Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1900-04-27
HENRY FOSTER
Writes OF Soldier Life In The
Philippines.
Interesting Letter From a Hop
kinsvilIe Boy In Far OFF
LuZon.
Lipa, Isles de Luzon, Batangas
Prov. March 6, 1900.

Prov. March 6, 1900.
EDITOR KENTUcKIAN:--
Below you will find a few facts
about this far away island, as seen
and experienced by me, and some
thing of the travels of my regiment.
My regiment, the 18th U. s. V.
Unity was mobolized at Jefferson
Barracks, Mo-, during the month Of
Sept. 1899. at which place we re-
NAMED until October goth, on which
day 1--WE boarded trains for San
Francisco, arriving there the 9th.
Went on board transports st. Paul
and Duke of Fife, Nov. 10th, re-
NAMED in the harbor that night,
next morning early sailed through
the world renowned Golden Gates,
thus beginning long, tiresome and
perilous voyage across the ocean.
After the first day out until we
landed at Honolulu we had very
rough weather. At times it was
almost impossible to stand on deck,
and you were almost certain to get
a sea bath if you remained on deck
very long, for the waves were wash
ing over the ships sides. Most of
the boys were sea sick and did not
care if she sunk or not. / heard
some beg others to shoot them, so
sick were they, The morning of the
30th Nov. we sighted the Hawaiian
Island. 1t was hailed with delight
by the boys, for to get on land
again would be pleasure to us.
We landed at Honolulu that after
noon, where we remained until the
morning of Dec. 9th. We did not en-
counter any rough weather until
four days out from Honolulu, but by
this time we had, as the sailors say,
gotten on our sea legs, and the roll
ing of the ship did not affect us as
much as before. After an unevent-
full voyage of 20 days we steamed
into Manila bay Dec. Doth, the
waters in which Dewey played such
havoc with the Spanish fleet, May
l, 1898, We could still see signs Of
that great naval battle. We
weighed anchor in the harbor that
night The next morning we dis
embarked in small boats and were
landed on shore, a tired crowd,
marched about mile to Luneta,
where we pitched our dog tents and
went into camp. Luneta is just out
side of what is called the "waled
city" which is we'll fortified. BY
this time everybody was "dead
broke" and the report that we
would be paid Jan. LIST, was hailed
with delight. That afternoon
the bugle sounded, ''to arms, y
and we took our stmarch. Went
to San Polae, on the east side of
Manila, close to the pumping sta
ton; were expecting an attack
there and we were sent there to
reinforce the 30th regiment. We
were relieved the next day by the
10Th Init. marched back to Luneta
and the next day marched to Wari-
cabon, on the "South Line" a dis
lance of 8 miles; there we had our
first experience as "real" soldiers.
Would be called to arms at mid
night, and we boys did not know
but that the insurgents were about
to attack us, but it always turned
out to be false alarms; the officers
were Just trying TO see how quick
we could form to repulse an attack.
There were still insurgents there
but not enough to attack us. Re-
NAMED at Waricabon, until Jan.
7th, then marched to lines, a dis
lance of 10 miles. We knew that a
large body of insurgents were in
that neighborhood. When we were
miles from there we heard the
booming of cannons and the rattle
of musketry; we started on "double
time" tor the scene of battle, but
by the time we got there the 4th and
18th Inf. had driven the insurgents
from their trenches and into the
mountains. The American loss
was l officer and 2 privates, Phil
pino loss 90, and as they carry their
wounded away we do not know how
many we're wounded. Then l saw
my first results of a battle On the