THE BATTALION.
17
We will not burden you with a descrip
tion of the scenery between Frisco and
Honolulu, for it is very much the same
and rather damp, but we reached Hon
olulu after a week’s rough sea and
found it a hot little seaport. We stayed
there just long enough to see our
“Honolulu Lady” and then left for a
warmer climate. We arrived in Ma
nila bay, October 27, passing in the
dim grey light of morning the sta
tionary Spanish fleet, which Dewey put
out of commission on that memorable
May morning in ninety-eight. Colonel
Hare immediately reported to Major
General Otis, and when questioned by
him as to the strength of his regiment
and what sort of men they were, re
plied: “I have under my command
twelve hundred sharpshooters, twelve
hundred gamblers and twelve hundred
of the best looking soldiers in the
service of the United States.” Immedi
ately after landing we departed for the
firing line, however, the first few days’
experience was exciting, only to the
extent of a few night attacks of little
importance, by the enemy, who al
ways left for other parts after firing a
few scattering volleys. (They always
left one or two of their number slight
ly disfigured to show us what they
looked like. After a week of this we
embarked for the north central coast
of Luzon, and after a bombardment,
lasting two hours, by some of our men-
of-war, we landed under heavy fire at
San Fabian, and took possession of
that village, which was one of the
Filipinos strongholds. We were not
long in getting into the thickest of the
fighting after this date, and we drove
them over rivers, across moun
tains and through the mud, killing
them and capturing them until w'e
broke up the army and put the Amer
ican flag in all their seaport cities,
and we (I mean the Thirty-third),
wound up by releasing Gilmore and
his twenty-four men who had been
held prisoners for many months.
We didn’t have much of a Christmas
owing to the fact that we were up in
the mountains among the savages, but
while we didn’t eat them for Christmas
dinner they didn’t eat us, so some of
the boys got drunk on vino and called
it square. Of course there are times
when w'e wish we were back in the
states, but we never are sorry we
came here, for there are many things
to see and much to be gained over
here.
We have been noticing in the papers
the good foot ball Hal Mosely’s team
is playing this year, and we sure are
glad to hear of his success in that
line. Wish you would send us a copy
of the Battalion. Mail don’t come very
often here, and when it does come it is
welcomed.
Among our letters received we have
a few from North Texas, one of which
being somewhat of a “chestnut,” men
tions you. We are quite sure she loves
you in the same old way, and hope
that you will hang your clothes on
her back fence for many days to come.
Give our best regards to all the old
Ross Hall crowd, and write us a long
letter soon, giving us all the “election”
news. Owing to the short time inter
vening between now and reveille (we
have been interrupted several times,
once or twice very agreeably), we will
sound recall and say no mas. Poco