USA > Nebraska > The first Nebraska in camp and field, by first Nebraska boys > Part 11
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As the ship started, many stood along the rail to look a last "adios" to the quaint, romantic old city of Manila, and the beautiful shores of the
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bay, beautiful in spite of the ernel war that was stripping them of their splendor. Our minds un- consciously reverted to that July morning nearly a year before when we had sailed into this very bay. full of life, enthusiasm and hope, but restless with long inactivity. We remembered that tirst night in Manila, when we slept on the cold hard stones of the pavement, with the stars and stripes floating over us from the very places where for three centuries had waved the red and gold of Spain. But it was not now the city that it was then. A few months had changed it from a city of the Filipinos, to a city of the Americans. Gone was the peaceful, sleepy quaintness that. gave it a romantic air, and in its place was the rustle and bustle of American activity.
Bot we were leaving it. We had taken our part in some of its stirring history, but it was now to ns only a memory full of pleasure and pain. But were we leaving it? Were all those young hopeful Nebraskans who entered the bay with us now leaving? Perhaps in spirit, but their human forms were lying in the old church yardsof Luzon. They had met a soldiers fate, and now filled a sol- dier's grave. Now, as we were leaving this land. these comrades were marching and fighting and sleeping beside us, and in years gone by when we are telling of our part in driving the Spanish from their last possession in the orient, these comrades will be with us again, young and hope- ful as when they left they left their homes. May they rest in peace. We will always revere their memory as we loved them. But in spite of these sad thoughts there was joy in the knowledge that we were going home.
It was near 9 o'clock when we passed Corre-
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gidor island in the month of the bay. As one passes through this entrance he marvels that Ad- miral Deway and his men over accomplished the Feat they dil. The passage is narrow, and com- manded on either side by large guns, and the bot- tom of the entrance was mired. On Corregidor island there is also a signal station from which the news could have been sent to Cavite in time for domn to prepare, for it is only thirty three mantical, or abont thirty-right land miles, from the entrance of the bay to Cavite.
We went out of the bay in the tooth of a strong gale which continued all night, cansing the ship to roll considerably. Many of the boys got seasick before we had fairly got outside, and how the poor fellows suffered, while the well ones laughed at them. Oh! what a feeling. We would not wish our worst enemy so much misery as sea- sickness. The next morning, however, the sea was calmer and the boys began to feel better. This was Sunday and we had services on the deck. There it was that we saw a very strange thing- a christian sailor, and without the least intention to joke. it was a strange thing to its but he was an interesting talker and we certainly gave him credit for maintaining bimself among his sur- roundings. Abont 2 p. m. we saw the smoke of the Senator which our ship's officers said we passed near midnight. She had started about three hours ahead of us carrying the Pennsyl- vania boys.
Our course was almost dne north toward Nagasaki, Japan, where we intended to coal. The next day we passed Formosa, and from thence nu- til we arrived at Nagasaki we saw small islands most of the time, and passed many small craft,
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most of them fishing snacks. About 8 p. m. On the 5th of July we sighted the harbor of Nagasa- ki, and soon the pilot came on board to steer us into the outer harbor, where we anchored for the night. The next morning we saited into the in- ner bay and anchored. The harbor of Nagasaki is a very beautiful place. It is rather long and winding, like a lagre river, but widens near the city, and on all sides it is surrounded by hills, some of which are timbered, while others, from the ship appear terraced. These terraces are gardons made by buibling stone walls on the side hill and then fitting in between the hill and the wall with dirt. The city is a very pretty place, situated partly on flat ground between the hills and bay, and partly on the sales of the hills. On the water front is a large finely furnished hotel owned by an Englishman, and besides there are inumerable small hotels and saloons soul- tered through the city. all owned by foreigners. The honses are low with open fromts. They ron- sist of two or three rooms. floored, except a por- tion of the outer one, and upon this floor one is not allowed to stop without removing his shoes. The streets are narrow, but very pleas, and a time of $300 is imposed for throwing rubbish in the street. Horses are very rare, the means of travel is by the "rickashaw," a small two wheeled carriage pulled by a man. There is always a long string of them along the waterfront when a ship comes in, and one is immediately grabbed as soon as he touches land and almost thrown into one.
In the edge of town, on a hill, is the temple of the sun, in the malst of a beautiful park. It. was in this park that Con. and Mrs. Grant cach planted a tree on their trip aronml the worhl.
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Mrs. Grant's tree still stands, but the other died about two months after the death of the general. Near the tree is an upright piece of marble on which are some of the words in English and Japan- nese spoken by Gen. Grant at the time. Many of the boys got leaves from this tree as souvenirs.
We patronized the bazaars as much as on limited means allowed. These are really places of art. They contain everything, and the wares are so arranged as to catch the eye at once. When one goes into one of these places he keeps wind- ing around until he comes out the door at which he entered, so that he is sure to see all, and all the time there is a salesman or woman in front of him with something which they insist on selling. A person can go into one of these places with ten dollars and come ont withont a cent and carry his purchases in his vest pocket.
We remained at Nagasaki five days taking on provisions and coal. The coaling is all done by hand. Lighters loaded with coal are tied along- side the ship. and then a string of men, women and children is formed up to the deck, along which the coal is passed in small baskets to the last, who dumps it and tosses aside the baskets. A boy or girl then throws the basket down into the lighter. They do this remarkably fast. Two days work had to be suspended an account of the roughness of the bay, cansed by a typhoon at sea, which gave ns a better opportunity to see the country.
In the evening of the 10th of July we weighed anchor and started. It was cold and we all went to bed early to keep warm. The next morning when we awoke the ship was just entering the in- land sea, the loveliest place in that part of the world. On either side of the narrow strait
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through which we first passed were green slopes, upon which nestled little villages. This was about ten miles long and then the sea widened so that we could barely see land, except the many beautiful small islands which we passed contin. ually. All through this sea were little fishing smacks and small coasters. In the early part of the evening of the first day we ran into one of these, doing some damage and injuring a woman. Our ship turned back to see what damage was done, and gave the occupants fifteen yen (abont seven dollars) and some meat. This was not our only accident. Early the next morning a sailor fell overboard. He had not struck the water when another sailor jumped in and held him up until a rope was thrown to them. However, we reached Yokohama early the next morning without further accident. When we pulled in there were lying in the harbor several war ships, a German, an Ans- trian, a Russian and one United States boat, the Baston, the one which met us when we were go- ing to Manila. Soon afterwards a German ship s viled in and then for half an hour the saluting re- minded us of a hard fought battle.
The Japanese salesmen brought some goods out to the ship to sell, but the officers ordered them off. Most of the boys went ashore at once. Some stayed in Yokohama, sight seeing, and others went to Tokio by rail, which was only about an hour's ride through a lovely country. Tokio is much larger than Yokohama, and is more modern. In the edge of the city is a large, bean- tiful park, in which is a large panorama, showing the great naval battle between Japanese and Chinese ships in the late war between the two countries. Onr sightseeing here was limited, as
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we had to get back to the ship that evening. The next day we spent in Yokohama. It is a city nearly like Nagasaki, with the same open houses and narrow streets. There are many foreigners in business here, mostly Englishmen.
That day ended our sightseeing. We came on board that night, tired but happy. The next. meaning we were inspected by the wealth oflicens, and soon the sailing flag went up. then with two blasts of the whistle, the Hancock started on her long homeward journey.
Of this journey nothing mach need he said. The boys were not the same as when they were going over, there was not the jullity, nor the rough, though funny, jakes. They were worn out by the long campaign, their boy istmess was gone, and in its place was the more sober demeanor of manhood. It is said that war ages the intellect, quickly, and it is true. The nwelty of going to a new and strange country was not there, and many who had been our jolliest commandes lay in the churchyards of Manila, or in the American has- pitals there. However, we passed the time well, without the impatience that one would expect. It was the reaction tren lang months of tireless activ. ity, and we were enjoying it. We read, played cards, talked over plans for a good time in San Francisco, and for our work in the future, or stoud by the rail dreamily watching the white capped waves. Once in a while a school of por- quase would start toward the boat, riding the large waves and then shooting down into the hol- low between. We would amuse ourselves by watching them. and betting on which would reach the boat first. Immmeratde seagulls sailed after the ship in long, wide circles or settled on the
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waves in large flocks.
The weather was chilly most of the time, with a great deal of rain. The sea presented a gloomy appearance of dark, undulating, threatening water, stretching away to the horizon on all sides. The ship seemed to be in the bottom of a shallow basin sloping up to the horizon. We used to say that we wonkl soon be at San Francisco, it. was just over the hill in front, and some would wonder why the ship did not run faster, as it was coming down a hill.
We stopped once or twice to repair broken machinery. That always caused us to wonder what would happen in a storm, and we soon had a chance to find ont. On the 19th the wind, which had been blowing for a day or two, culminated in a storm. During the day the sails were all set to steady the ship, but they soon had to be taken down, or they would be torn to pieces by the di- reet head wind. While the sailors were taking down the sails, one, which was partly looked cansed quite a commotion on deck by the lashing of its ropes. Several of the boys got soaked while lying in their banks by the water rushing through the open port holes. It was laughable -. for the others-to see a follow sputtering, and with water dripping from him, standing beside his bank telling what he thought of the ocean and ships in general.
That night everything was closed, portholes and hatchways, and we were confined below. Un- conscionsly our minds reverted to the trip coming over on the little Senator, and we shuddered to think what would have happened had that been done then. We knew what would have happened -some of us would have smothered. This was
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the first storm we had experienced and we were glad that it was the last. The wind whistled through the ropes with a wierd sound, the ship rolled and pitched like a mad animal, hurling us from side to side in our bunks, the waves swished against the boat with a sound like a heavy wind in timber, while occasionally a wave of many tons weight would strike the ship making her shudder like a frightened child. But still she went ahead. climbing mountains of water, and then plunging into the valley beyond. Then some of us began to get seasick. Oh! that indescribable feeling as the ship balances herself on the top of a huge wave for the plunge. That sensation does not come until just as the ship starts down. and then a feeling of fright comes over the seasick one- fright lest the ship should stop before she reaches bottom. We have seen men who had been on the firing line for weeks, and who had charged the enemy's works amid a hail of bullets, roll back and forth on their bunks in unutterable misery and groan, "O I wish this ship would go down."
However, unpleasant things have an ending. as well as the pleasant ones, and this was no ex- ception. The next day the sea was still rough, but the wind had abated somewhat. though it was very chilly. but the following day was clear and bright, the sea calm and the air warm. Seasick- ness disappeared, and our spirits rose once more, not entirely on account of the weather, but be- canse we were nearing San Francisco. But it was several days before the sailors told us that we could expect to see land. At last on the evening of the 29th of July we saw the lights of Golden Gate, and at 11 o'clock anchored in the harbor. Here for awhile we feasted our eyes on the lights of the
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city, and then with happy hearts we went to bed, but not to sleep for some time yet, for happy and expectant thoughts kept most of us awake until abont I a. m., when the governor of Nebraska and staff came out on a lanuch to welcome the regi- ment. He remained on the launch talking to Col. Molford and asking about the boys. In the course of his remarks he said, "The boys will have to march four miles, can they do it?" When Col. Mulford replied, "Yes, twenty four, if they have to," he seemed surprised. The next morning everybody was awake carly. all expectancy. In the forenoon a number of Nebraska people came out an a launch and managed to come aboard, and the Examiner people sont a large number of papers to us. Soon the ship woighed anchor and started for pier No. 12. We passed the battleship Iowa and cheered the sailors, bot as they were having chapel services they did not respond until they received permission, and then they did so with a will. When we arrived at the dock there was a large crowd waiting, which had been as- sembling since morning. There was some cheer- ing, but what was better there was much fruit throwing.
Then ensned a long tiresome wait such as al- ways accompanies any movement in the army, ex- cept getting in. If a man died according to army red tape there would be many Methuselah's in the United States. All that day and night we waited and waited and waited.
But finally the tong expected time came-the time to which we had been looking forward ever since that memorable day in August on which we marched into the old city of Manila, and pulled down the red and gold of Spain. The next morn-
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ing-will we ever forget the date-the 31st of July 1899, just one year after the first land battle be- tween Spaniards and Americaus was fought in the Philippines, we left the ship, and once more put our feet on American soil. The details of that march are familiar to ever one that will read this book. The streets were packed with a cheering, velling throng, waving flags, while the steam whistles in the city and on the ships were torned loose, fire crackers of all sizes were tonched off all along the road and from the crowded windows and house tops, in fact, every kind of a noise that could be thought of was there, and it lasted all the way to camp. We simply marched along the best we could, and followed those in front of us, we could not hear any commands, no, not even think. the noise was so deafening. We were escorted by some regular cavalry and artillery and the Ore- gons, who had arrived abont a week ahead of us. When we arrived at camp we found everything splendidly arranged. Large round tents, floored, with a stove in each, and ticks to be filled with straw had been prepared for us. In addition the Oregons had a good dinner for ns, after eating which we cheered them for their kindness and thoughtfulness:
In the afternoon we started fires in our tents and filled our ticks with straw. Then the custom's officials inspected our baggage, but that was more a matter of form than a rigid examination. Some of the boys went to the city that afternoon but the most of ns stayed in camp resting. Guards were stationed around the camp, but for what purpose was not clear, as they iet any of us pass who wished. The days of military discipline for ns had nearly passed, the air was to much laden with
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freedom for any gnard to be strict.
To tell what we did in San Francisco would be a repitition of the first part of this book, which would be tiresome to the reader and to us. It can be comprised in one sentence --- we visited the places of interest in and around the city. We had retreat in theevening, and sometimes dress parade. We also had guard monnt in the morning. but the guard duty did not amount to anything. The guards would stay on post during the day, but at night would either go to town or to bed. One morning the sergeant of the guard came to the guard house just before nineo'clock and called out. "Old guard fall in," but there was nobody to fall in. The officer of the day asked him where the old gnard was, but he replied "Give it up. I haven't see them." That was all that was over said abont it and the new guard probably did the same thing. We heard all the time about the ef- forts being made to raise the money for a special train, and two or three days before we were mnstered ont the news came that the money had. been raised. The rate from San Francisco to Omaha was $37.50. We could get the samo rate to Boston and back to Omaha over the Northern Pacitic, and many of us intended to do this. We would have preferred to walk sooner than give the rate to the Central Pacific, which before been charging discharged soldiers only $25.
On the 23rd of August 1899 we ended onr service with Uncle Sam. Immediately after din- ner mustering out commenced, and the work pro- ceeded rapidly as there was a paymaster to cach battalion. As cach company was mustered ont they cheered loudly and left camp, scattering in every direction. They did not get together again
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until the 25th when the train left, and then many stayed in San Francisco, some having positions and many getting married. We crossed the ferry, boarded the train and were off for Nebraska and home. While we were happy at the thoughtof be- ing with friends at home once more, we were somewhat sad at leaving our many friends in San Francisco. As long as we may live never will we forget those kind hearted people of the Golden State; never will we forget their thoughfulness of us when we were there first, going to a strange, far away tropical land to meet whatever fate awaited ns; never will wo forget how they cheered us np when we were homesick or sad at the thought of those at home, whom we were likely never to see again; never will we forget that en- thusiastic good-bye as we started for Manila, nor that still more enthusiastic welcome to the rem- nant of us which had survived the campaign.
But another chapter in our lives was closed, and we had to begin another withont any regrets for the past. In our hearts we felt that we had done our dnty and we cared not for anything else. But as the train pulled out our regrets at leaving San Francisco were dissipated by other thoughts.
The homeward trip was nneventful. It was not the triumphal tour that was the one going out. There were not many people at the stations to meet ns, and they were not very enthusiastic, ex- copt at one or two places in Nebraska. But we did not care for this, we gloried in our sense of freedom, we liked to treat the officers as equals and tell them that we did not have to do anything they told ns.
We arrived in Lincoln about 9:15 on the 29th. There was the largest crowd we had yet seen,
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cheering and yelling, while guns were booming and whistles blowing. We stayed there only a short time and then went on to Omaha. We were a little disappointed at the size of the crowd there, but the lack of people was compensated for by the nice breakfast the ladies had prepared for us. There were not a great many of the regiment left when we got there, most of them dropping off at their homes. They were too anxions to see their relatives and friends after their long absence, to care for receptions, or glory, or expositions.
'That day the boys scattered to their homes, and the First Nebraska, as an organization, was no more. If we have failed to interest yon, dear reader, we offer no apologies. You must blame circumstances, not us. Nevertheless, this has been a pleasant task to ns. As we sit here this evening, the faces of those comrades who gave up their young lives for their country in far away tropical jungles, appear on the page before us, and we are again with them, in camp, or on the field of battle. We have again lived over those stirring, bitter sweet days; we have again tasted the joys and endured the hardships of that life. As we close this narrative. for those who were fortunate enough to again see home, we would ex- press the hope that they may reflect as much credit on their state as citizens as they did as sol- diers. To those who laid down their young lives, we can inscribe no more fitting words than the - following lines, written by a soldier of the 18th Infantry, and published in Manila:
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THE HALLOWED GROUND.
. Inscribed to the American siddiers who are Iurted on the Island of Luzon.)
In a far off, tropie island, girt ronud by the East- ern seas,
Where frouded palm and mango are swept by the scented breeze.
Our boys, in their collin blankets, sleep well in their silent graves.
Where the king. curved bay, till Judgment Day, shall sound with its mournful waves.
Oh, sad were our hearts that morning when they brought them off from the field.
The servers who-God willed it the utmost tithe must yield.
And we mourn for the men, our comrades, who foreign graves had found,
And who had made of a savage shore, God's well- beloved ground.
Oh, they were young and hopeful, and mothers of wives were theirs;
Oh, they were tenderly followed by yearnings and dreams and prayers;
Oh, but they thrilled in their glory when 'inidst cheers they marched away
To the field of the dead and a narrow bed by the shores of the muruirming bay.
Oh, they had hoped to triumph o'er sickness and death and fear,
They meant to serve that they might deserve, re- thruing. the Insty cheer,
They dreamed of many a fireside scene when the s'rife should long be o'er,
But alas! they lie 'neath the tropic sky, asleep- God's spoil of war.
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I dream of a far-off rustic town where a hill climbs up to the sky;
Of a dusty road where an eager boy from school comes tramping by,
I see on a grass grown, silent street, a cottage with rustic gate,
Where a mother stands with her work in her hands, her boy's return to wait,
And alas, alas! I see again the mother with eyes grown dim . -
The "boys" are coming home from the war. and her boy, ah, what of him?
And the evening falls and the cricket calls through the shadows still and gray;
But the boy that is gone. sleeps, on and on, by the far, surf-beaten bay.
Then God, who, hid in Thine unseen hands, life's mysteries still doth keep.
Who giveth to one a vigil long -- to another a langer sleep,
Oh, give to the mother or give to the wife, a song in the stilly night,
With soothing and rest to the empty breast, until dawn with its labor and light.
And these graves? Oh, grander than shaft of steel they shall stand, as a monument strong To say that the men of our native land shall never submit to wrong.
Columbia's sons shall ever avenge the men whom murderers slay,
And the world may read, and the lesson heed, in the graves by the blood stained bay.
LOU BILL DODGE, 18th Infantry, U. S. A.
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CONCLUSION CHAPTER I.
It would he manifestly improper to close this narrative without mentioning a few things that are of importance, yet do not properly constitute a part of the body of the history.
There is alway romance in war, especially war in the orient, the mother of romance, where the very air of eternal summer is richly laden with poetry. But many of the pretty or tragic roman- ces which have been written about soldiers in the Philippines are very prosaic when the truth is known. What reader of the newspapers has not seen the story of the soldier who fell in love with a beautiful Filipino, and because of her deserted and joined the Filipino army, and was afterwards found dead on the battle field, riddled with the bullets of his countrymen? Tragic, yes it is tragic, but tragedy without any of the pretty inci- dents. This man was a dishonorably discharged soldier, left in that strange country with no money, nor any means of reaching the United States, and probably not caring to go home, anyway, with such a hlot on his reputation. How natural for him it was to join the insurgents, where he was given money and position, and an opportunity to wreak vengeance on those whom he thought had wronged him. There were many Americans in the Filipino army, some of them adventurers, but
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the majority dishonorably discharged soldiers left in that country without any resources, and who were seeking revenge.
It is well known that if an American joined the Filipinos he was treated splendidly, given a commission with good pay, a house, and servants, and a promise of land if they were successful. This was sufficient for many whose hearts wore bitter against the American authorities on ac- count of real or fancied injuries. It is true that a few of the soldiers married Filipino girls, but the instances are rare. A pretty Filipino is an excep tion to the general rule. There were many beau- tiful Spanish women, but they never fell in love with the American soldiers, in fact, they would rather spit in their faces than speak to them. It was rather strange that when we entered Manita the Spanish soldiers were willing to spend all their money in entertaining the Americans, while the women were extremely bitter toward us, nor did their bitterness seem to abate with the pas- sage of time.
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CHAPTER II.
The reader of this little book, and the news- paper reader, has doubtless received the impres- sion that the Filipinos are cowards. We inst ad- init that circumstantial evidence is strongly against them, but those who have fought them can testify to their individual bravery at least. It is true that they flee and scatter before the Ameri- can army, but who would not under the circmm- stances. The Americans fight with a rush which surprises them. They have been used to the slower methods of the Spaniard, to whom also the impetnosity of the Americans was a surprise. When the Filipinos lie behind their finely con- structed breast works, and again and again empty the magazines of their Mansers at the steadily ad- vancing foe, seeing only here and there a man drop ont, and their places quickly filled, they see that a hand to hand conflict is inevitable, and knowing that they are no match for the stalwart Americans, they flee. But that does not prove that they are cowards. At the capture of the waterworks a native wearing red trousers left his shelter about 200 yards in front of the Americans, and started to run across 150 yards of open ground. Nearly every man in Co. C of our regi- ment shot several times at him, and once or twice he was completely covered with the dust thrown up by the bullets, yet he kept going on a trot, stopping once to make defiant motions at the Ne-
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braskans, and finally stopping behind a tree and shooting baek.
During the uprising in Manila many of them took their lives in their hands and tired at the Americans from windows, where they were almost sure to be shot. They would have been perfectly safe, even though surrounded by the enemy. if they had remained quietly in their houses.
Their fortitude in bearing pain is remarkable. We have seen them grievously wounded, yet never making a sound. In regard to this we quote the following from a letter written by an American soldier to his parents: "Their fortitude in endur- ing pain cannot be excelled. My company had seventeen badly wounded Filipinos with it for two days and nights. They lay within a few yards of us at night, yet notone made enough noise to disturb anybody.
The report that Gen. Del Pilar, commanding Aguinaldo's body guard had been killed, canses us to give following which will prove interesting: One of the returned members of the First Nebras- ka, now residing in Omaha, once met General Gregario Pilar while in the Philippines, at the time of his visit to Manila last May as a member of the Filipino peace commission, and interviewed him in the interest of an American paper. The ex soldier gives an interesting account of the Fili- pino officer as he then appeared.
"The first time I saw young Gregario," says the soldier, "was the morning of the day in May when the peace commission came down to Manila on a special train from San Fernando. I was it the Manila station when the train pulled in. The carriages that General Otis had ordered seut for the native commissioners had not yet arrived, and
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as I could speak Spanish fairly well I was struck by the impulse to interview General Pilar, the handsomest member of the party, and send the story to our home paper.
"All the members of the party, however, re- fused to ntter a word for publication, and seeing my disappointment, General Pilar asked for a card, inscribed his antograph thereon, together with the names of the other members of the co'n- mission, and handed it to me with his compli- ments, and expressing the hope that I might treasure it as a remembrance of a coterie of noted Tagalos. I have it yet, you may be sure, and treasure it chief among my curios.
"I was much attracted at the time by the per- sonality of the young officer. He might easily have passed for a handsome boy of 18 or 19. He was probably nearer 25. His skin was of a light coppery hne, his eyes large, black and flashing with a keen intelligence. A large diamond sparkled in a ring on one of his slender fingers. His blue and white striped insurgent uniform set off his slight, graceful figure. On his shoulders glistened the silver stars of a general ~of the bri- gade. In conversation he was attentive, court- eons and peculiarly earnest. He never smiled.
"By his side, with its point bumping the ground, dangled a Spanish saber. He wore blackened shoes. The collar of his coat was made high and standing abont the neck to answer in absence of shirt and collar. A black hair watchguard was looped about his neck.
"Our meeting was of the briefest. The car. riages drew up. The members of the commission bowed and gravely offered their hands to the American soldier as they bid him 'Adios.' I
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think I shall remember that morning for many a year."
We have finished. We hope that we have been able to interest the reader for a short time. At least we have fuffilled our promise, we have given you a history of the First Nebraska, and have shown you the life of the private soldier. With this we bid you "Adios."
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حيث
HECKMAN BINDERY INC.
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OCT 92 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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