The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-12
IN RAlN.SOAKED SAMAR,
THE FIRST SQUADRON OF THE
 ELEVENTH CAVALRY
Has Some Experiences There-VVater Knee Deep and Mud Everywhere.


 The Lawton took us to a little bay
 about eight miles from our destination
 then anchored, awaiting the smal
 steam lighter Whang, which soon pu
 in an appearance and commenced tC
 unload the LaWton of her troops and
 fauons. It was found that the Whang
 could not get nearer the shore than two
 miles, when she also was compelled tc
 lind anchorage. This so complicated
 events that it was thought it would be
 impossible to unload and take station
 but with untirng energy, Major Hic- key, ably assisted by Captain Clayton, transport quartermaster on board of the Lawton, finally decided to unload by
 transferring all the stores, rations and ammunition from the little Whang to the land on small row boats. This ne- cessitated an enormous amount of work, covering four days, both by the men and officers.
 It was found that it was only possi- ble to work two hours at midnight and two hours of the early morning, for the tide going out left a complete rampant pA Sol dl itElS DtlWtell lIlG Sllldll bUdlS and the shore. No body of men could have worked harder or more cheerfully than the members of the Eleventh cav airy, wading neck deep, bearing on their heads boxes and bundles. But with it all, it was song, jest and laughter, when some of the less fortunate would take tumble and go into water over their heads. This alone was not all, for at any moment volley from the in surgents might come from the adjacent shore. which was covered with thick underbrush
 After the stores were all unloaded on the banks and strong guard posted, camp site was looked for, with the re- suit that the former ground occupied by the town of Salcedo was selected. Sal- cedo before it was destroyed by our troops was a town of ten or twelve thousand people, or so estimated. Many of the frames of the former houses were still standing the wood of which served for fuel and bridges over the traps set for our special benefit.
 Rain, rain, rain, water. water, every where, but none to drink Morning, noon and night the rain poured down in torrents. It is no exaggeration to say it was knee deep with mud every where. Our cots would sink in it up to the cross pieces, with small rivulets of water pouring through the tents from every side, with no let up, There was not a single man in camp who was not wet to the skin twenty-four hours of the day yet nothing seemed to 'fease' 10 mo l,a b1,.o rywhere and at all times his voice could be heard encouraging, ordering and advising. The officers slept in mud for the first few days or until they could put in shelter from the downpour, the same as the men, the advantage be- ing with the men because they could put up their shelter tents.
 The last evening before we all left the Whang a boat came out from the shore asking that the surgeon be per mitted to land at once as some of the detachment of a company of native scouts, commanded by Lieutenant A. F. HendryX and Lieutenant c. G. Clifton, who had a camp further up the valley, had been badly wounded by bolomen during a hike that day and needed as-
 
 Whang was manned by Filipino crew and Captain James s. Kennedy, assist | ant surgeon, who is the surgeon of the | first squadron, put off in her to see i what the trouble was. After rowing | several miles along the coast expecting l every moment to hear volley from [ our Filipino friends as welcome to their shores, a light, shone for a mo- nent then darkened again, was the signal to put into land. There was found a detachment of two soldiers waiting to escort the medical officer to heir camp, which seemed quite dis -ance inland but cahnp was reached without any mishap.
 On cot whose head was at least two 'eet above the foot, on a sloping hill side, was a soldier suffering greatly rom a shattered right elbow, caused y the bullet of his first sergeant His lbow or his life was at stake The de- achment had been on hike and, com- ng to nipa shack, surrounded it. The soldier who was wounded and the attempted to enter the door, when an insurgent rushed out and ,rasping the rifle of the private com nenced to carve him with his boo. The sergeant, not being near enough to i've him the assistance needed, fired, he bullet killing the insurgent going traight through his body, but unfor- unately crushing the elbow of the sol fer in it's route. At the same time an- ther insurgent rallied to the assistance f |. his comrade, when the sergeant urned his gun loose on him, sending i'm to accompany the first, The policy of those in authority seems 0 be one of "pacification," and under instructions Major Hickey caused to be $ 7ritten a letter to the presidente, who , 5 hiding somewhere in the high tim CT, offering protection to those who { 5ould come in, surrender their bolos I nd rifles, and commence to build their l ouses, This was accepted by about ( orty insurgents who are now at work 2 uildng their npa shacks More are I xpected. The ruins of an immense ' onvent and church remain standing, I lying some idea of their former impor- t anee, while frames of several hundred l ouses stand to show, the cruel art of f ar. The squadron covers three sta S ons Captain J. T. Haines' troop C Troop A is at Quinapundan, while il aptain M. w. Rowel's troop D., is at l. one twelve miles from the a