Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-02-22
Soldiers Letter From Manila.
Former Audubon County Boy,
LuzoN ISLAND, P. l., Januar

Mr.. Louis Lee,
Audubon, Iowa.
Dear Old Friend: Il will now try ALL
you a few lines to let you know that III
and well. The regiment landed az
March 6, 49, and on the 18th were talS
the line of battle, and have been IL ~
since. joined the regiment some md
did not come with them as was
cisco, California, helping drill RED
retained there some months beforN.
had crazy idea of seeing these ss
to satisfy my curiosity enlisted in
army We have had some very M
since we came here. Some of the b.
critical condition at present. 8
There are quite a number of Iowa{saY
regiments one of Audubons boys.
surely know him. He was only lsA Al,
and used to be young fellows togeG
name is Will Beadc. He is in my NJ n,
now.
The Iowa Volunteers did some goessS
here and deserve great credit for bras
gentlemanly principles plainly manifes
majority of the regiment. They were
lodged as of the best regiments ON
teers.
We are now doing garrison duty at A 8s
town on the Rio Grande river about 1870
in the interior from Manila. We have
companies of our regiment here one compasts
at San Luis, one battalion at Condoba alstN
doing garrison duty. The other battalion is OF Y
the north line somewhere and are in deplora-t
BILE condition; majority of them are dsSoid of
shoes and almost naked. The second IL talionl
came in a few weeks ago and out of '500 men
who left tit for duty only 103 returned able fol- I
duty, so you see what marching and fighting
q, ,l,,, ...lI
most of fighting days are almost if not
quite over. There is nothing doing on the
north line and there is very little to do on thel
south line as near we can find out.
Our brave General Lawton was killed on the
south line on the 10Th of December, depriying
US of one of the best beloved men of the array
His remains have been taken back to the states
for burial. The bullets were never too thick or
the march too long to discourage him. Gen.
| Joseph Wheeler succeeds him. l understand
he is also good man and a fighter. These
people are very queer people and have some
! queer customs, but are quite an intelligent
race of people nevertheless.
| AS you would suppose we had quite a quiet
Christmas and New Years here although it was
qnite green in fact about the greenest Christ
mas have ever seen. One could hardly realize
it was Christmas and New Years when you
would go around almost suffering from heat
and go down to the river and take bath. The
churches and most prominent buildings are
very similar to those of Texas and Mexican
| towns. Large stone churches with large stone
| fences around the same. Their mode of buss4
ness and farming here are quite like those cs
old biblical times. The water buffalo is then
beast of burden. Their chief sport is coc%
lighting and gambling of various sorts. Thej
are lovely musicians and give us some fine emf
tertainments in the evenings which is fully app
preciated by us. The leader of the band W.
just returned from visit to the States. MaM
was at the Omaha exposition last summ9
These islands are very rich i'll almost all mindM
| ais. The soil is also very fertile and producl#
an abundant yield of almost anything that Oil
he had some ready money when the trouble u
over.
did not know where you were until rea !
an account in the Audubon county papers q
your going into business at Audubon. do nc l.
suppose it is like it used to be there. / have
not been there for n good while but when ]
come back l think l shall take trip up and
see some of my old friends. 1 met Gus Kei til
down at Saint Joseph, Missouri, last winter
and we were together for good while Gus
left before did and we exchanged few letters
and have never heard from him SINCE
would be glad If you would tell me if he is I
Audubon now. Give my best regards to all m y
old friends. Kind regards to your wife. Writ 6
me when you get this if you have time,
AS ever your friend,
| IRA L. MATH&R.
| Co. E., 22nd Reg. U. S. A.