Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-04-06
TAYABAs, LUzoN, Feb. !, l9C


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TAYABAs, LUZoN, Feb. I, 1900.
DEAR Folks -
You are probably getting anxious to
hear from me, bat this is the first
chance have had 10 write you since we
started on this excursion the 18th of Jan
uary. Since that time have had and
seen enough warfare / wish | could
with this pencil explain what have
went through with during the last
month, but IL is Of no use, | cannot.
The first day was very warm and we
were not use 10 marching, but we hyked
thirteen miles. carrying three days
rations, blanket roll. gun and belt with
100 round ammunition, haversack and
caI zen of water, all weighing about 50
or 20 pounds We camped on hill
that night, just lying down on the
ground with our blankets over Us. Be.
fore we could get supper, which each
man had 10 cook for himself, we had 70
90 back about four miles and help the
wagon into camp The next morning
we started on the march before day.
| light We had with US the 4th and llth
Cavalry, a battery of five mountain
guns, six ambulance wagons and four
teen wagons with ratinns, all the wagons
having four mules each 10 draw them
and there werC ten mules carrying am
munition on their backs for the battery.
The 10th Regiment was III our rear TO
garrison the towns as we took them.
| The second day we came 10 the first
town on the line of march. We arrived
az dark and found the place forsaken
the natives having all left before we got
| there. We camped there that night and
the next day the Second Battalion went
around one way. and ours. the Third,
went along the shores Of lake called
| Luna de Bay 1t is the head waters of
the Pasig River and is quite large lake
| Well, we marched along the shore, our
major wishing 10 get 10 the the next
| town before the Second Battalion, and
we would have succeeded, only we had
| 10 ford a number Of streams and came 70
one that was too deep and had 10 build
! a floating bridge. Here is where we
| lost our chance and the Second Battal-
! ion got to the town first, had lively
scrap. lost two men and had two
| wounded We were within hearing
distance, but when we got there the
niggers had fed leaving seven dead. We
worked all night at this place unloading
supplies from the boats about one half
miles out from shore, and the next day
we marched twenty-five miles. That
night we camped in the road and in the
morning the regiment was split up, part
going one way and the rest another
The roads from here were very rough
over mountains and ravines. The rea
son we marched so far each day and 81
fast was that the rebels were fleeing
ahead Of US and we were hot after them
They threw away everything tina
bothered their progress and We got three
modern mounted mountain guns, which
they left behind, but they got away
The next morning few Of them made
stand across one Of the ravines. They
held strong place against US, but tht
advance guards drove them away afte
killing three niggers. They were lyinI
by the road with their Mauser rifle
when the column marched by. Well
darkness stopped the chase and the mex
morning we marched into another town
had little fight, captured fifteen rifle
of different makes and marched on af
ter leaving the 46th TO garrison, TO an
other town, getting there at night anC
with only q few shots captured th
place and three thousand rounds of am
munition. The next day we marched u
another town called Alphonso, but wen
on two miles farther 70 camp. Twt
companies went TO take town a few
miles 70 our right and Companies l. AM
X kept on the next morning 10 aDothe
one, intending 10 meet again two day
later at Alphopso. Well we started NJ
our march expecting 10 meet lots Of tn
rebels. About ten O'Clock we came mp
on an outpost, captured the sentry an,
about fifteen minutes later q was wit
the advance guard this day we ran n
against about 250 of the black devils
We saw them aud were deploying whel
they opened fire on US. They were Il
trees and bushes but we had them goin
in about five minutes and drove then
about two miles. If their aim was a
good as the Americans we might hav
suffered quite loss, but as 10 was, not
, man vas hurt. Their loss was abou
, twenty killed and we captured a col
. onel. six privates and fifteen Mausers
After this skirmish we started on on
march and when about a mile from tn
, town, ran into another bunch Of abou
, fifty but drove them out easy by firing
few shots. They ran aud we marche
into town without doing any more fl
ing The town was surrendered b
2 about twenty friendlies who came
{ meet us with white flags. That nigh
b. Co. X was out scouting, when we wer
$ told that the town was going TO be al
tackled by about 800 rebels. We in
mediately sent for 90. X, they arrivin
about ii o'clock About two o. clock Oh
rebels made small attack, but th
night being bright they were afraid
do very much Of it. Any person woul
think 70 read this. thatsit was easy an
lots Of fun, but after marching all da.
mp and down hill. and at night so tire
and hungry. and so sleepy one coul
drop down anywhere and sleep, yet
night have 20 60 on guard. / tell you
is awful. and the next morning marc
nnnir. fn. on .,,ilna or moro IL ie u.