SYRACUSAN IN PHILIPPINES WRITES OF THE TROUBLE THERE NATIVES ARE BITTER AGAINST MCKINLEY --- WILL FIGHT UNTIL AFTER ELECTION --- NATIVE WEDDING DESCRIBED. THE TELEGRAM HAS RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING LETTER FROM DELL ROBERTSON, A FORMER SYRACUSAN, WHO IS NOW A SOLDIER IN THE PHILIPPINES. THE LETTER CONTAINS MUCH INTERESTING INFORMATION. HE SAYS THAT THE NATIVES ARE BITTERLY OPPOSED TO THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION AND WILL FIGHT AT LEAST UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION IN FALL. THE LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS: CABATUAN, PANAY, P.I., JUNE 5, 1900, EDITOR EVENING TELEGRAM: #cabatuan DEAR SIR - HAVING SEEN MY LAST LETTER IN OUR PAPER I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE YOU CONCERNING OUR MOVEMENTS FROM THAT TIME UP TO THE PRESENT. WE LEFT OUR MILITARY POST AT SANTA BARBARA AND MARCHED TO PASSI WHERE WE STAYED WITHOUT EVENT UNTIL THE NINTH OF APRIL, WHEN ORDERS CAME TO US TO MARCH AND MAKE OUR POST AT CABATUAN. OUR COMPANY REACHED HERE THE ELEVENTH OF THE MONTH AND #agsarab HAD JUST GOT NICELY SETTLED DOWN (IN CABATUAN, HAVING ARRIVED AT THE PLACE DAY BEFORE) WHEN ORDERS FOR A BROAD MARCH TO MEET THE ENEMY CAME. THE ORDERS ARRIVED AT 4:30 OF A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WHEN ALL THE BOYS WERE LOUNGING AROUND TALKING OF HOME AND THOSE DEAR TO THEM. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT INTO LIGHT MARCHING ORDER, ALL OTHER THOUGHTS BUT A FIGHT LEAVING OUR MIND, AND EXACTLY AT 5:10 (OR 6:10?) P.M. COMPANY H AND G WERE ON THE ROAD FOR A LONG AND WEARSOME MARCH. WE REACHED JUANUAY AT 10:30 P.M., RESTED UNTIL 2:30 A.M., AND THEN STARTED FOR LUMBANAON, ARRIVING THERE AT ABOUT 12:30 NOON. WE RESTED UNTIL ABOUT 3 O'CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE ORDERS WERE AGAIN GIVEN, "FORWARD, MARCH." NOT THINKING OF A VERY SERIOUS FIGHT THAT DAY WE LEFT WITH ONLY 100 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION PER MAN, TAKING A SHORT CUT AND A TREACHEROUS GUIDE WE SOON STRUCK THE RIVER BED, WHICH WE FOLLOWED FOR ABOUT FOUR MILES. WHEN WE STRUCK A BEND IN THE RIVER SURROUNDED ON TWO SIDES BY THE ANACARB MOUNTAINS. WE WERE GOING SERENELY AHEAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR GUIDE STARTED TO RUN AND VOLLEY AFTER VOLLEY WAS POURED DOWN ON US FROM THE MOUNTAINS. THE FIRST THING THE BOYS THOUGHT OF AT THAT FIRST VOLLEY, WHEN THEY SAW TWO OF OUR MEN DROP, WAS THE TREACHERY OF THE GUIDE. NOW HE IS A HAPPY NIGGER IN A FILIPINO HEAVEN. IMMEDIATELY CAPTAIN BROADMAN OF G COMPANY WAS SENT OVER TO THE LEFT OF THE RIVER, THE MEN HAVING TO SWIM, ESPECIALLY THE SHORT ONES LIKE MY FRIEND SERGEANT GEORGE MCINTOSH, WHO WAS TO TAKE EIGHTEEN MEN OF H COMPANY TO REINFORCE HIM. AFTER BOARDMAN WENT TO THE LEFT TO TRY AND FLANK THEM H COMPANY WAS SENT DIRECTLY FORWARD AGAINST THE HILLS, KEEPING UNDER COVER OF EVERYTHING THAT WOULD SHIELD THEM. THE FIRING THEN BEGAN GENERAL. I LOST ANY FORMATION IN THE LINE DURING THE "SCRAP" IN THE HEAVY SHRUBBERY, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN A MAN'S HEAD, AND RAN INTO THE MAJOR COMMANDING WHO ASKED ME MY NAME AND COMPANY. UPON FINDING OUT WHO I WAS HE SENT ME WITH A MESSAGE TO MY CAPTAIN UP IN FRONT. THE CAPTAIN TOOK THE MESSAGE AND SENT ME BACK WITH ANOTHER. THE WAY WAS THROUGH AN OPENING WHERE THE FILIPINOS COULD SEE AND THEY BEGAN TO SHOOT AND MOST RECKLESSLY, TOO. THE BULLETS CAME MIGHTY NEAR AND I MADE ??? TIME BACK. WHEN NEARLY TO THE COMPANY I STUMBLED AND FELL. THE MEN THOUGHT I WAS HIT AND ONE OF THEM STARTED TO GIVE ME ASSISTANCE, WHILE ALL THE REST OF THAT AND OF THE LINE SUNG OUT, "ROBERTSON HAS GOT HIT." BUT I WAS NOT TOUCHED AND SOON MADE MY WAY BACK INTO MY PLACE. THE FIGHT LASTED FOR ELEVEN AND A HALF HOURS. WE KILLED NEARLY FORTY NATIVES AND WOUNDED SIXTY BY THE REPORT, WHILE WE HAD FIVE MEN WOUNDED. POOR SERGEANT MCINTOSH; WHO IS A PARTICULAR FRIEND OF MINE, ALSO SEVERAL OF THE OTHER MEN, WERE COMPLETELY DONE UP BY OVEREXERTION AND HEAT ???. WE HAD TO RUN THROUGH THE ENEMY'S LINES AT NIGHT, JUST DUSK, AND CARRY THE POOR FELLOWS WITH US, THE NIGGERS, SHOOTING AT US ALL THE TIME. WE WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THEM ONLY OUR AMMUNITION RAN OUT AND WE HAD TO GET MORE. WE WENT BACK TO LUMBANAON AND GOT WHERE MORE AMMUNICTION AND TWO PIECES OF THE MOUNTAIN BATTERY, BUT WHEN WE GOT BACK THE FILIPINOS HAD "VAMOOSED." WE CAME BACK TO LUMBANAON AND TOOK UP THE MARCH BACK TO CABATUAN. WE HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL LIGHT SKIRMISHES SINCE, BUT THEY DO NOT AMOUNT TO ANY MORE THAN SOME SMALL FIGHTS ON A WESTERN CATTLE RANCH IN THE OLD DAYS; THREE OR FOUR NIGGERS KILLED OR WOUNDED AND PERHAPS ONE SOLDIER SLIGHTLY WOUNDED. NOW THAT THE RAINY SEASON HAS COMMENCED WE EXPECT THAT MATTERS WILL BE WORSE HERE. #funerals     #weddings JUST AS I AM WRITING THIS A NATIVE FUNERAL IS PASSING THE QUARTERS. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE AS HIGH AS FIFTY A DAY HERE IN THE CITY. PERHAPS A DESCRIPTION OF ONE MIGHT INTEREST YOU. THEY CARRY THE CORPSE IN A BOX PLACED ON BAMBOO POLES, DECORATED GAUDILY, AND UPON THEIR SHOULDERS, FOUR MEN GENERALLY BEING NECESSARY. THEY ALWAYS HAVE A NATIVE BAND IN THE REAR PLAYING A MEDLEY OF "A HOT TIME," "DIXEY," "YANKEE DOODLE," AND SOME NATIVE AIR. THOSE THREE AMERICAN TUNES ARE ALL THE RAGE HERE WITH THE NATIVES. THEY PLAY THEM FOR FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS. THEIR WEDDINGS HAVE THEIR COMICAL SIDE TOO. MONDAY IS THE GREAT DAY FOR ALL MARRIAGES. THERE ARE FROM TEN TO FIFTEEN WEDDINGS SOME MONDAYS, EVERYBODY BEING "TIED" AT THE SAME TIME BY THE PADRE. THE FIRST BRIDE, OR THE ONE WHO HAS ENGAGED THE BAND FIRST, LEAVES THE CHURCH, FOLLOWING THE BAND ON FOOT. THE OTHER BRIDES WAIT FOR THEIR TURN TO SECURE THE BAND. THE HUSBAND WALKS ABOUT ONE HUNDRED YARDS IN THE REAR. IF THERE HAPPEN TO BE ANY SOLDIERS LOUNGING ALONG THE ROAD WHERE THE PROCESSION IS TO PASS THE HUSBAND WILL SOMETIMES LOSE HEART AND "SOOOT"(???) ACROSS LOTS FOR HOME FOR ALL HE IS WORTH RATHER THAN RUN THE GAUNTLET OF UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AND THEIR JOKES AND PRANKS. #sweetheart IT IS RATHER FUNNY TO SEE A YOUNG NATIVE START OUT FOR A STROLL EVENINGS WITH HIS SWEETHEART. THE SOLDIERS WILL LINE UP ON BOTH SIDES OF WHERE THEY PASS AND COMMENCE TO JOLLY THE FELLOW AND TO MAKE MOCK LOVE AND FLIRT WITH HIS SENORITA. IF THEY OBJECT SOME IMPETUOUS YOUNG SOLDIER WILL TRY TO DO THE CAKE WALK WITH HER. IF THEY TAKE IT GOOD NATUREDLY THEY ARE UNITED ALL RIGHT BY THE BOYS AND A FEELING OF GOOD FELLOWSHIP EVER AFTERWARDS EXISTS BETWEEN THEM. #bathing THE NATIVES AS A GENERAL RULE ARE VERY CLEAN BODILY. THEY TAKE BATHS EVERY DAY. CHILDREN FROM 4 MONTHS TO OLD MEN AND WOMEN MIXED UP WITH BUFFALO OR CARIBOU AND DOGS ALL GO IN THE RIVER. THE SOLDIERS ALL TAKE THEIR REGULAR MORNING SWIM IN THE RIVER, BUT THEY MANAGE TO GET UP STREAM SO AS NOT TO GET BELOW THE MOTLEY CROWD OF NATIVES OF BOTH SEXES WHO ALL GO IN TOGETHER, NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR DOMESTIC ANIMALS WHICH ALL ENJOY THE MORNING BATH WITH THEM. #uselections THE FILIPINOS ARE LOOKING ANXIOUSLY FORWARD TO THE COMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THEY HAVE GOT NO USE, THEY SAY, FOR THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION. THEY THINK IT IS ONLY A BIG BOODLE COMBINATION (WHEREVER THEY GOT THE IDEA) AND THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GENERALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM GAIN THEIR FREEDOM. THEY ARE DETERMINED TO KEEP UP A HEAVY RESISTANCE UNTIL AFTER ELECTION AT ANY RATE. ANY ONE WHO THINKS THE INSURRECTION IS ENDED OUGHT TO TAKE SOME TIME OF THE TRIPS THAT OUR BOYS ARE TAKING. AFTER THEY HAD BEEN FIRED ON A FEW TIMES THEY WOULD BE VERY ??? TO QUICKLY CHANGE THEIR MINDS. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH THEM IN THIS HILLY COUNTRY, AS MOST OF THEM WEAR ONLY BREACH CLOTHS AND ARE THEREBY ENABLED TO MOVE FROM PLACED TO PLACE VERY SWIFTLY. #food THE RAINY SEASON HS NOT BEGUN YET TO ANY EXTENT AND THE NATIVES FEAR A FAMINE AS THEIR RICE WILL NOT GROW. THAT IS THE STAPLE ARTICLE OF FOOD HERE IN THE ISLANDS, SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO LIVE ON FISH, MICE AND LIZARDS, WHICH THEY ALSO EAT. THEY ALSO EAT LOCUSTS WHICH FLY IN GREAT SWARMS, SOMETIMES OVER A MILE LONG, EATING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS GREEN. AS IT IS NEAR THE TAPS I WILL BRING MY LETTER TO A CLOSE BY BIDDING YOU ALL GOOD NIGHT. YOURS RESPECTFULLY, DELL ROBERTSON, POST BARBER, 26TH REGIMENT, U.S. VOLUNTEERS, CABATUAN, PANAY, P.I.