The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-11-30
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 80, 1900.
SOLDERING IN THE PHILIPPINES.
An Edgerton Volunteer Writes of His
Experience.
IRIGA, 2. L, Sept. 9th 1900.

September finds us still in Iriga, and
no prospect of leaving. We have been
here four months, something unusual
for this company. The unusually dull
month of August was ended in lively
fashion for US, by few brushes with
the insurrectos. On the 9th detail of
40 men of G.. in charge of Capt. Brown,
started from Nabua at midnight, and by
morning we were we'll up in the noun
tains; at 4 o'clock we ran onto the first
outpost of the enemy, and two hours
later we're eating breakfast in their bar
racks. The outposts had fled when
they saw us, and we were unable to get
but two of them, and badly wounded a
third This led US to believe that what
insurrectos there had been in the band,
had fled at our approach, and we looked
for no trouble from them. To make it
more clear, will give brief descrip-
tion of the country in our Immediate vi
cinity The barracks were situated
about half way up steep hill, covered
with trees, and bushes SO thick that it
was impossible to travel through, except
by the two trails leading into their
camp At the foot of the hill was a
small stream, mud on each side up to
our waists for twenty yards; on the hill
side of the stream was trench, around
the barracks was another, and on the
top of the hill was the third and strong
est of all. The three trenches COM
manded the paths leading up the hills
and why they left them without a shot,
was more than we could understand.
We had finished our breakfast and we're
smoking our pipes, when three or four
shots started us to our feet. | was Just
at the head Of the path, when native
policeman came tearing up the hill. He
was slightly wounded in the leg, and SO
frightened that he could hardly speak.
All we could get out of him was that
Capt. Brown and himself had been fired
on, and that the Capt. was killed. Six
of us and Lieut.. Barber went down the
hill, and there laid the captain half
buried in the mud.
We had just reached the body when,
from a cliff across the stream, came a
perfect rain of bullets; one of the boys
started back up the hill shot through
the foot, the rest of US poured in lead as
fast as we could until the rest of the de-
tail came down the hill. We then made
it so hot for them that they left in n
hurry, and did not bother us any more
that day. Our loss was Capt. Brown
killed and Chaffee wounded. We killed
twelve of them and wounded twenty six.
We came back to Nabua hat night,
buried Capt. Brown the next day and
then came home.
A week after this skirmish we went
down the river to escort the ration boats
up from the capital. The niggers fred
into US going down but did no damage,
except shooting hole in a mans gun
barrel and putting another through a
mau's shirt. We looked for brush with
them when we returned, and they didn't
disappoint us. About 10 O'Clock on the
SECOND daysas we were rounding bend
inpthe rivers they gave it to US from, both
banks at once; the bullets fairly riddled
the first boat, bat fortunately theyvwere
down on us, and their bullets went over.
We were or the bank and after them be-
fore they had time to fire more than a
few volleys. We had running fight for
about half an hour, killing 4 40 of them
and wounding many more, our. loss was
one killed and two wounded The bal
ahce of the tri p was uneventful, and
they have been quite ever since. Each
time since, when out on patrol, we have
killed two or three, but have lost no
LuOIo HILL Out Zip W tuo w dS
the first since we left it, six months ago,
and it was quite treat to US, [ tell you.
1t was like getting out of the wilderness
into civilization again. Everything has
been modernized, as much as it could be
in this country, and the sight of a
postotfice was certainly a treat to US.
You can hardly imagine what it would
be to not see postoffice for year Or an
A col FOR or,
months, but such has been the case with
us. We could pass away the time these
rainy days between our niger hunting
excursion much better if we had more
reading matter. [ get the Reporter, but
again three or four at time, but they
meeting one of the Edgerton boys, and
read the advertisements here, Shelley
and all the rest of them, which | never
thought of doing at home, SO you can
judge how hard up we are for reading
don't have much base ball here, but lots
of mauser balls, which will stir per
sons blood more than base balls.
AO NoPlta1 AoS PoPuAo1IOu VI IOAt
thousand, composed of almost every ma
ton on the globe, the majority of course
are natives. There are about sixty
stores, we'll stocked, besides a great
many small stands. Telephones run to
all parts of the city, and pony cab line
operates between the docks and the
plaza, while cab can be hired for any
part of the city. The plaza is used for a
parade ground and for guard mounting
The 18th cavalry band give concert
every evening at 5 o'clock, and the com
panies stationed there, certainly have an
easy time of it. Yet, would not ex-
change the dangers and excitement OF
the field for their cosy times. There is
a kind of fascination about being shot
: at that binds one like bad habit. AT
the first volley shiver goes up your
back, and then it is all over, and you
don't realize that one of those little
sthings that whiz past your ear, cut off
the brush or kick up the dust in front
.of you, would be sufficient to put you to
sleep forever. One fires at nigger as
cool as he would at squirrel, and is
greatly pleased when he sees his mark
reel and fall, never to rise again