San Fernando, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Manila
Decoration Day. The first service of this character was performed today in Manila out in Battery Knoll cemetery. Out of bed early, read a chapter in Numbers, also part if not all of a psalm. Prayed. Cooked breakfast. Another short prayer. Leaving my dishes unwashed walked down to the Pasig quay and boarded the Dagupan R. R. train. Bought 5 cents worth peanuts to provide against hunger in case I got nothing to eat at the front. Train full of soldiers & a few civilians going north. Met some of the 3d artillery boys below Malolos. Were sent down with the expectation of meeting the enemy.
At Malolos Filipinos young & old, male & female, swarmed the depot with eggs, bananas, roast chicken & fine yellow mangoes for sale. I bought 2 of the latter & gave one to a soldier. He divided bananas with me. At noon partook thereof. The mangoes are excellent – the Malolos production.
The Bagbag bridge span has not been raised out of the water, but a wood frame put in above it.
Arrived in Malolos about 1.30 p.m. Big crowd of soldiers at the depot. A Montana man guided me to the quarter of E. Co. 1st Montana. Quickly found Private D. G. Hines. He conducted me to another building, or rather nipa hut, where Bro. Dave Freeman was rustled up. On further to the cook’s domicile we came up with Bro. A. Lloyd. The latter looks well, as does Freeman, but Hines is not himself. Is not yet over the effects of his sunstroke. Capt. A. Jensen (commander of E. Company) sent word out from town to the effect “Hines is not sick at all; he goes around with Major Milsaps all day.” So Hines informed me.
The three men claim to be doing well in soul, praise God.
At the cook’s domicile a little warm coffee was left over from dinner, Hines put some bamboo under the cooking frame & fried me a couple of duck eggs. These with coffee & bread served me for dinner. After eating the 3 of us knelt down & prayed – each taking turn. I took the photos of the men with their guns, then bidding the unsaved men & Freeman adieu we trudged off to turn.
Freeman gave me $15 green bucks to keep for him $3 is for his Tenth League payment. Says I can use all of it Hines wants me to take his dues out & he will settle with Freeman. Has Freeman’s consent. Did not give F. a receipt.
Hines, Lloyd & I went as far as the main plaza where I took snaps of the street buildings & 2 of the church.
Hurried back to the depot just in time to catch the train. A teamster who drives for the Utah Artillery joined us. Knew & heard me speak in San Francisco he said. Urged him to seek Christ. Train overcrowded, 86, 20th Kansas Vol. Inf. sick were going to Manila for treatment. Passenger cars crowded out, some troops on the roof of cars. I climbed into a box car. Bade Hines & Lloyd good-bye. Left them S.A. song books. Asked them to arrange a meeting for me with the 20th Kansas & write immediately if they succeed. Bro’t out with me to Hines $1 (U.S. coin) with postage stamps, a package of envelope, writing paper & a War Cry. Envelopes, paper, & Cry gifts.
Sat in the box car door on the floor, a la Turk, among 20th Kans. Sick. Brought Salvation to the attention of several. Also dealt personally with others this day.
From the train going & coming I saw numbers of natives returning to their farms & town homes.
Considerable sugar is raised in the vicinity of San Fernando. This town is well built. But few buildings, excepting the R. Catholic church, are burnt.
There is much talk among the Montana & Kansas troops re returning home. They are weary of this war. The soldiers get the hard knocks & the officers get the glory.
Left S. Fernando 3 p.m. & arrived at Manila about 6 p.m.
Turned to & cooked supper. Very tired & hot.
Rev. & Mrs. Owens were out to Decoration Day ceremonies at Battery Knoll. Chaplains Pierce & Cressy delivered the orations. Owens said the grave of Chief Scout Wm H. Young had a shaft of flowers over it about 6 feet high. Men are often highly honored in death but sadly neglected in life. A short time before his death I met Young on the Escolta. He felt blue & seemed discouraged. Complained that the U.S. Commanding officers would give him no chance to do anything not even to follow civil employment for a living. A little while latter the newspapers began publishing the brave deeds and exploits of Chief Scout Young & his 25 men. His career was brief but was extremely energetic & disastrous to the Filipinos. Y. was wounded in the knee from which he died by rupturing a vein. Young was a man of herculean build & was reputed a dead shot. He would attract attention in any crowd – his splendid physique. I first noticed him out at La Loma trying to borrow a Kragg, to fight the “niggers” – from the 3d Artillery troops. Afterwards, he kept with the Montana regiment, & was driven away from them.
And so it went. He was chased about & finally arrested. The military geniuses would give him no chance to fight. At last Gen’l Lawton utilized Young by making him a scout & sent him forth with 25 men. Y. and this hand full in a few days made a phenomenal record. Now he is dead & the living pile high the flowers on the resting place of one who but a few weeks ago they were arresting.
The outlook is black for our 4 sailors. Orders are that civilians cannot return on U.S. transports until the troops (volunteers) are first returned home. They may have to remain several months if such is the case.
One of the sailors, Rev. Owens said tonight called on Gen’l Otis but was ordered out of his office. They hoped to get back on the “Hancock” but may not succeed. These poor fellows have no money & are now supported chiefly by Owens & myself –
Left with Bro. Hines to distribute among the Filipinos 3 New Testaments, several Spurgeon’s sermons for the Spanish inhabitants of San Fernando and 2 or 3 New Testaments English for the American.
Returning on the train to town – I saw an ingenious trench constructed by the Filipinos. The trench was at the base of a railroad embarkment about 10 feet high. At the based the trench wound like the trail of a serpent /\/\/\/\ with the dirt thrown on the side away from the R.R. embarkment. A soldier informed me that it was used for a “get-away’ trench & curved to protect the retreating enemy from the bullets of a flank fire from either side. The cunning displayed by the Filipinos in the construction of defenses is remarkable, but their best efforts have availed nothing because they will not stand. American troops in these trenches would prove a terrible foe to attack.