The most interesting sight I ever beheld was in the China Sea. One
evening, just before dark, when the sea was rough and black, threatening
clouds were hovering over us, lightning shooting its fiery bolts across
their path, and every indication pointed to one of those fearful
typhoons for which the China Sea is noted. The crew had closed all the
port holes and hatchways preparatory for the storm, which was believed
to be fast approaching. While yet on deck with a number of soldiers, who
were looking across the surface of the rough waters, there suddenly
appeared in the water an object that looked like a woman; it had long
hair just like a woman; the upper part of its body was like a woman, and
to all appearances was a woman. It rose about half out of the water and
sank back. Three times it did this and disappeared. I learned that this
strange sea animal was a mermaid, and that they are seen during such
stormy weather as we were then experiencing.
Another very interesting sea animal is the porpoise. It is shaped
something like a fish, except the head, which looks like that of a hog.
They will follow a ship in droves, swimming near the surface of the
water and jumping out of the water and diving down like fish playing.
I have seen many living things in water, some of which were very
interesting looking that I never heard any name for. A very strange,
helpless-looking object is the star fish. They are often left by the
tide on the beach and are perfectly helpless until another tide carries
them back. A flying fish fell on deck of the transport and was picked
up, greatly exciting our curiosity. This strange little animal never
gets more than a few inches long. These fish go in schools; sometimes a
school is so large that it covers half an acre or more, skipping or
flying along on the surface of the water sometimes one hundred yards
before striking the water again. I had in my hands the one that fell on
our deck and examined it with a great deal of curiosity. It had a pair
of small wings and was very beautiful.
The jelly fish does not look very clean and nice. The largest one I ever
saw was eighteen inches thick and looked like a mass of jelly and was
hard in the center. These fish are of two colors, white and black. They
can sting when they touch the naked body and give as much pain as the
sting of a yellow jacket.
I have been in the water bathing and one of them would sting me, making
a great, red, burning spot. I have seen sea serpents, but was never
close to one where I could see it plainly. They seem to be very easily
frightened, and I only saw them on the surface of the water at some
distance. They are very large snakes with black spots.
The men on our transport were interested in a flock of sea gulls, which
to us appeared to be the same birds following our vessel to pick up the
scraps thrown overboard. I could see them any day and I therefore
believed they were the same sea gulls. They can fly farther than any
other bird.
We arrived in Manila Bay November twenty-second, and anchored about two
miles out from the piers of the city. The view was delightful to all on
board, especially the soldiers. We were happy and jokes were freely
passed around. We were once more to be on land and what person would not
be happy over this thought after so long a voyage over the great waters
of the Pacific?
Five days we had to wait before quarters could be obtained and we could
land. I was very anxious to get away from that transport, which to me
was worse than a jail. I never was jailed in my life, but I believe that
two months' imprisonment would have been more pleasant than the time I
was on board that ship. Finally we were landed at a point just below the
Bridge of Spain and marched into the walled city of Manila. It will be
remembered that a portion of the Twenty-third Regiment had preceded us a
few months. Our landing would reunite the regiment, and to celebrate the
occasion that portion of it that went over first had a banquet dinner
prepared for our arrival. It was a memorable occasion long to be
cherished by my division of the regiment. After such disgusting food as
we had had since leaving San Francisco we appreciated the elegant feast
and plenty of Manila wine that was set before us. This latter portion of
the regiment did full justice to the occasion, both provisions and wine,
which was excellent. We stayed in the city and performed guard duty for
a few months. It was of the hardest sort all the time that we were in
the Philippines. It was performed day and night part of the time.
We had "running guard," which was day and night, but this would not
continue more than a week at one time. Manila was then a dangerous place
for Americans and our guard and patrol duty was desperate work.
All the citizens of Manila were our enemies as long as the Spanish
soldiers remained in the city; when they were sent back to Spain
conditions improved immediately.
No one was permitted to go out of the city. The citizens were allowed,
at intervals of several days, to pass out through the sally ports of the
wall and take two hours' exercise in the Lunetta, which is the favorite
outing grounds of Manila, and a place for executing insurgents. This was
a privilege not often granted, and when the people were thus indulged
they had to be back on time.
Aguinaldo, with his army, was just outside of Manila from the time the
Americans captured it until his attempt to enter and capture the city
from the Americans. This attempt was made on the night of February
ninth, the first demonstration indicating his intentions being made
about nine o'clock in the night. The Filipinos attempted to enter
through the sally ports and were promptly discovered by the guards, who
commanded a halt. The command was not obeyed and the guards fired upon
them. This seemed to be the signal for a general engagement by the
Filipinos. The Nebraska Volunteers were the first to receive the attack
of the enemy. At once the battle became furious and continued for
several days and nights. The enemy was making a desperate and determined
effort to enter the city, but failed, and were finally driven back to a
position where they could be easier handled by our forces. After about
ten days' fighting the Americans threw up works and entrenched
themselves and waited for re-enforcements before taking the offensive.
The American forces numbered ten thousand in the city and the enemy's
forces were estimated at sixty thousand. The American lines were getting
too long and weak to risk an attack and we held our position and waited
for re-enforcements to arrive. During this time the Filipino prisoners
were closely guarded and forced to bury their dead. Five days were
occupied in this work of picking up and burying the dead Filipinos. The
number of their dead is unknown, but must have been large. It was
reported that five hundred Filipinos were buried in one day. It was also
reported that eighty Americans were killed in one night.
I shall never forget that night attack; I was one of three men on guard
in the Spanish hospital. This was a very dangerous post at any time, but
on an occasion like that it was more so. Three hundred Filipinos were in
the hospital, about one hundred prisoners and about sixty Spanish women.
All the hospital corps of attendants were armed with some kind of
weapon, usually a knife. When the attack was made on the guards at the
wall and the firing commenced, I was sitting in a chair and almost
asleep from exhaustion and continued guard duty. A Spanish woman in the
top story of the hospital heard the firing. She ran down to where I was
sitting, took me by the shoulders and was shaking me vigorously when I
first realized what was taking place. She was very much excited and
jabbered at me in Spanish, which I had no knowledge of and did not
understand one word she said. When she saw that she could not make me
understand her Spanish she went away. I heard the firing and knew that
an attack was being made. The Filipinos in that hospital would have met
with little resistance from only three guards had they made a dash for
liberty. They could have easily passed out through the unlocked doors
while we could have killed a few. After gaining the outside they could
have given assistance to their comrades, and in the darkness of the
night set fire to the city and made our situation a desperate one
indeed. The Filipinos knew the city much better than the Americans and
had Aguinaldo been possessed with the nerve and ability he could have
entered with his superior numbers and captured the city. The Filipinos,
however, gave the Americans some hard fighting before the enemy's forces
were scattered over the island of Luzon. After the Filipinos were
scattered they divided into small bands, which marched over the island
burning and destroying. One of the bands when run upon by the Americans
would give them a short desperate fight and flee to the hills in safety.
Frequently it happened that a squad of American soldiers would be
outnumbered by a band of the enemy, and it was then the Americans
turned to run into Manila for safety.
A great many of the native business men, both employers and employees,
stayed in Manila after it was captured and carried on their business.
Many of these were a menace to the safety and the authority of the
Americans. All the arms and ammunition and dynamite that could be
obtained by them were hidden away. They banded together to do all the
mischief possible, but our guards were too clever for the Filipinos and
always detected their schemes and plots before they could be carried
out. It was believed that the men inside of the city were working with
the enemy outside for an outbreak. Aguinaldo would engage the attention
of the Americans and these treacherous Filipinos and Spaniards inside
would do a great deal of mischief before being discovered.
Therefore, in the face of all this, much depended on the efficiency of
our guard duty. Guards were on duty in all parts of the city, in church
towers and every place that would give any advantage in keeping a
lookout for any indications of trouble.