The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-15
A SOLDIERS LETTER.
Trumpeter Fox Describes an Engage
ment in the Philippines.

Patrick +. Fox, mailing clerk in the
pustoiliCc has recently received let
ter from his brother. James, of Com
pany *. Fifteenth infantry, which is
in the Philippines. The letter is de-
scriptivc of the scenes and experiences
which the boys i'm blue have lately
passed through in our far-away pos
sessions. The letter is dated Mavitac,
Dec. s. aud is as follows:
II am still alive and feeling well. l
have not been sick although we feel
many hardships Our battalion has
seen plenty of lighting since we left
Manila. Immediately after we landed
we were detailed to Santa Cruz and on
the way had some sharp 'hilSeing,'
At santa Cruz we stayed three days.
pn the third day at 10 p. m. we were
Gurriedly ordered to arms to help Com
pany l.. who were seriously entangled
at Mavitac. We marched through rice
fields until almost daylight and stayed
under cover until 1t became light.
Company l. was on the opposite side
of the town with about 100 men and
between us were 500 natives.
"On signal from the gatling gun
of our boat l. company stormed the
works and gradually drove the rebels
To our position. The gun-boat fire did
little damage but the incessant vol
leys from l. were grandly directed and
made terrible havoc. The Filipinos
attempted to cross a marsh and sunk
up to their waists and every poor fell
low that was not killed outright was
drowned. They had not driven the
insurgents far enough for us to attack
when Company LIS fire ceased. We
were ordered in to meet them. Our
officers were in a quandary as to who
was nearest u.s. Company l. or the
l;ebs.. We advanced about 400 yards
when we were on the bank of "A stream.
We struck out and were half way
across the stream when the captain
told me to sound attention. | had
barely done so when there came a
Nolley into us. AS the water was quite
deep we had to pass on and take the
horrible medicine. We gained the
bank and were engaged almost an hour
before they broke and run. We killed
tWenty-three and lieutenant colonel.
. \ little farther on We met l. and
they were a Ghastly sight having nine
teen dead and twenty-three wounded.
Among the unfortunates was my
friend, Fred. Duggan, of Olyphant. He
lost leg and has been sent home.
Many of the dead ] had seen i'm Cuba
ana | was terribly cut up about them.
That night we withdrew and the next
day were reinforced by Companies ]
and VI. "a gunboat and several noun
tain pieces. our company formed the
advance under Major Cornish. Our
captain was too weak to participate.
After some resistance the niggers fled
in utter-routc and we carried every
thing before us. AS was close to
Major Cornish ] secured a rebel flag
and one fowl That was the first food
| had in thirty-siX hours and we were
very tired and covered with mud and
powder CRIME.
That night we made another quick
journey back to Santa Cruz and were
Ill bed about three hours when the
rebels made a night attack. We
drove them off and had to keep on the
lookout all night.
THE boys were dlsgruntled when
they were ordered from China as they
wished To see the scrapping there but
guess we are getting enough for
anyone now. II is aggravating to be
surprised ana awakened in the night
by Nolley after volley and be unable
to locate the enemy. They are cer-
tainly fast disappearing and seem to
know just how deadly yankee Krag-
Jurg nnson can bark.
Il was detailed for two days follow
ing the above action to Magdalena with
a small detachment. We were busy
FOR about six weeks hikeing around ia
Keep the rebels off the telegraph lines.
We were fired on ten times in that
place, One night we got private infor-