Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-09-05
VIII Hamilon's Letter.
Cottobsto, Mindanao, p. l.
July 9th, 1861.

July 9th, 1861.
Mr.. Warren Cole -
Audubon, 10.
| Dear Sir and friend Yours O
April Is was received few days ag
and Will I take pleasure in answerin,
it. Yesterday was the grand and glor
ious Fouth of July, which makss two
have passed in the Philippines and i
turned out to be sad affair. Every
body had anticipated great day o
enjoyment and pleasure and all wen
well until the midday gun was fired.
Through carelessness live charcoal
into keg Of powder which exploded
at once, throwing solid sheet of fire
for hundred feet or more burning
everything within it's reach. After
the explosion all that could be seen
was natives running in all directions,
some with what little clothing they had
onfire and also their hair ablaze. They
all wear long hair, nearly eigh.
teen inches long. Some we had to run
down and throw into the water to ex.
tinguish the fire. There were twenty
seven burned consisting of Moros,
Chinos and Filipinos. Three of them
died this morning. 1t was terrible
sight to see. Several of them had the
skin blown from the body until it
hung in shreds. One Moro who be-
longs to the Moro guard, who was
loading the cannon had the skin blown
from the inside of his hand until it
hung in shreds FROM the tips of his
fingers. 1t was one OF the most terrible
sights ever saw and hope / will
never see another like it. They claim
this is the third time that this same
thing has happened in Cottobato. The
Moros were in charge of the battery
and were firing the guns in honor Of
the day. They were brass cannons Of
the muzzle loading type, looked to he
two centuries old. They fired the
national salnte ut sun rise. The mira
Gle of it was that there was not one Of
the soldiers hurt, though there were
many within five feet Of the keg. One
thing that saved the soldiers was that
the mess call bad Just been blown and
only few soldiers remained. They
took all Of the injured to the army
hospital As there is no other kind here
and gave them the best care and treat
menf they knew how. They think 1--WE
or six more will die.
Major Feibeger is now in command
OF this post, relieving Major McMahon
Of the 3lst U. s. V. which regiment
Major Feb erger is trying to transfer
into the 2:rd regiment Is there is a
vacancy made by Major Sweets pro-
motion to Lisut. Colonel. We are to
lose our company commander LIST Lieut.
b. G. Bonnycastle who is ordered to
headquarters OF the regiment to be
assigned as sdjutant. It is Q loss to
the company that is felt by all as he
was loved and respected by all nnder
his command. We have had four differ
ent company commanders but none was
liked SO we'll as he was. Capt. Lsu-
bauh is to be our next company com,
mauder.
We had splendid dinner the Fourth
and one to be proud of. Major Feibeig-
er and wife and two daughters, Lieut..
Boneycastle and Lieut.. Kent and wife
come down and inspected the diuner
just before We set down. They found
the table fairly groaned under the load
of good things that are most tempting
to the appetite of a soldier. The din.
ner consisted of roast chicken and
dressing. roast beef and ham, irish
spuds and gravy, corn, butter beans.
potato salad, cold slaw, pickles, toma-
to and cranberry sauce, three kinds of
cake and four kinds of pie, bananas
and oranges. Irish spuds are as rare
dish here as pineapple is in the
States.
Rice will be failure in this part Of
the island this year. I never saw so
many grasshoppers as there are here.
They fly in swarms so thick that they
darken the sky as they fly over.
like the kodak splendidly and have
taken three dozen views. Will take
another dozen and then will send them
to be developed.
As the boat is going ont in abort
time, Twill close.
Remainingas ever,
WV. j. HAMILTON
Co. C 23rd INIT.
P. S.-Do not know what regiment
l will be transferred to yet, but more
than likely to one Of the new. re0i-