The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-11-08
Letter From the Philippines.

The following interesting letter is from
a trooper of Co. M, Ist U. S. Cavalry, en-
listed from York, Pa, of which George
Bailey, brother of w E. Bailey of Rising
Sun, is a member
LIPA LUzoN, p. I.
Having a day to myself I will give you
an idea of what we have been doing siuce
! last wrote you. On Dec. "a we made
all the preparations for feast to be held
on Christmas, when at 1880 a. M, Dec. as,
the First Sergeant went through quarters
and awakened every one who was not
detailed for duty for that day, telling
them to go to the stables and saddle their
horses as quickly as possible.
We then left Lipa at ago a. m. and
after reaching tie outskirts of town dis
mounted and led our horses until day
light, covering a distance of nearly ten
miles. The roads being very bad, and
the men not used to walking, became
foot-sore At daylight we remounted and
secuted all the country in the vicinity Of
Ouinqui During the morning we came
upon large bario, or town, where the
natives were having three days feast
They gave us some coffee, which was the
best I have tasted since we left Gods
country. Having seen no signs of insur-
rectos we cut across mountains for home,
where we arrived in time to partake of
chicken and other things that Uncle Sam
does not give us. 1t is needless to say we
enjoyed our dinner
On December 81 Lieutenant Yates with
| thirty men started on a tWo-day trip to
Aliminos, each nan taxing three quarts
of oats for his horse, one can of salmon
and all the hard tack we could get We
left at s a. u., arriving at Aliminos that
evening at 4 p. M, having been in the
saddle all day and nothing TO eat The
next morning, not having any oats for
our horses, each man had TO use himself
as picket pin and let his horse Craze for
one hour. At 9 a. m we left Aliminos
for ,sQme, searching every bario, quartet,
ravine, gulch, and every place that look
ed as though it might hold googoo. We
succeeded in finding nothing, and after
few short stops to let our horses eat grass,
we arrived at tipa at $50 p. m, Jan. I,
1901. That same night at 10 o'elock forty
men were ordered out dismounted
Nearly half of the men who were out with
Lieutenant Yates were on this hike, hut
never said a word. Privates Walter 7.
Small, George w. Mason and myself
asked to 60, oct our troop commander
would not allow us TO do SO. They were
out four nights and three days, and upon
their return quite number Of them were
sick. The day after they left, 5000"
Small and myself with six other men, went
to Batangas for five days as escort to
wagon train. On the morning of March
3 we were again called ont off our blan-
kets. This time it was big hike to sur
round and capture Gen. Malavar, on Lake
Taal. The expedition was made up of
attachments of Troops I, X, and NJ, Isl
Cavalry and Of the Sth and aIst Infantry.
We were out until the night Of the 5th
and, 1--WE got him. GET"
The same night we were again ordered
to saddle as quickly as possible. This
TING it was Gen. Landicho who was re-
ported to DE ia bario few miles from
Lipa. When we arrived 81 our destina-
ton the bird had flown.
Oar neXt and last trip was on March
50 This time Troop G, 9th Cavalry, was
surrounded at Talsse, and had sent for
reinforcement Troop c, 9th, is stationed
at Binyan, Cavite PreVidenee, and asked
for permission TO cross the mountains
and scare up scrap. They got permits
sign and arrived at Talase on the after
noon Ct the goth. Almost Immediately
the firing begaa. and i looked as though
they would all be killed or taken nrison-
ers. They retreated to the lake, where
an old stone church stands, and used it as
tort. They also took their horses into
the church 10 project them from being
killed. The firing lasted all the after
noon and began early the next morning. !
Things began to look bad and a council |
OF war was held. 1t was decided that
three men and Macabebe should ride to
Santo Tomas for reinforcements. Every
thing being ready the four men started
down the road as fast as the horses could |
run, charging the insurgents, who had
formed a double rank on either side of
road, broke through their lines and |
reached Sapto TOMAS in safety. They