The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-10-11
L. B. OhIiger and Wife
Receive a Letter.
IT WAS LONG DELAYED
Recounts Thrilling Experiences
Of Fighting and Dangers
Encountered In tho
Philippines.

have at last received the letter from
their son, Conn r. Ohliger, who was
drowned in the mountains of Cebu In
the Philippines, August 26. They had
understood that a letter had been sent,
but as 1t had been SO long delayed, had
given up hope of receiving it, thinking
that it had been lost in transmission
through the mails. The postmark on
the envelope bore the date Of August
26, and 1t was doubtless mailed after
the tragic death of the writer.
Conn r. Ohliger was a surgeon in
the United States army. He was we'll
known in this city and was the only
son of his parents, who idolized him.
The letter which follows, will be cher
ished by the parents as message from
their dead son:
Camp Chairman, Samar, July 29, 1901.
My Dear Father and Mother:
This Is the first opportunity l have
had to write you in month, and IL you
could only see this place, am sure you
WOulu uOL WOuueT why.
About the second of July, l received
telegraphic orders to proceed to the
island of Samar as soon as possible,
and supposed at the time that some
disease had broken out among the
troops stationed. there. and they need
ed more medical officers. Well, you
can imagine my surprise when l was
sent t. the north coast on gunboat
and found the insurrection going full
blast. / was landed at Chairman, a
town which had two years ago pop
ulation Of $4,000; to-day, although
there are many nice houses and two
story buildings here. only five people
live In the town. I cannot find words
to describe the feeling experienced In
walking through deserted town. Con-
sidering til the empty, houses and a
town "sin habitantis," my first night
in Chairman was a very lively one;
for. when outposts were not firing, the
insurrectos were, and they kept us
awake all night.
The next day we started up the Cat
arman river with one detachment COM
manded by Lieutenant Beacham, one
under Lieutenant McCue and the gun
boat commanded by Ensign Morrison.
When we were about three miles from
town and just passing mountain, the
insurgents opened fire from their
trenches near the top of the mountain.
The gunboat and men answered and In
about three minutes sent about thou
sand shot into the trenches. One of
our men was wounded In the leg and
the gunboat was hit about dozen
times. The insurrectos used cannon
and rides.
The next morning Lieutenant Beach
am and myself with twenty men went
up into the trenches. 1t took us about
four hours to get up. All we found
was some empty shells. The trenches
were built of rock and dirt, and the
shots from the rifles had very little
effect; but we saw that several of the
one-pound shells from the gunboat had
bursted in the trenches and no doubt
put some of them out OF business. We
continued up the river for about twelve
miles and burned few towns, but saw
no more of the insnyrectos on the trip
No doubt description of the weap.
ons used by the insurrectos will be In
funniest one. 1t is a piece of bamboo
about Ave feet long, wrapped with
hemp and wire and loaded with powder