The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-11
N PHILIPPINE MOUNTAINS
now AMERICAN SOLDIERS ARE
FIGHTING THE FILIPINos.
Ynterestaur Letter From serGt. Maj.
Dickson, of the Third cavalry
Describing the Mountain war
fare waged with tho InsurEenfs.

SerKt Mai. Robert DICKSON, ol sA'p
United States Third cavalry. has written
an interesting letter from vigan' IN u.e
philippine Islands. 10 Mrs. N. w. Peaisr.
Of this city The letter Is In the form OF
a diary, and deals with an expedition
among the mountains around Lopo, under
the command Of Mai. steener me ioree
started from yigan January 10 ann re-
turned nine days later
Sergt, Dickson gives cetalled oescIiP
ton Of the camp life, the nafeh aila u.'
eountry His observations on the charac-
feristics 81 the officers and men are MADE
with keen insight into human nature
Some parts read like page from Aeno-
phon.
The expedition was only once In actual
conflict with the insurgents. The SER
geanfs account OF the affair In part IS
lamar tive left Lopo at All a. m
with troop r, Third cavalry. and Loves
scouts. Al $40 n. IN. we halted In small
village called Vangeason. AT $40 a. m.
we found supply station Of the tnsur-
gents at the foot OF very large noun
tain. The houses they keep their supplies
IN are called nipa huts. and are MADE
Of bamboo After we had made thor
ough search of the place, Major Steiner
ordered one OF the huts 10 be destroyed
BY IRE. which was soon done. Then the
command started to ascend trail when
led up 10 the top of the mountain. one or
the largest known in the northern part OF
the island. The ascent was failure. for
We had no more than started when the
Insurgents opened fire on us from their
intrenchments at the top OF the noun
tain. Their first voliey wounded Private
escorgc Mitchell of Troop II. Third cav
airy A Mauxer bullet vent through his
LEFT shoulder and he died in ten minutes.
MAI Htsener ordered the men to dis
mount and fight on foot. which was done
III n hurry as the enemy were keeping
an steady fire. and II was getting
nttIe warm for us. After all we're dis
mounted. Maj. Steener ordered Capt. TAFT,
with Troop ~, to go up the side of the
naountain to the left of the intrenchments,
ma TO keep the men out OF sight as much
as possible. loves scouts, under com
mand of Lieut. Fastener, were sent up the
trail TO try and flank them on the right.
X was impossible TO get near the trenches
without being observed
After this was done. the major sent a
native guide and q private from Troop 70
70 notify Lieut.. Williams. OF Troop l.. and
Lieut.. Ilowsnberg. of the mountain bat
terry. 10 Join him. The messengers soon
met them. The mountain battery consist
cd OF two guns, which nred a twelve
pound shell. 1t was not long before 1t
was In position. for think Lieut. Lowens-
rurGerfts what his battery could do. One
Huu was all they used. and 1t did SPLEEN
90 work u took ,hrsa shots to ind the
70 place shots wherever he wanted. and
my belief Il that the battery was the
cause Of putting the insurgents out OF
their trenches
+. heavy IRE was kept up by Troops II
md !. The latter fired from behind a
ridge IN rice field. and had the range al
lin xa,ds. Az ths sharpshooters present
Rnyene onrne In sight. I took part in ii
myself and enjoyed it very much for il
seemed 20 me | could see the object /
Troop y opened fre on the trenches
anamf p M firing by voiley and at win
smanksn IN a the nes s,ss' p W s,o an
BED firing at dark. but the enemy kept Il
w I'll y n m, Lieut. Houze arrived in
Tr R q X tas MN oss pars. o the
yefe fed % rsce. which we found close .ssa
1"January rs THIS command was awaken.
ca al 40 a. M. Each man cooked his
own breakfast, which consisted OF Il Gun
af CONES. few slices Of fried bacon and
some bareback. After breakfast every
preparation Was made for biz ilrhf
AMI 4 was decided that the natives either
bad 10 leave the trenches or be buried IN
snem. ~ = party OF insurgents had been
vowaFd 9 large mopnfainin our rear with
fne evident intention ~ nankftv ~ /
Mas sent up u with two privates we
had 10 use knives In cutting our way
hrouEh the underhauxh. and went M
most uf tho way ON our hands and knees
! was Z terrible climb. but orders are or
dfrs. aud they have to he ohs,ved ~ we
dii II eheaTfuliy az a good American SOL
Iirr always win for his superior nffaeor
When We reached the top nothing conla
hs seen and after awhile we descended
sliding fnast cf the way When we rench.
81 The bottom. | think a tailor could
nave made great many improvements
~ cur clothes
We then learned that when the troopa
hAd ts9chea the top ef the intrenehea
mountain they had found the mace vaea-
ted IL t. hari TO explain why snch a
strong position shnula have been aban
aanea in the trenches we found rsany
evidences ~ the gooi work done nv ira
ToHniaia battery All hands enloxed
fholF teM that night. even II some az
fem had reck Cor a Failows"