Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-08
ANOTHER SOLDIER LETTER.

NlSltlnS Otner schools.
 ANOTHER SOLDIER LETTER.
 William McNally Tells How Close He Came to Aguinaldo.
 | The following is a copy of letter received by Miss Maggie Phelan of North Elm street from her uncle, Will liam McNally, soldier in the Philip pines:
 San Francisco, De Malabon. P. I. January IS, 1901.
 Dear Maggie: I received your let ter and was glad to hear from you. am much obliged for your presents. especially because I am aware that it took you q long time to save what they cost. I suppose it required whole weeks work to sew my name on the handkerchief. am going to save the shirt for future use, but the other articles l can use at any time. Mag gie. l am not sending you anything at this time, but I am going down to Ma nila shortly, when I shall get you | something. You will remember that there has been some talk about our getting out next June. but l am not taking any stock in the rumor, though. I confess. l wish it were true. for l am well tired of life on these islands. I am over here nearly a year and 8 half and am very anxious to return to the states. I intend to visit Ma nila in March and have my picture taken and purchase some presents for you and forward the same to you as soon as opportunity offers.
 I guess the natives have come to the conclusion that there is no use fighting any longer. We have five of them in our camp who used to belong to the warriors and they go out every day and bring in five or six guns but most of the ordnance is valueless on account of having lain so long un- der the weather. some of them being eaten clear through and nothing left but stout pieces of iron. The other day one of the niggers who lives in the town informe q the colonel that he knew where there was a big cannon buried and when we called at the place we were mnch surprised to find it in an excellent state of preservation. It was concealed not over 200 feet from our quarters. It proved to be a five inch cannon. not a bit damaged, and | beside it we unearthed a wagon load of ammunition. a lot of explosive shells and one pounder.
 On one occasion we came near hav- ing the honor of capturing Aguinaldo. The secret service men in Manila l heard that he was in the vicinity Of Cavite and steps were at once taken to apprehend him. We put out skirmish line four miles long and while We were rewarded by the capture of HOO niggers. still we failed to lay hands upon "Aggie." although he was l in the place at the time. one of his servants stating later that we walked right over his hiding place in the bushes. The secret service men picked tip one general. two majors. five lieu- tenants and seventy-five privates so that between the whole of us we got considerable for our trouble. The next day we tried it again and col lected q lot of "Aggie's" clothes, his specs and field glasses and missed himself by hair. His home is Ca vite and his mother being very i'll he ventured to come and see her. We also got his servants and his body guard. so you can see that although we have not cornered him yet, We are keeping him on the move all the time.
 On New Years our company. with | two others. went out towards the mountains to get some cannon which We were told could be had without any trouble. We had a nigger captain with us and the colonel told him that he 1 would give him his liberty if he would show us where the cannon were con cealed. but he refused to do it, and after q fruitlesS search for the guns. Captain Duncan. who was in charge | q A through his hat. hung him and then nearly killed him. From here 1 we marched into q neighboring town. | where we were informed that the niggers had removed the things about a week before. and secreted them l somewhere else. At this place I met Joe Shields and had a good time with him. He expects to go home in a couple of months. Joe is heartily sick of the islands and does not care how | soon he gets his heels out of them. I had to laugh at him, he is so small. It seems as if they picked out all the | little fellows for the volunteer service and the tall ones for the regulars. We'll. Maggie, I will conclude thts letter by hoping that Mary Ann and mother and all members of both fam flies as we'll as all other friends are well.
 From your uncle.
 WILLIAM M'NALLY.
 Fourth United States Infantry, De | Nn11hOn p T.