MAXWELL, George - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

"Allegria, Cebu Island, P. I., July 17,1900- We left Balamban July 8th and came to this place, part of the company having already preceded us here. 1 was still in the hospital at the time but was taken out and brought along, the doctor thinking this to be a healthier place than Balamban, and that the change would do me good. "This is, indeed, a much healthier and much more attractive place than Balamban. Our barracks are situated about, fifty yards from the bay and on high ground facing the water. In the rear a high range of mountains have their base only a few yards from our kitchen and from the base of this range a fine large spring bubbles up, furnishing an abundance of line water to drink and with which to cook, and also afford an excellent place for the boys to take fresh water baths, and in truth, they avail themselves of the opportunity and every morning after guard mount the old guard and other men off duty may be seen enjoying the luxury of a bath that only plenty of fresh water and soup afford.

My health does not improve, and although I am not really sick and can get around in the cool of the day, I am not able to do any duty and have not since June 5th. It is stomach trouble, something like dyspepsia or indigestion nothing that I eat seems to do me any II good, and to tell the truth it is hard to 211 get anything to eat that is fit for a bad stomach, but the boys are all good to me and the cook does his best to fix up something that 1 can eat. "Company is the only company here and in fact not all of it, part of it under the second lieutenant being at San Boan, a town eighteen miles south of us on the extreme southern point of the island. "We have a good baker in the company who makes fine bread, using for yeast, fermented 'tuba', a juice from the coconut tree that is a favorite native drink. We buy chickens and young cattle with the company fund and there is plenty if a man is hungry. "Since coming here several detachments have been out on the 'hike' after insurrectos and the last detachment that went out with the captain brought in three prisoners, two colonels, one of whom made nearly all the ammunition for the island, and a lieutenant who was made to drink water until he would teil what he knew. Some of the boys say he drank eight gallons of water and has been talking ever since. "This is not a very large town, but it had been one of the insurrecto's hangouts until the soldiers came. This end of the island is where most of the 'rebs' are, and have done their smuggling and received supplies, but since soldiers have been stationed in nearly every town we hope to end their fun in short order. "I have not seen George since I was at Dumanying, but have heard from him every few days. He is well and getting along line. "Ten of our company who belong to the mounted infantry at Dumanying say that Co. I is a |model company and get along so quiet land easy. They all speak a good word for George and the way he handles the company. Company I is to leave Dumanying soon to garrison two towns on the east coast. "We are expecting the paymaster on the next boat, as we are to be paid every month from now on. "It is the general talk now that we will be home this fall, leaving here in November, but we cannot tell as yet. The weather here is not so warm as it has been, and besides we get a good sea breeze most of the time. "The harbor is a fine one and a good big boat can anchor within fifty feet of the shore where the water is fifty feet deep, and the bottom, ail covered with corals and shells, can be seen even by the boys who have been back in the mountains say they saw some scenery as line as could be seen anywhere. The mountains rise in successive ridges from the coast toward the center of the island, and after reaching the summit quest of one ridge one is confronted by a ridge twice as high as the one he has just ascended, continuing for as many as four ranges. us why your Mr. McKinley devoted nearly his entire letter of acceptance to a consideration of this question? Why was it? Tell us."

"Well, politics is the main topic of conversation now, aside from telling lies about what one or the other done on a certain 'hike' to the rest who did not go, and I tell you some of their stories would rival H. Rider Haggard's prize contributions. Of course the Democrats have to have some kind of a loose-planked platform, and of course that sucker-mouthed cowboy of Nebraska will have a big tale about trusts, corporations and monopolies that even the ignorant Filipino would laugh at. "This town is to be a regular post for troops as long as the United States keeps soldiers in these islands and anew barracks for 100 men is to be built and we are to have a doctor and two more hospital men, one having already come down with the first detachment. The captain has bothered me for a long time and 1 hope to get away from the company before we have another argument. "We lost a man the day before we left Balamban. Two of Co. men who were in the guard house, one serving a ten months' sentence and the other awaiting sentence, were working under a sentinel, when after only a few words the one serving the ten-month sentence and who is a mean fellow, struck the other on the head with a rake, knocking his brains out. This was July 6, and the fellow lived till next morning and was conscious most of the time. He was brought to the hospital right away after being struck and the doctor, who was out in the country vaccinating natives, was sent for. Meanwhile the steward did what he could to make him easy till the doctor came. The doctor dressed the wound the best he could but it was plain there was no chance for him, and so he was given opiates to deaden the pain as much as possible and he died at 10 o'clock July 7, and was given a soldier's burial at retreat that evening. Address "Srgt. John C. Maxwell., Co. K, 44 th Inf., U. S. V., Allegria, Cebu Island, P. I."

Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal 15 June 1900 p7

Mrs. Kate Maxwell is in receipt of the following letter from her son, John, of the 44th U. S. infantry: ''Balambau, Cebu Island. PI. April 3,1900.—

We had just come back here from a five days' hike and I was tired and thought I would wait until the next day to write: but the next day Maj. McCoy and part of Co. L came up from Demenhauk and we were ordered to be ready by evening to start on another march to the mountains to hunt insurrectos. That was March 10 and that evening we marched out to the foot hills and at 9 o'clock camped for the night in a river bottom, and next morning ate breakfast, and at 5 o'clock started up the river for the mountains. About 10 o'clock we halted and the advance guard went ahead and captured three natives who were believed to know where the insurrecto stronghold was located. We had a native guide with us, whose father had been killed by the insurrectos and he whipped one of the natives until he would tell where the insurrectos were and show us the trail over the mountain. After the guide had administered forty lashes with a wet rope the native fell on his knees and told all he knew and promised to show us the way.  After getting a good dinner we again took up the march, which up to this time had been comparatively easy but now began to get very rough.  We would wade the river awhile, sometimes waist deep, scramble out of pools over big boulders and then up a steep hill and down again on the other side into the river and so on for many a weary miles.  Finally about 3 o’clock in the afternoon our advance guard came upon the insurreetos' outpost and lired upon them. They were so surprised and scared that they started up the river on the run. We left our native carriers with the rations, under guard, faint trail over rocks and through undergrowth so thick that we could hardly get through. About 1 o'clock we came upon a house and about thirty insurrectos sitting around, smoking and talking, and waiting for their supper. They were taken completely by surprise and instead of offering any resistance started to run and one man started to shoot 'em. My company was only about half up the mountain when the firing began and we started on the run to the top down on the other-side and up a steeper mountain beyond.  Here we found the barracks, but as it was now so dark that further chase was impossible, we burned both of the barrack buildings and returned to the place where their supper was cooking. About twenty yards from the house we stopped to look at the body of an insurrecto we had killed and left laying. I happened to be near Maj. McCoy and the other officers, and having a candle in my haversack I was in at the examination. ''After a careful examination by all we found this dead skunk to be Emilio, a general and next to the highest insurrecto officer on this island. He was found him to be pierced with live Krag Jorgensen bullets two in the head, one in the right chest, one through the right thigh which was broken, we supposed in falling, and one through the right arm. On his person was found a fine belt, silver mounted, a line pistol and a dagger, both silver mounted. He wore on his chest two cloth shields or pads with the emblematic insignia of his rank thereon, and on his undershirt his initials were printed. He had on a pair of tan shoes which had belonged to a member of some regimental band on the island. In the house we found a large leather valise, with all his medals, money and valuables therein. We also found several guns of different makes, several bolos of immense size, considerable ammunition, some of which was Krag Jorgenson, and many other things of value, especially papers which were proof of his identity, and showed where lie was ready to make an attack on this town that very night. The guide and many of our native carriers knew him by sight, and when they saw him they were immensely pleased. "We camped that night on the narrow ridge on which the house stood, and put out a strong guard. Next morning we arose early and after breakfast scoured the surrounding mountain sides. We found four more dead, but no live skunks. "Some of the boys tore off the clothes of the general for relics, but I didn’t care for any such.  After burying the dead and burning the houses we started again, and thought we were to descend the mountains right away. All our canteens were empty and the water was a half mile below us, but instead of descending the mountain we soon found out that the ascent had just begun, for the next four hours we climbed steadily on the faintest and roughest trail that any person could imagine. Of course we went very slow as toward noon the boys almost perished for water and the ration train could not move fast as the natives are no good unless they have plenty of water. At 12:10 p. m. we reached the top of the mountain, having attained the highest peak on this island. We began the descent and about one o'clock came to a spring where everyone got a small amount of water, when we again took up the descent over a very rough trail until three o'clock we came to a former residence of Emilio's and there camped for dinner and a good rest. The boys immediately got all the water they wanted and lay down to rest. "We remained over night and after breakfast next morning we burned the house and finished the descent to the river, which we followed to Balambau. arriving here about 10 a. m. April 2. having accomplished the roughest 'hike' and the best results of any expedition on the island. There were 60 men of Co. K and all stood the trip well, a few complaining of sore feet with which I am afflicted at present.  "My health is good and never felt better in my life, but as I wrote once before 1 am afraid my voice is going to fail me  "George was well the last time heard from him about a week ago.  April 4th. You speak of smallpox around close to Crawfordsville.  It seems to be worse there in civilization than it is here which is said to be so unhealthy.  The Colonel is in Cebu now and in all probability the whole battalion will be moved there shortly, for the colonel promised us if we killed Emilio he would try to have us moved there.  Since I had the argument with the captain he has been as good as pie and treats me civilly.  A corporal who reenlisted with us from the regulars was made first sergeant and everything is running smoothly.  John C. Maxwell Serg’t Co K, 44th Inf USV Balambau, Cebu Island, PI