Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-03
LAST LETTER HOME.
me writer Died in Manila From Eff
fectS of Wound

fects of Wound.
Following is the last letter written by one
| of the District Of Columbia's volunteers in
the Philippines, who leaves a record of sim
pie self-sacriice for his country, having
given up his position in the War Depart
ment and served with the LIST District Vol
unteers in Cuba, and later responded to the
call Of the President for service in the Phil
ippines. The letter is from Ennis N. Will
liams of Company II Of the 2Sth Uni1ed
states Volunteers, and is dated at Manila,
November 50. 1t is addressed to ]. NJ Hull,
chief or the war record division of. the sec.
ond auditors office. Before the letter
reached its destination young Williams was
dead He was shot through the neck at
Baccour on January Z, and died a week
later III the hospital at Manila voter
His communication is in part, as follows:
AS suppose you know. we left Camp
Meade September -. and after eight days
travelling, without changing cars we ar
rived at the Presidio San Francisco. on
october ~, the 18th. with the 3tst Reei-
ment, embarked for the Philippine Islands.
and after thirty-one days, including two
days stop-over in Honolulu of calm sea
voyage we landed at Manila There We
anchored in the bay for twenty four hours
when We were carried ashore in the peculiar
native cacoes- We then marched through
the city of Manila to the old Spanish bar
racks for quarters. ga - -
THE next day being Saturday. November
%. we were ordered to prepare for inspec-
ton In heavy marching form. but in less
than two hours the order was changed, and
each man was given 200 rounds of ammuni-
ton. with blankets, guns, canteens filled
with not coffee, and off We started for Inns
AT about $50 pm. We arrived at Baccour
and as the 14th Regulars had been under
hre that morning, We expected to land un-
der an attack, but when we reached there
the city was dark and quiet The cacoes
and tugbOatS could land ~
the shallow water. The order to go ashore
was given, and out We went into the wafer
up to our shoulders with guns and loads
The rebels had retreated into the woods and
we were much disappointed. You can i'm
agfne our first nights rest there in wet
| clothes and nothing to eat
our Sd Battalion is guarding the water
works near Manila: my battalion or the
| I'd, Is holding Baccour; the first is on out
| post duty between here and linus linus Is
Only four miles from here. We hope to re-
inforce the 4th there in a few days
Honolulu Is quite fine city and I'D to
date. but my first impression OF the people
OF Manila and the natives of the island is
that they are ignorant as to modern form of
freedom, ana the happy pursuits Of life.
Their peculiar costumes IN every particular
are queer.
Il suppose Baccour is town of 1000 in
habitants. 1t has one main street, not more
tnan ten rock buildings, and one church,
covering about ten acres Of ground The
rest OF the houses are made of straw and
| bowboors Called shacks), and small alleys
Iun into the main street
We OF the 2sth Regiment seem to have
very good health so far but the natives. es-
pecially the children, die rapidly We see
from six to ten buried every day
THE Americans here remember that this
Is THANKSGIVING at home. but the islanders
celebrate 1t as st. Andrews day. The
weather is as warm as it Is In Washington
| In July and August. There are banana trees
around every shack and in every. yard. We
hear all kinds of rumors as to the war. but
| nave not seen paper since left Frisco.
and 1t is almost impossible to get writing
| material and stamps. = f,.s--,7
II think If the Filipinos could have under
| stood our form of government, and the de-
sire of the American people to do them good
| before they entered sfntoN this strife. thew
could have been easily controlled, But as
Aguinaldo and his leaders have SO greatly
| poisoned the minds Of the FIlipinos against
the Americans, I fear long trouble and
much expense to our country.
II shall be glad to hear from you all and
| hope shall eat Christmas dinner. 1900, in
| Washington