Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-07
Nigh unto DEATH.
.AIRue srOsy OF 1ms PHILIPPINES.
WRITTEN FOR TiE DiooxLHN EAGLE,
BY cor. WA. II. PownLL, L. s.A.

BN COL. WIN. IL. POWELb, Cs >. A.
Have you ever been soldier; No:
Then you do not realize what comforts
arc, though you sit by your coy tircsidc,
you; or perhaps 1t may be an age1
mother, with her white hands folded
complaccutly across her lap. occa, ionally
casting loving glance at you, as you
81; reading the evening paper. Conven-
fences you never had. You have not ell.
joyed the great exceptional luxuric,
which, once IN a lifetime, perhaps, bcs,
a limited number of men. How sad that
you have permitted to pass unimproved
your opportunity OF partakiEg OF all the
delicacics OF soldiers life.
II you had ever been a soldier. would
recall the past; once more be hungry and
eat; once more tired and rest; once
more thirsty and drink; once more cold
and wet, then sit by the roaring camp
hire and feel comfort creep over you
once more to lie on the field of battle.
bathed III blood, and wait for death, or
tor comrades to gather you i'll. Is 1t
not pleasant!
Eating is more than convenience to
q soldier; it is comfort which rises
almost to the height OF consolation.
The delights OF knowing just wha, your
bill OF fare will be for each nieal--bacon,
coffee and hard bread for breakfast
coffee, hard bread and bacon for dinner
and hard bread, bacon and coffee Tor
supper-you can never appreciate. And
then to think Of how many thousands OF
miles you have to travel to obtain these
luxuries. Is not the lie worth living
And so you wish TO hear something OF
my soldiers life, Well, will give you
a true story IN every particular. 1t is
officially entered upon Army records.
just wait until lgh, my pipe. Will
you let ME smoke it here in the midst OF
all this luxury ies; Well, thank you.
That old pipe and have seen some hard
times together. What stories it would
tell ii il could only speak. All old
fellow, this is comfort, indeed, and |
know how to appreciate it, But you
don't, because you have never been a
soldiar.
thought my country had need OF me
as one OF her defenders, and with the
golden aureole OF prospective hero
urging me on, | enlisted. / was only q
private, with the bitter experience OF
having left comfortable home, fond
mother, a pretty sweetheart, and good
position, 10 go far away across the water
10 battle for my country. | found de-
light in the rough sea voyage, and did
not fail to do my duty beneath the burn
ing sun OF the tropics. | did not sue
cunb TO the deadly miasma OF the junglcs
nor was | ever effected by the steady
downpour OF the sheet of rain that fell
in those far away Philippine IAsnds.
After two or three successful contacts
with the Filipnos, we had settled down
into hum-drum kind OF camp life. and
we're lying near Capas, in northern
Luzon. | had tired OF the everlasting
ration, and so. one day. in November
1900, !, in company with Privates b.
{ and l., armed with our rifles and car
fridge belts, left camp and proceeded to
barrlo, some two and half mi.cs to
the southeast, Tor the purpose OF clab-
Grating our diet by the purchase OF some
chickens from the natives.
As It was not altogether safe to travel
any great distance from our command
we kept our eyes open as to our SUR
roundings. We had not gone very far
however when We discovered a party OF
armed men in the edge OF the wood nea,
US, and at about the same moment We
we're fired on by them, Did you evci
hear a lot OF bullets whistle as thsy flew
by you? No; Well take my word fol
IL, the music is not pleasant to the ear
have often heard music that was more
agreeable on the vaudeville stage. w,
returned the fire Of our neighbors ano
started TO retreat. Then We suddenl,
perceived that our retreat had been Gu,
of by another party, while the enemy
nifty or sixty in number, began closing
IN on Us from all sides, firing as the,
came
We returned in kind the compliment!
they extended to Us until they cam,
quite close, when Private 3 fell to tn,
ground with a shot in his breast, an
parently MORALLY wounded. In the mean
time the enemy had suffered from ou
fire. Three OF their number had beer
killed and four wounded. This incenset
them and they rushed upon us iuriously
evidently with the determination Of kill
ing US at once. Seeing that furthe,
resistance was hopeless, we surrendered
Notwithstanding which one OF Our cap
tors approached close enough to strik,
one OF our number a crashing blow Of
ihe head with the butt OF gun, anc
would probably have finished him ii /
had no, been for the officer with TN
yarty forcing him 10 desist, We wer
thsn hurried away toward the river il