The Jasper news., 1903-04-23
rRon THn PHILIPPINES
Lester wiihoit Writes From that
Far Away Cline

| CAMP HARrsHoRNE LAGUAN SAMAR P.l.
March 3. 1903.
Dear Papa I will now try to answer
your most welcome letter that re-
ceised yesterday. The letter has been
| In town about ten days but IL got mis-
placed and went to some other company
aud just got 1t. Yesterday was
great day and so is to day. The u, 8.
A. L. "Senora del Cannan" arrived yes
terday with almost all OF the officers IN
/ the islands aboard The most import
ant were General Ice, Dept. Command
er Col Duggan Col Of the 1st Inf, Medi-
cal Inspector, Inspecting General and
last but not least, the paymaster. We
all got four months pay and everyone is
happy About half OF the company
was drunk last night and some Of them
are about in the same fix this morning
| but l never touched a drop. When
the boat arrived the men we're ready to
play ball, the umpire had just called
the game wheL the orderly informed
the Adj. that the General was in town
and the compsnies all bad to turn out
and escort him up from the docAs. The
1st Inf band was ON board and there
was all kinds OF music which we enjoy
cd very much. | heard the band play
about four months ago when | was in
Catbalogan but some OF the men had
not heard any good mrsic since We
came over here. 1t was "A nioo sight to
sec the men marching up the street led
by the band. was walking post at the
time and am sure that took over l20
steps u the minute. After they had es-
corted the General up town he reviewed
the troops and Co. Z had the best line
of any of the others.
This is the last letter that you will
get from me while am in the islands
for We leave here the last of this month.
The l4th Inf left tue U. s. on the Kill
patrick the last day Of February and
IS coming direct t. Laguan aud relieve
this battalion Of the lst Inf aud then go
TO Catbalog aud got the rest OF the reg
imeDt aud headquarters aud then go to
Manila where we will he transferred to
the Logan and start back home. The
Logar is due to sail April 10th. am
glad that We are going back on the Lo-
know that She is - good boat.
They have orders to have all Of our
company property on board the lighters
by the 18th OF this month So that We
will waste NJ time in boarding the Kill
patrick which il due here about that
time. cant realize that We are gong
that we are going home 50 soon. \
boat cant come in sight with out every
one knowing it in about five minutes,
| You talk about excitement just wait
until the last of this month when the
"Big Boat" arrives and then you will
see it. Colonel Duggan tried " got
/ this battalion relic Ied the first Of the
month 30 that We could start back on
toe Thomas which sails the 10Th Of this
month ON account Of SO much sickness
this camp but he could not make it
stick. They said a month logger would
not make much difference.
/ There is great deal of Ma'aria fever
here but no one has died yet. Some
tim there are thirty five men on the
sick report at Que time have had bu
very little of it: l was sick in head quat-
| teTs six days. l am not sure what post
we will 20 to but think that we will
go to Fort Porter which is at Buffalo
| n. Y. The second battalion is going
to be with beadqu1ters and that is al
/ Fort Wayne, Mich. if we don't go TO
FIT Porter We will 90 to Ft Brady which
is in the northern part OF Michigan.
We will arrive in the U. s, about the
middle Of May and don't think that we
will get 10 our post before the first of
June and will have only twelve days
to serve. would rather stay over here
couple OF weeks longer and he discharg-
ed in San Francisco for will lose mon
ey by being discharged in the east.
guess that Morgan will be- about my
size am not large l only weigh 40 lbs
now but think that l will be larger
when ! get back and get some flesh on
me. don't thiuk that there is any
danger Of mo starving when get back
in the states il u man can live ou what
we get here | am sure that can live in
the U. s. Well papa will have to
close now for it is dinner time. BY the
time you got this letter will be on the
deep blue sea some place between Man
lila and SanFrancisco. Don't Write until
YOU hear from me again.
Your Son,
Prt. Wilhoit Co. &, Lat Inf.
Manila z. |.