The National tribune., 1911-01-12

Vii nhoASi we SOt " scdh
were marched to the center of the
plaza and forced to stand for two hours,
while the people took good look, after
which we were taken to the Town Hall
We We're taken to the place where
Spanish prisoners were confined.
Shortly after a Spanish merchant ap-
peared and gave us to understand that
he wished to speak to us. Sonnichen
1 went 10 an adjoining room and was
given by the Spanish merchant small
package. The Spaniard had no time
to make any explanation, being fol-
lowed almost Immediately by the
guards. On opening the package we
found it to contain $1.50 Mexican mon
ey. Here l will add that the Spanish
were our best friends, we being al
ways respectfully treated by them. An
| other Spanard gave lis a meal the
first that we had in two and a half
! days. After supper the Spanish mer-
| chant motioned US to follow him to an
adjoining room, and were handed a
box of cigars, bottle of Spanish
brandy and package of crackers. He
also informed us that the Americans
had taken Malolos.
A Spanish Friend.
On March 80 in the morning we were
| again on the tramp, and as we passed
| thru the town we again met our Span
| ish friend, who gave us a couple OF
| live chickens. At that night we ar
| rived at San Ysidio and landed in the
| city prison. We were given the liberty
of the prison yard. AS the warden
seemed to be favorably disposed to us.
we sang for him and his friends and
| We're rewarded to the tune of $1.50,
which was great surprise and wind
| fall 1t also encouraged us greatly and
gave US the idea that we might turn
| an honest penny or two by singing.
1t was my first experience in singing
| for coppers, but as there was no com
petition, we We're the Stars.
| On April there was an armistice, SO
| the watden's servant informed us, and
that hosiilities had ceased until the
| 18th AS we could hear no news, we
hoped and believed that everything
would be settled on that date and that
we would then get our liberty. so VIC
lsettled down to wait. On the 18th no
news came further than that the ar
mistice lad been extended a few days.
On that evening, however, We heard
news that changed things completely.
A large crowd came to the prison with
another American prisoner. He was
| Albert Bishop, of the Sd Art, captured
near Calumpit. Bishop told us all that
WAS going on in the American lines,
and said that everywhere the Ameri-
cans had been victorious; but the Cow
eminent at that time did not have
troops enough to spare from Manila to
take and hold the other towns.
On April 20 Canadian Brown was re-
moved from the prison to teach the
local Governor English and given quar-
! ters in town. Whether this was his re-
ward for his treachery to US on two
previous occasions we never knew.
| April % was a red-letter day. We
were given ration money and nearly
collapsed, for we were given 20 cents
in Mexican money, which was a great
raise from 2 " cents. Our gratiiica-
ton was of short duration, however,
for the next day our ration money
! dropped to the same old three for
nickel and one in box
April % eight prisoners from the
igunboat Yorktown were brought in
one Lieutenant and eight sailors. Lieut.,
Gilmore headed the squad, and they
were captured in Balaros. On May
the American prisoners, with 100 or
more Spanish prisoners, left San Ysidio,
barefooted and almost without clothes,
and from May to June our march
! from town to town was continued.
| We remained in no town more than
one night. Some of the places treated
US with distinguished hospitality, while
the people of the others were as cold
as the proverbial clam. Nothing of
| particular interest arose to either de-
| press or raise our hopes. 1t rained
a good part of the time. and some
days we stopped along thru mud and
| water from ankle to chin deep. The
| first encouraging news that we re-
| ceived was at Candon. There the Pres
Iident of the town told us that the war
| could not last longer than June 10. On
/ arriving at VICAR, we remained for
| three months on shorter rations and
| shorter liberties.
/ Independence Day IA of US Uncle
Sans boys managed to celebrate with
4 ont the old mans company. We arose
with the sun and gave three cheers
| for the bird of freedom, and then
| cooked our rice. After breakfast We
| whistled and sang. Our fireworks con-
| sisted of one box of matches and four
bottles of native firewater which was
| 50 per cent stronger than full-strength
alcohol. At s o'clock Lieut.. Gilmore
called the meeting to order and recited
Lincoln's Gettysburg address; then we
fired off bunch of matches. Tired,
| blue, homesick and with swelled heads,
we sought the soft sides OF our cement
beds that night and were soon dream
ing of Washington crossing the Della
ware.
| 4 Pleasant Experience.
Until Sept. the same routine; then
we received orders to march from
i VICAR to Banquet, a distance of nine
miles as the crow flies. Banquet was
supposed to be the Filipino strong
hold, and we American prisoners, now
10 in number, and about 500 Spanish
DTlSOneTS Oh war were CODuiitu III the
city prison. The people Of Banquet
were of a higher order of intelligence
than any we had yet come in contact
with ON the island. They all spoke
Spanish and were we'll informed and
educated The Jail officers made us as
comfortable as possible, and we had
been there but a short time when the
President of the! city, the officials under
} him and the Catholic priest called upon
u.s. In a few days we were given the
liberty of the town, and from that on
we were living as American soldiers
should live, attending everything Of a
social nature, from wedding to a
funeral We becames quite expert as
!, funeral sharps, and were not slow when
it came to giving a Filipino maiden a
send-off in a matrimonial way. The
people seemed to takeOto US kindly, be-
lieving us COED fellows even If we were
, Americans. The Spaniards were also
!, given the liberty Of the town, and
) were as well treated asswere the Ameri-
can boys. We'jhad to report to the
J sentry on post every evening at 8
! o'clock. Some of us who could speak a
little Spanish made few dollars teach
! ing the natives English at 8 pesos, or
$1.50, per month. Thef girls at Banquet
were charming companions and beauti
full to look upon, Poor Bruce, / fear
lost his heart, and 1t was close shave
: for the rest of us.
few days after we left Banquet on
the final retreat Of fha Eiljpinn arn,v