Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo
Forenoon dry but cloudy, afternoon as usual heavy clouds & a shower, but light rainfall.
Out of bed quickly following reveille over in the Cuartel Meisig. Two chapters in Deuteronomy and prayer; then cooked breakfast of coffee fried ham and oatmeal mush.
Discovered my had to be alive with a tiny white insect barely discernible to the naked eye. These mites multiplied into myriads & were crawling over and into everything on my table when I keep my food and eat. Gave my food & table a general overhauling. Part of the ham I discarded & scalded the remainder, washed the dishes etc. Clean or unclean they were alive. Put the table in the hot sun & washed the surface with petroleum and water.
After cleaning up went down town to the post office. Rec’d nothing. In the afternoon the Filipino carrier brought me a letter from W. J. Mc Alonan, Assistant Foreign Secretary, London, enclosing one from L. B. Armstrong, Barcelona, Spain (date May 18th ’99) stating that but one of my letter reached him. Is suspicious of priests, etc. Inquires the reason, which I am unable to answer.
I met Private A. M. Walcott of the 1st Colorado Inf. lately stenographer for Gen’l Mac Arthur. Have come in to help close up regimental affairs preparatory to returning home, or rather San Francisco & then back to Honolulu where he enlisted. Was a teacher on the island when the war broke out. Is a bright young man. W. accompanied me to No. 2 & remained a couple of hours. Gave him a Kodak picture of himself amid the ruins of Aguinaldo’s palace taken by me at Malolos. I brought the bamboo the table out in the sitting room & prepared him a bunch of mangoes and lemonade.
Walcott brought tidings that the Montana’s will be down in a couple or 3 days & remain 2 or 3 weeks in town then go into the trenches to do light work. The town of Macabebe & another town friendly to Americans cannot be garrisoned by American troops because Arm. Troops are too scarce. The probability is that but little fighting will be done until the rainey season ends unless the Insurrector prove aggressive. They have been saucy of late over 800 were killed & wounded as the outcome of their late attack on San Fernando.
Private Devine (Landrum) of K. Battery 3d Heavy Artillery called next after Walcott’s departure. Devine is cooking again although very weak from his late illness. Brought me soon fresh beef cooked – a luxury indeed in my estimation nowadays. Had more than I could eat, so to keep it from spoiling gave some to the poor Filipinos down stairs. Devine & I prayed.
While cooking supper, Private (Bro.) M. H. Ackarett of Section 4, B. Battery. Utah Light Artillery dropped in to see me. Just arrived from the front 14 miles east of Malolos. A. expects to depart for home in a few days. The feed of fresh beef helped me grandly.