Hide Article Text (OCR)
Thursday, September 21, 1899.rillLlfTIXE LETTEK.S. H. Skerra Costribates Asother Interest-tag Letter on Itis Experiences.Imus, Philippine Islands, t July 25th, 1899. SDear Father and Mother —Your letter written May 28th received July 13th, this is an unuaslly long time for mail to be on the road. I have had letters to reach me on the lines in one month. But I suppose the late arrival of the last mail is due partly to our position out here. The roads are'very muddy and it is difficult to get anything to the front. I wrote you a few lines on the last skirmish with the insurgents and as I have more time now, I will write a fuller account.We had but one night’s rest in our old camp north of Manila after coming back from the mountain trip. The next morning, June 9th. our bat-tailion marched up the lines three miles to hoid the 21st infantry's in-trenchments while they went out to jump over the rice ridges southwest of Manila. The 21st boys had notbeen on the isi?nd long. They spent their first night on the lines shooting at homeless dogs which they thought were Philipinos, They had the picture of health,kept them?*eives shaved and had nice clean clothes. They were altogether too sporty for the lines and we had the laugh on themcalled out, for we would have to con-when they were knew what they tend with.Our dutv herewas very hard, as one battallion had to do the guard of a regiment. Every morning as many as one hundred women and girls came through the lines with fruit for the Manila market. They carried their big baskets of fruit carefully balanced on their heads. It was the duty of the sentinels to 6earcb tbese baskets especially when they came back in the evening to see that nothing was smuggled through the lines. We generally took a mango, pineapple or nice bunch of bananas for toll.On June 12th we read about a hard fight southeast of Manila and how our boj*s drove the insurgents out of Parauque and Las Pinas. On June loth one battallion of the 13th infantry, which had been in the engagement just mentioned, came out to relieve us so that we could go over and try our fighting abilities. The other battallion of the Fourth was also relieved. Battallion No 3 was already over there and bad been in the light. We marched into Manila and boarded Cascoes at 11:30. At 12:* n ► o’clock we started in tow down the Pasig river to the bay. We sailed across the baj* in a southwestern direction and at 2:3d p. m. landed at Las Pinas where a few da vs before our bovs fought and lost so many men. We went into camp at this place and stayed there until June 18th. The people were very friendly and glad to have us. They denounced Aguinaldo is strong terms. The insurgent army had eaten all their food and plundered the town. The people were on the verge of starvation. One gray-haired old man said that he had *e\eral email children and hadn’t a bile for for them to eat. At meal tirnee the people came to our camp by the hundreds to get any scraps that we may have for them. The government had commenced to feed them before we left.Philipinos take naturally to music. In fact they are good at any kind of light work. I think every town ofany size has an orchestra. The or-«•chestra of Las Pinas consists of about*twenty pieces and is very tine, considering everything. They play entirely by air. One evening they played in honor of General Lawton, who was making his headquarters at the church. I was surprised when they struck up a “Hot Time In The Old Town.” We wondered where they had heard it but afterwards learned that after hearing a piece whistled once they could play it right off. Little tads who were only big enough to walk, whistled our bugle calls all over town.We left Las Pinas June 18th and marched five miles south to Bacorr.oiucib lines. xucy were vuc21st boys, muddy from bead to foot. They were taking that long military step, which proved that they were aDxioua to get back to their old home on the north lines, camp for the night at an early hour along tfee banks of a river. This gave ua a chance to take a bath. We broke camp early the next morning and reached Imus at 7 o'clock. There were no soldiers left here except one batallion of the Foutth Infantry and one troop of Nevada Cavalry. As the insurgents had been driven only to the outskirts of the town, a batallion was sent out to scout around ad learn what they could concerning the enemy’s location. Along in the evening an order came for another battallion to move to the front on the double quick. This duty fell to our battallion and in fiye minutes we were off taking the direction the first battallion Lad taken in the morning. It was very warm and we walked as last as we could, sometimes increasing our pace to a run. Word was passed along to give away to the right of the road and pretty soon three pieces of artillery dashed by.We knew now that the boys to the front were ambushed. After going about four miles we began to bear the rattle of musketry. Another mile brought us up with the boys and we lound them completely ambushed and tlanked and getting severe punishment. Company D was away off to the left entirely separated from the other companies. Our compan}' was cent to their rescue. We plunged out across a plain rice field through mud and water half way to our knees. We reached them and deployed on their light. They were almost out of amunition but no excitement seemed to prevail. The company’ commander was standing straight up smoaking a cigarette arid watching the movements of the enemr. When asked how many men he had lost he replied, “Oh! one or two killed and four or tiye wounded.”As soon as we gained our breath we started out with a determination to turn the tables on “Aggie’s crack regiment” or body guard. We can always tell bis regular soldiers by the red uniform they wear. D company got a left flank on them and as they hadn't much amunition they charged and did some terrible yelling. They ran them out through a small gap formed by a creek. Our company was already at this place waiting for them and it was a very nice little reception that they received. From the amount of shooting done by the companies on our right I guess they evened up matters also. A general advance was determined upon and being late in the evening orders were received to halt until morning. During the night the other battallion of the Fourth, the one troop of Nevada cavalry and some artillery’ came up to reinforce us. Early the next morning the wbole*regimeot deployed per action and the advancement was begun. Our battallion deployed between two rivers, which gradually came nearly together forming a V, was soon bunched and ambushed, or amriced rather, for we were in a rice field. We layed behind the rice paddies as best as circumstances would permit and answered theshower of Mauser bullets that flew by. In some way I soon found myself directly behind a piece of mountain artillery. They used black power and after the first shot was fired, which sent up a cloud of smoke, a v%llev from the insurgents came crashing through, which nearly cut down all the rice. I had never before beard bullets fly quite so thick. I was like Mark in Uncle Toms Cabin. I felt alt over myself to ascertain if I was shot. Seeing that I could not shoot in my position for fear of 6hooting the artilleryman. I very willingly lay down behind a rice ridge. As I heard the bullets strike in the ridge I thought what a nice thing these ricg ridges are. I then and there made a secret vow that I neverever, their trouble was due mostly to the brush which they shot ail to p ieces before entering. If an old _______native can be believed the insurgentWe went into f casualties were many more than wasexpeated. At the. town where we halted an old Philippinosaid that one hundred and eighty dead and wounded were carried through by the insurgents on their retreat. I have not learned the casualties in our regiment but I think about twenty-five, most of which are slight wounds. No one in our company got a scratchy.We are doing garrison duty here now. I understand that Imus has a population of 50,000. Hostilities have ceased until after the rainy season, but I do not believe that we will have any more serious trouble. The natives are coming in every day to settle down. The Peace Commissioners meet here about once a week and banquet each otherright royally. The Philippino commissioners are able looking men.In try next letter I will write on the habits and customs of the people, rainy season, etc. I will also tell you how we conquered this place or province by kindness instead of the sword. Your son,Samvel M. Shera.TOWNSHIP LEVIES*Trustees Report the Action of Advisory boards as to Rates of Taxation.The various township advisory boards have made the levies in their respective townships and the same have been filed with the auditor. Seyen of the townships show decreases in the levy over last year, four show increases and one remains the same. .The following are the levies as compared with those of last year:MARION TOWNSHIP.1898. 1899.Township.............5cV.n'?/.I -5cRoad. ..”....... 15c 14cSpecial school........ 5c Poll 25c 5cTuition................10c Poll 25c 10c Poll 28cPoor.................. lc 1cTotal................36c 50c 35cCLINTON TOWNSHIP.5c 7c25cTownship.............looRoad..................10cSpecial school 10c Poll 50c 5c Poll 50cTuition................15c Poll 50c 15c Poll 50cPoor................... 2clcTotal................47c 11.00 33cWASHINGTON TOWNSHIP*1.00Township.............9c 7cRoad .................isc 2WCSpecial school 12c Poll 50c 10c Poll 50cTuition................16c Poll 50c 16c Poll 50cPoor.................. lc lc*1.00Total................50c *1.00 51cSUGAR ('REEK TOWNSHIP.Township............. 7c 5cRoad.................. luc 10cSpecial school ....... He Poll 50c 13c Poll 50cTuition................P5c Poll 25c 15c Poll 25cPoor.................. 3c HeVTotal................45c 75c 40c 75cJEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.Township............. 7c 14cRoad..............c 40cSpecial school........25c Poll 50c 19c Poll 50cTuition................10c Poll 50c 15c Poll 50cPoor................... Sc 4c■•■•I•NTotal.........78c £1.00 92cCENTER TOWNSHIP.Sl.QJTownship............. cRoad............... 15cSpecial school ......15c Poll 25cTuition...............10c Poll 23cl’oor.................. 6c5c •1H015C8c Poll 25c 3cTotal.............. 51c 50cUNION TOWNSHIP.Township............ 8c40c25If 3If VIf vIf yif ve'iIfIDRoad.................18cSpecial school.......12c Poll 25cTuition...............17c Poll 25cPoor............ — 3c9c14c16c Poll 50c 15c Poll 50c lcslt;Total..............58c 50cEAGLE TOWNSHIP45c*1.00Township............ 6cRoad .................20cSpecial school 17c Poll 25cTuition...............10c Pull 25cPoor.................. He11c20c15c Poll 25c1,4c Poll 25c 7cTotal...............64c 50cPERRY TOWNSHIP.Township............ HeRoad.................14cSpecial school 35c Poll 50cTuition ..............Uc Poll 50cPoor.................. lc67 c50c10c16c33c Poll 50c Pc Poll 50c lcwould complain about climbing over them.ItrMta with you whether jm eon tin a* the, MrreklUInf tobacco heblt, NV-TO-I remove* the deeire tor tobacco, wlUL. •nturrowdlitNw, expeiamltth. tin, pvttM thelBbeeJtZjwcnees curea. but O-TO-BAC from own drnmriet, whoit withy, pertetcatty Oney enree; t bo*ot,fiJS,It was not long when the bugle sounded charge. All four companies went through the narrow gap, formed by the rivers, yelling line so many Indians. And such a yell. The battallion doctor, the hospital corps, and the Chinamen even yelled. Some scouts away over to the left, who had been through all the campaigning here, said afterwards that they had i, | never heard anything to empire ; ( rilhU. The charge had the *ffectTotal...............71c #1.00 71c £1.00HARRISON TOWNSHIP.Township .....15cRoad.................15cSpecial school 20c Poll 50cTuition..............15c Poll 50cPoor.................. 4c5c12c25c Poll 50c 20c Poll 50c lcJTotal...............69c £1.00JACKSON TOWNSHIPTownship............ 6c63C*1.00J. MRoad.................28cSpecial school He Poll 25cTuition ..............15c Poll 25cPoor.................. 6c6c Poll 25c 29c15c POU 26C 18c Poll 25c5cTotal...............66c 50cWORTH TOWNSHIPTownship............ 7cTOC75cRoad .................13cSpecial school 35c Poll 25cTuition..............15c Poll 50cPoor.................. 7c12c13c32c Poll 50c 25c Poll 25c ScJ.Total...............77c5c 85c75CiKIDNEY Is a lt;»ecePtiv« disease—thousands have it anjTROUBLE don’t know it. If yo30wwant quick resalts you can make no mistake by using Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, the great kidney remedy. At druggists in fifty cent and dollar sizes. Sample bottle by mall free, also pamphlet telling you how to find out If you have kidney trouble.Address, Dr.Kilmer Co., Binghamton,N.Y.Good coal cheap,for cash only. J.N, Shirley A Co., at Globe Mills. 2»w3after jnot to doctorvigors pure g color a cofieelike Itnine i nou ris the ne
Newspaper Details
Lebanon Patriot
Lebanon, Indiana, US
Thu, Sep 21, 1899
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Krystle S.
MD, USA 01 Apr 2020
Other Publications Near Lebanon, Indiana
The Boone County Ledger
Lebanon Boone County Pioneer
Lebanon Daily Reporter
Lebanon Daily Herald
Lebanon Patriot
