The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-30

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Laguna de Bay, to relieve the First
North Dakota volunteers. They landed
at MOrong during the night Of the 9Th
and the morning of the 7th. The
streets of the town seemed to be con-
tinuation of the lake, the river was
over it's banks, and during nearly the
entire time the six companies were
stationed there, in necessary passing
to and fro, one had to wade in water
often ee-deep. Most of the outposts
were doing duty in water up to their
hips. This exposure laid the founda-
ton for disease which resulted in
large number of deaths later. The
companies secuted in the vicinity daily.
July 80 parts of Companies B tCapt.
William H. Wilhelm), G (First Lieut..
D. G. Spurgin), e and L (Second Lieut..
M. M. Weeks), which were still at
Camp Alva, Joined Gen. Young's expe-
dition against Mariquina and San Ma
teo where. after spirited engagement
on Aug II, the insurgents were COM
pletely routed.
In recognition for his valuable serv-
ices in this action First Lieut.. D. G..
Spurgin, Twenty first infantry, was
recommended by Gen. Young for a
medal of honor.
On Aug. Is these companies left
Camp Alva and joined the remainder
of the regiment at Calamba.
,ess Season of Hardship
For the ten companies at this point
now began a season of hardship and
suffering which can be appreciated
only by those who experienced it.
The strong insurgent forces that had
been driven out of Calamba were daily
receiving e-enforcementss and waiting
for chance to recapture their old po-
sitions. 1t was therefore necessary for for
the troops to keep constantly on the
alert in the trenches; facilities for
proper preparation of food were scarce
and shelter there was none.
The conditions are best illustrated
by citing a few extracts from the sur
geon's report.
He says: 'oThe site of the camp
is in the trenches around Calamba.
For the most part the ground is
swampy, consisting principally of rice
fields, which, when it rains, are COW
cred more or less with water; at all
times it is damp and more or less
muddy and swarms with mosquitoes.
The companies had, with few excep-
tions, absolutely no quarters, the men
being obliged to sleep upon the
swampy ground, the majority having
no blankets, ponchos, or shelter tents.
Many slept in deep rice ridges or tried
! to, but it was very difficult matter to
| find sleep in this manner, especially
when annoyed by swarms of mosqui-
toes, heavy rains, and the more or
| less noise of insurgent guns" More
than one-fourth of the men who were
at Morong are in the hospital, nearly
another fourth are unable to do duty,
and nearly one-fourth of the remain
der are suffering from diarrhoea and
| infectious skin diseases, the latter be-
| ing due to the men being almost con-
stantly wet and muddy, and not hav-
| ing any opportunity to battle them
selves and change their clothing. The
sickness is not confined to recruits,
but old soldiers ond officers, who have
seen hard service in Cuba and also
here, are succumbing to the constant
! exposure and strain
This was the state of affairs about
| the middle of August The insurgents,
while not daring to attack our posi-
tions, kept up most annoying fire
night after night. and thus deprived
our men of necessary rest and sleep.
The surgeon says in his report at
| the end of August: "The effect of
such exposure is greater loss by de-
stroying the health of the men than
the gain by holding the position Sc
Victims of Fever
The number of sick gradually in
creased. During the month of Sep
tember, dangue fever appeared amongst
| the men, about % per cent of the
command being sick and a large num-
| ber, though not on sick report, were
in very debilitated condition. On the
last day of September the regiment
| had 321 men out of 1880 on the sick
| list.
The two companies at Los Banos
were in somewhat better condition.
| Their location was more healthy and
their duties. although hard, not so
| trying as at Calamba.
In October the forces again took
advanced positions around Calamba.
The sanitary conditions became worse.
The constant strain and exposure wore
| out the strongest men. Although every
possible precaution was taken the sick
| list was increased to Al. Since the
regiment had captured Calamba about
| so per cent had suffered from dangue
and malarial fevers. as result of
which many were now suffering from
! lumbago, neuralgia and various mus
eular joint pains, more than one-third
of the command suffering from mala-
rial cachexia. The surgeon says:
IAN important factor in the de-
/ tefioration of the health of the COM
mand is the nervous strain which the
men have been under since being sta
toned here They have been almost
constantly molested by the enemy,
thus depriving them of their sleep;
/ cases of acute delirium, extreme nerv-
BUSINESS, irritability of the heart and
persistent insomnia have become nu-
mefous.''
| Meanwhile the health of the regi-
| ment had become so impaired that the
medical officers asked that the regi-
ment be changed TO another station
At the beginning of December, 1899
/ the sick list showed 361, and the sur
! geon states: This does not represent
the total who are not able for an ac-
/ tive campaign, fully 80 per cent of the
remainder are totally unfit for active
duties"
Regiment Is Relieved
/ On Dec. &c the regiment, after hold
| ing the most southern outposts of the
! United States forces on Luzon island
! for more than FIVE months, and after
nearly eight months active cam
paigning. was relieved by the Thirty