Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-14
CAPTAIN IN PHlLIpINRs.
Former Recruiting Officer Writes to
 q Friend fin Waterbury

rOfmer Recruiting Oncer WrlteS 10
 q Friend i'll Waterbury.
 The following letter received by a Waterbury party from a captain ill the Philippines will be interesting to many who have friends in that section of the world and will also be interest ing to the many friends of the writer in this city. The letter is from Cap tain Bowen, who was at one time a recruiting officer ill this city. It is as follows:
 Batac, District No. l, Ilocos Norte,
 r. 1. Nov. 5, 1900. !" My Dear MT Mccarthy:
 Thinking that perhaps you might like to have a few words from me after so long a time 1 now write them: You may be surprised to hear from me from the other side of the world, but you must remember that we of the army, in these days, are liable to be almost anywhere-for my self 1 had rather be in Connecticut on recruiting duty, but we are seldom al- lowed to choose our stations and the Philippines is now mine, as it is that of the great majority of the army. l am in charge of a section about fifteen by twelve miles with a total popula- ton of OOOO-estimated. This sec ton contains two towns or puebloS
  ages. For garrisons 1 have two com panies of my regiment, each company l25 strong. We have plenty of hard work to do, but it seems to agree with us for there are few sick. This is about the end of the wet season, which is the healthy or cool season. The dry season is very hot and will be- gin about January 31 and last on till June. Then we expect plenty of fever.
 ,a,,it f officer in August, 1899, 1 was on sick leave for two months, then went to Fort Sheridan, III, twenty five miles north of Chicago. Here l was sick off and on until the middle of May. Then l took a. turn for the better and have entirely recovered my health On August 10 last the battalion to which I belonged (3rd Battalion. 9th ln- fantry) was ordered to San Francisco, Cal, en route either to China or the Philippines As the Chinese war was over by the time we reached Ma gastaki, Japan. a cablegram awaited us there ordering us to Manila. which place we reached September IT. after encountering q three days typhoOn, during which time the wind reached a velocity of 100 miles an hour spent Il week in Manila. seeing the sights, in- cluding the wrecks of six of the span iSh fleet destroyed by Dewey May. ], 1898. Started for this place Septem- Der g and reached here September p. In this section there are few roads, and those not of the best. Most of the marching and campaigning is over and through rice paddles or fields and mountains. The trails are as bad as can be misunderstanding rivers. crossing mud, sand and gravel, climbing mountains, marching through grass higher than a man on horse back. hot sun and cold rain, sleeping in wet clothing on the damp ground with nothing under one but rubber pincho and nothing to cover one but piece of canvas. Officers and men carry their own bedding (such as it isl their rations Gin haversack, which also contains meat-ration can-which is also fry pan-knife, fork and spoon) canteen, cup, weapon and ann munition. l say, "weapon,' for the officer carries, as q rule. only q re- yolver and belt of cartridges, the en- listed ma, rife and two belts of am munition 050 cartridgrs). On one trip we had a little fight, killed three men. wounded one and captured thir- teen. On this same trip we took an insurrecto barrio or village and burn ed it. including forty tons of rice, $50 gallons of vasi--a sort of rum-besides other supplies. On another trip we left here at 12:30 noon, marched till 6 through the hottest sun that could be imagined and over a trail almost i'm passable. At 6 had supper and rested till the moon came up, at IL started again and marched till 2:3O, when We rested till 1, then on again till 6, had breakfast. then on the again till 9:30, when we reached our destination, but inc birds had flown. We then went into camp for the rest of the day and took two days to come home in Some of our men are out all the time. We will keep them guessing as to what we will do. I have been out sixteen days during the past month and my lieu tenant the balance of the time. some times we take hundred men, some times twenty-five. It all depends on the distance we are to get away from the center. Have only had one mail since our arrival and in that we had letters and papers of August 26. An other mail is due in a few days. which may bring mail up to September 10. It generally takes about six weeks for l mail efrom the States to reach us. The climate is good eight months in the year up here. the other four months are h-l. Write and tell me | how Waterbury is getting along. Send a paper and q paper covered novel once in a while.
 Yours truly.
 WA IT c ROWEN,