The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-28
YIRGINIANS in
THE PHILIPPINES
Brave Men Fighting for Their
Country.
AMERICAN CAPTIVES RESCUED.
Lieutenant Masuricr Writes an Inter
cstin& Account OF the Campaign
i'll Which lie Is Engaged
i'll Lcyte.

|
Robert L. lie Masurier, writing from Taclo-
ban, Leyte, Philippine Islands, June lotn,
| says:
of April 18th at hand. We landed on this
| island-one of the largest and richest o.
| the Sropp-WItil one battalion. When the
| sun set on the 1st OF February, I"CO we
| had captured and occupied after stiff
| fight, the cities OF Tacioban and Pain sep
! arated by seven and half miles and the
whole business was carried through with
| rush that would fairly have taken you
| of OF Your feet
| On the tenth day after landing had
| captured and garrisoned the twelve most
| important cities IL the island. II then
| became apparent that we must have
| fighting contingent to keep the insurgents
guessing. on the move, and prevent them
from harassing our thinly-garrisoned
cities. 1t was also evident that in view
of the limited number OF troops at our
disposal. this contingent could not be a
very large one. so the Colonel caused to
be selected twenty-fOur men from Com
pany y. Forty-third Regiment of Infan-
try-ny old company-wllich is composed
entirely Of Virginia mountaineers. These
men all crack shots with nerves o.
steel and hearts Of oak. who for three
months and seventeen days followed me
through all the adventures and hard
ships that attend a soldiers life in the
tropics.
We now have nine companies comnlet-
ing the work of municipal organization,
so successfully begun by the original four
companies. and hold the situation well in
hand.
General Macarthur was here a few days
| after our great fight at La PaZ. the battle
above the clouds. two thousand feet above
sea-level. We lost three of our men killed
! Il, ,Ja; too, 7, Il
to charge up sheer precipice some thir-
| ty feet high. I say charge: I might more
| properly say climb. which did by
| the aid OF roots and shrubbery in the face
| OF q CALLING fire from the enemy's trenches
and breast1orks. In addition to the
| heavy fire, they rolled large stones and
| huge borders down upon us, at the same
time hurting spears. It was he'll. and no
| doubt this lasted for three hours, during
| which time ii was the tiercest engagement
ever wish to be in. Some of the men
were quite badly speared through the body.
PRISONERS RESCUED.
The insurgents had a space of about
twelve acres in area. well fortified by
eighteen months work. and only APP
proachable from two trails. We rescued
| some time since six American miners,
! held prisoners by the enemy. and hor-
| rible fix the poor fellows were in.
| Never a crumble have l heard, and, no
! matter how hard the march or hot the
battle. 1 had but to look at the cheerfui'
patient faces of these fine fellows, with
| their .!All right. Lieutenant 10 ieel a
| new inspiration for harder work
During the time I commanded this
| detachment which was known as the
| flying column, I have tramped th!s "hoie
island over time and again. iii heat and
| rain I have slept in the swamp and
Jungle and on the chilly top of the mount
! -, - I,n,,
| and marched all day. fighting en- route.
1t is simply beyond my power to properly
| portray the hardships these boys have felt
| proud of having the opportunity to under
go but. then. they are Nirstnians
| am now as busy as a bee from morn
| ing until night with office work The
Major (Anlrews) has been made Governor
of this island, and /. as his adjutant, have
| the duties Of secretary to perform
General Macarthur expressed himself as
| Immensely pleased with the work of our
| regiment and was amazed that We had
accomplished so much in this island with
| so small force. Amongst other things
! he said that the Thirty-six,h and Forty
| third regiments had done the best work
| of any out here. Generals kohSe ana
| Hughes have said the same. so you see
there must be something in it. They are
men who will not pay an undeseFVed COM
pliment.
TOTAL CASUALTIES.
Our total casualties are forty-five killed
seyenty-five wounded. and six taken
prisoners by the enemy. These last We're
ouite likely tortured 10 death by their cap
tors.
While l am writing this our troops are
fighting a kalboag. in the island OF
Samar, and. from information received
have suffered no loss while twelve OF the
enemy are reported dead The Insurgents
attacked the town al daybreak, and, no
donbt will get little more than they bar
gained for We have a little leprosy IN
Dulag and also some smallpox Iii ofnok.
h,,t not one seems greatly worried over II,
and we are WorkliaS laSt 10 loot Il oh''
with fair success 50 Tar.
some of the accounts OF life in the Phil
inp;ne Islands by certain papers are enough
~ make one smile. and many a laugh we
haya over them as we sit around the table
shining our "ice-coid' mint Iuleps- say
the ice portion is a joke rrhe ice-inah
and hokey-pokey vendors have not arrived
YETI
I am now we'll on the road 20 com
Met. recovery from the Callantura fever
with which I have been laid up Tor the
past two weeks. This fever IS epidemic
here and affects you somewhat as loi-
lows: A splitting headache that is con-
tlnuous. no appetite. every none IN your
body aching little vomiting, (Which is de-
c,dedlv unpleasant on an empty stomach
and dumb chills
1t is a dangerous disease and If the
sufferer does not recover within three days
he is very apt 10 dle
The following extracts are taken from
COPY of the Official report made by Cap
tain William c. Dow. commanding Co
X, Forty-third Infantry, dated Burauen,
Ieyte, P l.. May 1st, 1900, regarding the
bate of April 26th. at La Paz, in which
his men participated:
lieutenant LIE Masurier has render
ed valuable assistance, he being in COM
nand of the advance party. Lieutenant
l., Masurier First Sergeant Howard,
Privates McAlister and Them deserve
honorable mention for valor shown in
rushing up the narrow trail TO the breast
works at the scene OF the engagement on
the morning Of the 26th.