Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08
SOLDIER LIFE IN LCZON.
Member of 27th Regiment Details Ex-
periences There.

The Star is in receipt of q communica ton
from Private Joseph E. Bailey, Company
NJ, 9th Infantry. United States Volunteers
dated Montalbon, Luzon. Philippine Islands.
Private Bailey gives account of Ameri-
can soldier life in the far east He is a
Washington boy. and three other members
OF the company named are from this city,
while the 9th Regiment includes number
Of others from the national capital In
part. the communica ton of Private Bailey
is as follows
I'VE left Camp Meade, Pennsylvania Au-
gust 80. 1899, and arrived at the Presidio.
Cal, September 6. after a pleasant trip
across the continent. We remained there
until September 20, and then our company.
with Companies f, F. G and II of the 81 Oh
Regiment, boarded the transport George W..
Elder and sailed for Manila September 81
1889. arriving at Honolulu the 10Th of Sep
TENDER. after pleasant voyage, barring
the first day out when most of the men
were Seasck
I'VE remained at Honolulu for three days,
and October l sailed for Manila, where we
arrived October 20, after very tiresome
voyage. October %, when set foot on
the Island Of LuZon, we marched to the
powder house the San Juan river 1t
was near here that the instruction started,
and there are to be seen graves of the dead
heroes who gave up their lives for old
glory during the early days of the insur-
rection. The second night after our ar
rival on the island our boys called
CURED near our camp. Farther up the
line Company H of the 9th lost one man
killed. We were stationed there for six
days"
General Lawton was killed directly in
front Of where Private Baley's company
was stationed, he says. The writer of the
letter describes a charge across river and
the putting of force of Filipinos to rout
incidentally reference is made to the cap
turing of pigs. chickens, ducks and rice, and
the feasting that followed for five days.
The writer continues:
I'VE moved farther out to relieve Com
pany II of the 9th Infantry. but this camp
was ours only one night, when were
relieved by the 33d Volunteer Regiment
Company LIS camp on the Baic road
where the Sd Battalion of the 9th Regi-
ment had its headquarters. l guess the
men of Company NJ. 9th Regiment, will
never forget the dreadful nights that we
spent on our outposts, for while we were
there 1t did not do anything but rain steadi-
ly for about six weeks, and the mosquitoes
worried US so much that we could not
sleep. There was no shelter and a man
looked like a drowned rat when he got re-
lieved from duty. We remained there until
Thanksgiving day. when we We're ordered
to proceed to Santa Mesa Hospital and re-
lieve Company X, 9th Regiment. We ate
nice Thanksgiving dinner before we left
and we did not care how hard it rained
We had not been there over a week when
we again received orders to go back to our
old camp at the powder house. where we
occupied our time by hiking around until
December Is. when we marched to the Eel
Deposito, where we met Companies A.
and c of the 9th Regiment and marched
north to San Mateo. 1t certainly was a
hard old hike. 1t rained throughout the
night and we marched through low rice
paddles and over dangerous mountain trails
we succeeded in driving off three out
posts. killing eight and wounding thirteen
Fflipinos. We also captured twelve rifles
ana about 900 rounds of ammunition We
ala not have man hurt. We then re-
turned to San Mateo and later to our mar
ters, where we ate a hearty supper and
retired to our old hunks, which we had
made of bamboo. We next marched tn
Montalbon, and relieved the 18th Cavalry.
There part of the 27th Regiment has heen
stationed since. Our company remained
there until January 20. when we received
orders TO move to Taytay, a distance of
twenty-five miles, passing through San Ma
teo. Mariquina and Cainta. We selected
hne spot for camp, but the water was
about two miles away, and the men had
to carry II in two buckets on a pole The
natives were very friendly and the presi-
denta of Taytay had his band to come I'm
nearly every day to play for us. February
Ii we learned that a party OF ladrones
were in the town of Angona. We surround
ed the town and started to search 1t, but
before We got through the natives opened
up on US. They did not injure any one.
We captured seven guns and about 1000
rounds of ammunition, with six insurrectos.
One of them proved to be a captain of the
fnsurgent army. We returned to Taytay
and later to Montalbon. We have moved into
new barracks. We receive fresh meal
from Manila once a weak and fresh bread
daily from San Mateo. From the United
States we get apples, peaches and prunes.
I'VE do not expect this regiment to leave
the island before next January. as we have
a fine, healthy camp, and there are not
many sick men In the garrison"