The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-11

/ {.
Of the late Major John Poe, and a well al
known young Richmond man, is In the
Philippines, dn the Engineers service
one OF his sisters has recently received
a very Interesting letter from him. He
writes:
| Philippine Islands
Camp Overton Mind, p. L.,
september 4, 1901
Dear sister,-I received your letter ten
days ago, but was just starting for
ten days trip in the field to go over an
old survey 1 helped to make last Deem
! Der. In the party were Major General
Wood, Captain Killer and Lieutenants.
Jewett and Leeds. ] just returned last
night, and I am now camped on the beach
with the waters OF the China Sea at
my tent door.
Il thought, Of course, you oil knew
| that was IN tie Philippine Islands. !
! left the states early in 1903, Just after
was in Richmond left Frisco for
Honolulu, and from there went to Guam,
III the Ldlrone Islands; from there to
japan; on from there to Manila. After
being in the northern Philippine Islands
| for six months and on the water for
thirty days, making channel surveys, 1He
| were In China for two weeks, and then
came back to the Philippine Islands, ana
\ I am now on duty IN the extreme SCUM SCUM
| ern Islands. # Eli
I L guess II have done a little Of every
! kind Of engineering t1lut has ever BEEN
| done by human beings. II was IN. three
lights in the last six months, the only
ones have ken part in.s# The hrs t wa
\ with General Wood after Datto Panltma
1Iassen, Moro chlef.S.We had anoul l 4vv
men in line. Our part..' OF engineers are re
supposed to go or an expedition for the
purpose OF having bridges built when we
4 come TO any stream that is too deep TO-
| wade: but all we did was Q light with
the rest. After four days march We
came upon, I think, about one thousand:
AIoros. AS they were very well entrenched
1 we had about six hours fighting. Our
| loss was about six men-all enlisted men.
/ Major Scott lost three. fingers on both
HANDS MY bunl1e,S Sergeant Coombs was
i illed-cut /all Ito pieces by two Nloros.&
1--we, Of course, don't know how many
t'they carried away, but after the Aoros
had been driven away we buried $50 IN
lone trench. ssS sg z K; s5;. .i&ig tsaS
was in two other scraps that did not
4 amount to much, except that instead Of
/ enlisted men this 8tirne;f' we lost Lieuten-
i ants Flake and Robertson and Il CAPTAIN
i Vince lee ::~~tTI came out OF 1T wi TIA
slight scalp wound and q -hrok finger
4 i expect to Leave for Manila In ABOUT
days, and VII pe; q ou
Il have TO go arolh,dit,heln, N & PAL ties " OF
5lnever less than five, with ASTHMA nyaaIe-
.svolVers as IA man can well l'ca rry, as ~
Moro Is always looking for a nance
i Ito jump sout of high grass and do you UP
met Clarence Werner, who SIN days
gone BY used TO play cards with papa.
4 He Is living in Manila and doing very
] nicely. Il was up three times to dinner,
\ and had quite nice; time. ] t has been
4 lust eight months since ( have seen a
4 white woman to speak with. 55; ia ps,
!! Chinese, iliDinos. and nothing else me
moro men and women wear q turban, and
i a wicked looll-not thing else. !l,..z
i 1T is very hot here fromf9 "A. NJ until
Ia r. NJ, and fter that very pleasant
never have a hot night except IN Mania.
4 5I always use two blankets at night My
4 health ii, every way is better than
4 have ever known 1t to be. 4 expect to be
4 hare. DIT work until next spring, and then
\! i will have to decide what n VIII DO. -
A have several offers. but have been over
4 here eighteen months and I long to see
& the old United States once more We'll
i i guess have written enough, SO VIII
4 close.
3 A letter to Luke H.IsPoe, Company Is,
I Third Battalion, Engineers Manila - II,
4 will always reach me-
m Your brother, HARVEY.
Z | ~ VI