Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-01-11
A YEARS CAMPAIGNING.
A. v. D. Piper is Very Skeptieal About
What is Being Accomplished in the
Philippines.

Cavite Province,
Nov. q. 1900.
While we are all lying in quarter S
waiting impatiently for orders to
start on one of the biggest hikes,
both in force and length, that we have
taken for some months, | will while
away the time by writing you a few
facts and fancies of a soldiers life
when he is on pins and needles wait
ing for something to turn up, and he
knows not what.
The trouble started four days ago
when Company | had four skirmishes
in one day between Alfonzo and Mara
gondon, where the insurgents were
very strongly intrenched on both sides
of a deep gully through which our men
had to pass.
Our men succeeded in putting them
on the run after having four men
wounded and killing 81 of the enemy.
In the trenches they found two
Mauser rifles, several bolos, and 100
rounds of ammunition.
You see, when the "gugus" go into Il
fight only about one-half of them have
guns, and as soon as one man is killed
another takes his gun and ammuni-
ton, so, although after fight you may
find several dead and wounded. You
seldom find any arms.
This band retreated into the noun
tains around Lake Taal, and it is gen
orally supposed among the men that
they are the ones we are after.
Last night companies A and | from
Indang came over to Slang with four
days rations, and are now here ready
to join us when we start out, also one
battery and a troop OF cavalry are eX-
pected from Manila tonight, which,
taken with four companies and the 50
mounted scouts here. will make for
midable force.
Another rumor has it that this is 10
be a final cleaning up of this district
before we start for home. as all the
officers on detached duty have been
ordered to report back to the regiment
not later than Thursday.
What makes us feel the worst is the
fear that we will be away on Thanks
giving and so lose our dinner. Last
year we were in the middle of the Pa
cific ocean on Thanksgiving day and
had delicious repast" of bacon and
potatoes, and this year most of the
companies have planned to have Il
spread.
We have a great many arguments
among ourselves as to whether we are
accomplishing anything here, ami
4 what the final outcome will be.
Our sergeant advanced question
the other day which seems to stick us
all. Between Slang and Das Marius
is stretch of road eight miles long
over which we never go unless there
are 10 or Is in the party well armed.
Sometimes you will not get shot at for
a month; then again there will be
. m he's in week
Now the question is how are we ever
to know when it will be safe to 60
4 over that road unarmed, and who Will
q be the first man to try it alone. Ger
tainly now one is not allowed to go
alone, even with rife ana 120 rounds
of ammunition and still we have occu-
pied this eosntry and brought wagon
trains daily over that road for the last
10 month
Every one on guard carries 120
rounds of ammunt ton in the belt
around his waist. and 20 in small
band worn around the left arm just
above the elbow. One is allowed to
loosen the belt around his waist when
sleeping, but must never remove the
arm belt during "a hours tour of
duty. Six months ago re were car
rying only 10 rounds. This looks as
the Filipinos were peaceful, doesn't
it?
1 shall be glad when there is lit
tie let-up. Maybe you can form lit
tie idea what a years continuous duty
on the line means when tell you that
since | landed on this island Dec. 20,
1893, with the exception of the first
two weeks in September, l have not
slept for more than three consecutive
nights in any one place that is, in sol
diers' slang, l have never had more
than three nights lin" during that
time.
If | am successful in procuring my
discharge in Manila, and | hope to be
| am planning to spend a few months
in Japan before my return to America
in company with my "bunkee,' Was
son, who was formerly major and pay
master in the United States army, in
structor in civil engineering in the
University of Japan, and chief of stall
with rank of colonel, to the emperor OF
japan during the Formosa campaign OF
1874, at the end of which he drew uI
the treaty between FOrmosa and
Japan.
Since he has been here he has re
ceived a very urgent invitation frola
Gen. Sagu, secretary of the home de
partment of Japan, and formerly fel
low officer with him, to visit that coun
try while in the East, and he has urge'
me strongly to accompany him.
| suppose by this time all the othel
boys in the 46th are at home, and have
told all about chow it happened" I
is unne Nessary for me to state that m!
health IS still perfect as that has be
come an old tory by this time
Well, | will close, and lie undo
the shade of the mango smoking oil
cigars and trying to keep cool, wit
think of you getting up with the theI
mometer 10 below zero to shake dow
the furnace and shovel the snow from
the sidewalk.
Yours truly,
A. V. d. Piper,
Co. E, 46th Inf, U. S, V.