further impeded our progress. At each
bugle call of rest we sank on the rice
ridges nearly exhausted, our hands
tingiing from the cutting edges OF
adding to our discomfort. Our tongues al
most hung out from the exhausting work
as we painted and labored like / have seen
hogs do after being baited by angry dogs
over a forty-acre field on a hot summer
day. There hot drizzle, not one of
those cold downpours one sometimes sees,
and when now and then the sun shone
with sickly glow the humidity was al
most unbearable. There was not a breath
of air relieving the stirling miasmaic va
por. / believe I should have had to drop
out of the line If we had been compelled to
advance another fifty yards, but just when
1t seemed impossible to go another step
the bugle called US back to the road and
our spirits revived. / hope I may never
have to go through another such hour.
None of us had any
time to feel any fear of the bullets
we heard swishing over our heads and
saw splashing up the water about US We
were too busy trying to keep on the line
and in listening for orders. I do not sup
pose there was a man who had time to
think that one of those bullets might wing
him. / know that l did not, and there was
only the uanger of an accidental and stray
bullet taking effect after all, as the
kahkiaks don't take aim or shoot to kill
the just let fire blindly. You are as apt to
be killed by a brick falling on your head
when you pass masons at work on a new
sky-scraper, or by having a sign drop on
you while walking on Washington street
We are in more danger right here in Jaro
from the raw and undisciplined .volun-
teers of the Twenty-sixth Infantry than or
the battle field. One of their number was
shot and may yet die. The company had or
ders to engage the enemy in the road and
divert them from our flank movements to
the right and LETT, the purpose of which
was to close in and pen them up from each
side and behind, but when we came up to
do battle the volunteers became as lions
and advanced. The rebels at once fell
back and began scattering and fled I'm wild
confusing wnen they saw that We were
about to surround them. We would nc
doubt have been able to have bagged the
whole outfit but for the blunder Of the
Twenty-sixth. They claim that the orders
were misunderstood. Not man would
have been lost but for their fatal thirst
for a reputation"