Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-19
A BIT OF EXPERIENCE.
Story Told to Courier Reporter by
Returned Soldier.

A few days ago | was fortunate
enough to form an acquaintance with
young man who had seen service in
the regular and volunteer branch of
the army in the Philippines. During
the days of the Spanish-American war
he was member of the Fifth Missouri
regiment. Later, he was enlisted in
the Fifth cavalry and was finally trans.
ferred to the Fourth United States in
fantry. It was while he was doing
duty in the island of Leyte that the
incidents which gave rise to this story
came to his attention.
Being interested in military affairs
myself said to him one day that l
would like to hear some incident con-
corning his own experience while in
the service, and in reply to this request
he related to me the following tale:
ut was hot day during the dry
season. My company had been out
on the trail ell day near
Malatom, chasing a band of
Filipinos and the boys were almost
completely tagged out While loung-
ing about 'neaht the shade of the man
go trees some one suggested that he
would like mighty d well to have
a drink of water, as our canteens had
been emptied long since. Our guide
Informed us of a spring nearby and
some of the most yenturesome of the
boys proposed that we get a drink of
water. | was bugler at the time and
started with the boys for the spring
After following little narrow trail
for about three or four hundred yards
we reached the spring How refresh
ing the water was, one who has never
gone for hours beneath the heat of the
tropical sun without drop to moisten
his parched lips can never know When
we had drunk our fill and replenish-
ed our canteens we started back along
the trail. About half the distance had
been covered when suddenly discov-
cred that my bugle was gone. Think
ing that | would recover my trumpet
and overtake the members of the party
before they had reached the company
returned to the spring and there by
the waters edge | found the trumpet
where it had fallen. as | stopped down
to get drink from the spring. | pick
ed it UP and began to retrace my steps
at double time to overtake the COM
pany which by this time had taken up
the march. Scarcely had regained
t !e tail VIII n sl,'eniy from tlle graz
concealed there sprang up on all sides
of me armed Filipinos. Ny first
thought was to show fight. but on sec
ond elaboration | realized how use
less it would be and resigned to my
fate yielded peacefully to my captors,
thinking that perhaps at some future
finoa I irhf No o1,ln tN
cape and this proved to be the wisest
course. However. just at that time
believe every. mean thing | had ever
done in my life flashed before me in
one swift panorama.
My captors AT once proceeded to
make me understand that was pris-
oner. Their first official act was to
strip me of every particle of clothing
with the exception of my undershirt
and adapt them to their own use. They
gave me an old pair of red cotton
trousers and in this tog we took up the
march. For eleven days we continued
our march through the country, night
and day. We kept on the move nearly
all the time trying to evade the Ameri-
cans. During the greater part OF the
time had no shoes and at the end of
the march my feet were torn and
bleeding. Although was closely
guarded all the time. | fel that an OPP
portunity would come when l could
make my escape and therefore kept my
weather eye constantly on the lookout
for such an opening
THE commander of the force by
which had been captured held the
rank of colonel. One day he happened