The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-26
EXPERIENCES OF 4 MARINE
Thomas +. Corridor. of This City.
Writes From the Philippines.

lie Tells of the Seizure Of Il Large
mount of silver by the Americans
1t Observation-Disclosures of Dion
Eap0 Isiand-TrouHIes At $CbiE-
Thomas 2 Gordon, Of Company D,
First Battalion. United States Marine
Corps. a Washington boy, who enlisted in
the Marine Corps nearly two years ago
and went to the Philippines. and VINO was
= member of the first company of marines
TO land on Chinese soil and enter the
Forbidden City" has written d very in
teresting letter to his brother, who is
department clerk in this city, relating his
experience in the Philippines Several Of
young Corridors letters have been print
ed in The Times ana have been widely
copied The last Is from OIongapo, P L,
and is as follows:
Dear Brother: There were 400 Of US
sent from Cavite on the December l. and
/ thought Subig Bay was TO be our desu-
nation, but 200 of US stopped at this island,
called OlongapO- At one time II was
navy yard, but was shelled and taken by
our navy. This place consists Of about
eleven hutS. a few EilipinOs. and some of
the remnants. but It is in fair condition.
and here is where Y e made quarters We
ttAtLiE mere - AF!lCNt q l''b VI SNtS'ASN ~
had been here a year, and now not
white face is to be seen. save when a boat
comes along with orders or provisions.
Everything Is quiet Sometimes we
ere called to re-enforce the Twenty-fIfth
Regiment of coIOred troops that is hold
ing Subig- The coIored troops are going
into the interior The other 200 marines
that came with us are to hold Subig. and
we are TO cooperate with them. The dis
lance between us is about nine miles.
This place has been in trouble all the
time, especially Subig and We have much
Yet TO do before we VIII see any civiiza-
tion, even as much as Cavite had. There
is absolutely nothing but a deserted isl
ana where we are now; mountains on all
sides ard we in the bottom Now and
then we see d native in his canoe He is
hailed and brought ashore, to see If he
has a pass 10 go to Subig for rice. or his
lite marketing. or to find out what he is
doing around here This place has been
the scene Of many an attack. but Of none
o. consequence. The natives fire at US
from the 9Ills and mountains, and, of
course, YOU can only locate them from
the smoke Of their rifles. Then that Vi
cinijy Is sheIIcd. The gunboats are al
WAYS at hand, and do the rest gun
boat IS always kept here 1 understand
that We are to stay at least one year on
this lonesome island II IS the same old
thing over and over every day
I hope you turned that letter mot
DESIGNATED over to the Secretary Of the
Navy. and the answer you give me VIII
be d good one, as I am not ashamed OF
the letter It contains only facts, and
guess he knows it also Marines are now
in each others way. We are the FIRST
Battalion. and now they have the SIXTH
Battalion here, who have not seen one
hours service. yet constantly ploWlhG
through sWannpS and rice fields, ana los
ing men, some having died win IeFSI'
after having gone through all OF the
fighting in China. Those at CaFlte nave
the cream OF life out here c are sent
To- No Mans Land, out of the world en-
tireIy l don't think we marines owe the
Government anything. that IS, II We qOh
get any Of the proceeds OF thal SIN e.
We recovered at IlenISIn- ilIlilh We
paid for our grub; $5U,G5g ought 10 pay
Tor it Three hundred and 4iJE-SlA ma
Tiles were the captors, ana the Only ma
riGes that captured that nOI-eys as thrFe
were 40 other Americans there, ana a I
O'Clock III the morning We had 1t Wen,
we viii let II drop at that 1t IS all over
and ought TO be satisfied with my ME
in place OF talking about money l had
nay fortune I'VE or six times, but no way
Of sending II away, there being no post
..|-hen that place was taken everybody
had left TEeuLSin, and did not come BACK
for over three weeks so we IaO no US
for money OF silver, and got rid OF II
in any cid way The Europeans that
stayed here made their fortune OF OF Us
We gave them bricks Of silver some
+ times as much as five pounds for loaf
Of bread or a package Of cigare- ties. We
were under orders 10 go at any moment
from TieutSin 10 PekIn, ana we uld hot
want 10 carry any more than We could
help. Lots Of silver was thrown away
/ when we started.
let me know if you got the Boxer suit
/ I sent you ! got il of Of the field or
/ Tientsin. one Chinaman told me It was
| q Chinese cavaIrymans suit got q
/ Chinese sword, h3yOnet. and a steel Scab-
I bard about three feet long. and lot OF
( smaller things that l viii forward some
So GCoF-hy TOM"