The sun., 1900-08-14
E0H LIEUT.. E0EaER DIED.
William Elder Tells How He
Was Led Into an Ambush
by FilipinOs.
SOLDIERS LOSE TRAVEL PAY
Mr.. Elder. Who is Now in China.
With His Regiment Gives a Vivid
Description of the Hardships
ofa Soldiers Life in the
Philippines.

William Elder, Of this city. who is
nov ia China with Co. II, OF the Ninth
L. :. Infantry having gone there from
the Philippines, has written 10 hls
parents. Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Elder, Of
10. $3.50 West Eighteenth street, in the
High lands, and given them complete
description Of the work done by bis
regiment in the Philippines which is
very interesting.
The letter is dated Manila, P. l., June
10, 1900. Elder left Madison barracks on
March Il, 1889, landed in Frisco the
23d. left there the 2sth, landed inHonolulu
April ), left the Sth. and finally landed in
Manila the 26th. He camped on the Lur-
reta three dsys, broke camp there, went
to Nips barracks, stayed there until May
II. when be was ordered out the fire.
ing line.
He was under FIRE for the fret time,
when marching up along the Rio Grande
River. They had gone about ten miles
when the niggers opened fire on them
from gun boat. They had been pretty
well PLAYED out but when the firing
started it made them feel all right.
He said it sounded fine 10 hear the
eating guns al work. The niggers flew
in every direction. But two Of his regi.
ment were hurt and they only slightly.
On one occasion they had to 60 with
out ANYTHING 10 eat for II hours, when
they mel Gen. Llwtcn's men ard ,e.
ceiyed A;i1ns. Tney had to drink water
tLat vas green where Old carib1s were
laying aal glad to get il and sleep IL mud
sakl- deep.
His command vas for time a. san
fernando ing outpost duty, remaining
there ir9m June l6 to August .. ana
never mad a minute : peace from the mig
gers, who were continually attacking
them ga tie 9.h they started charge
On 8 OJU nigger= and followed them unit
the raiu ana mud made it impossible iol
their wagons to get through. Tne5
stopped a. Caluiii. They had grea
many men On the line then. there beiD,
tie l2,h, l7ln, 36.h, 9.h, and 3lst Iowa
and one battalion Of tie 22d beside
what artillery was along and the ar
mored train.
On September 25sh they left Santoieta
on a march, when large force OF Niger
opened on them, but their fire was wild
il it had not been Elder thinks ther,
wpulo not he enough OF them left to tel
the story. Tuis was near the town o
Porac, which was captured BY the 9,l
and 36.h regiments. On October 6tl
the nlggers attempted TO retake the place
Elder Gays it it was fight for life, for
the niggers ever pot ia the town the
wOuiG nave murdered them all. TIL
niggers did not get in however, and los
800 men, while the Americans had onl
lew men killed
over six months was spent in the tow
Of Tarlas, but they went cut scouting Il
nig!ers every little bit and got plenty {
item. They went out one morning {
get some rifles and had Lieutenar
ko4hlrr with them. They capture
some niggefs who said they would ik
to show him v ere some rifia- were. Fl
and another dtii ;er started with tie nj,
gers. When they had gone while Ii
men teard some shooting so they Til
men started towards the shooting onI
70 iiud theTr lieutenant diving with
buliet hole through his body. The nil
gers had ed him into au ambush III
other officer tired all his ammunition
the nigg-rs and got off without an
wplud- The men rounoed up twent,
SEVEN uiggeis and killed them as the
made break 10 get away.
Elirr says that they thought aothir
Of marching 25 miles a day while searcl
ing for ulggers. lie said that after fou
teen months Of hardships, OF sleeping
mud, standing guard in water up to tue
knees, eating hard tack and bacon an
sometimes having nothing to eat, an
now that the instruction is cooled dow
bit, the poor soldiers had to lose the
little travel pay which would have helpt
them out great deal.
This meant ior man whose term
enlistment expired, and would re.enlis
500; il q sergeant, and had served son
time, S. 600. But under the new law II
poor private gets nothing. Now the
only get four cents a mile, which mea
land travel only. The officers pay
increased ten per cent however.
I closes his letter by saying: "Gener
!. MacoboIis with l6S men surrender,
i with guns yesterday to the 9Th REF
Il ment.
. Edler's many friends are glad to he
that he is safe after going through
. manv hardships and expect to hear ire
/ him about his work in China.
ATLANTIC CITY.
special Excursions via Pennsylvan
Railroad. delaware Riyap Raid,