The Filipino American War as seen by diarists in real time with some additional commentary and sourc

Manila, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo.

Cloudy and cool. No rain. Took breakfast with Rev. & Mrs. Owens. Cooked dinner for myself and Clayton Scott. I remained at home until 2.15 p.m. or thereabouts. Wrote & copied 2 letters. Read an article or two.

The carrier (one of the Utah light artillerymen) brought the “American” around this a.m. Gen’l Otis suppressed this paper. Remained suppressed two days. Cause probably friction with Germans re their friendship for Filipino cause. Printing newspapers in Manila is a ticklish business just now.

Miss Thompson, a New England lady who is writing a book re the Philippines, called this forenoon while the Owens’ were absent. Directed her to the rear room. She comes here to take tub baths in the Owens’ part of our domicile.

After Scott & I talked the matter over went out to Malate to try secure the priviledge of holding a meeting.The Lord favored his efforts. At 2.15 together he & I by street car went out into Malate –the extreme suburbs. In the front vestibule of the Incina cable house, now occupied by Co. B. 1st North Dakota vol. inf. for quarters, we held a service. The soldiers appeared quite indifferent. Had an audience of 10. Dealt with them faithfully: no one responded to the invitation to seek Christ & salvation. From the front door of where we held our meeting can be seen the “Monadnock” lying near shore ready for Filipino trouble. A new dirt breastwork has been thrown up during the past week by Americans, between the building a Fort Polvorin San Antonio de Abad. Scott & I went over to the Fort. The sentry halted him there. I passed the fort sentry, & across the river on the concrete bridge to our trenches which marks out extreme picket line. Down the road past the grave yard I saw groups of Filipino soldiers., about one quarter of a mile distant. Looks like war. Saw some Spanish prisoners (sergeants) come to the American line to view the situation.

Returned home by streetcar. Arrived too late to cook supper. Made our repast on bananas, dry bread and lemonade. Then it was time for meeting as some of the troops must be in their quarters by 8 p.m.

Private Geo. Berry, drew %10. (the last of his money on deposit) and signed for it.

Audience 10. The Lord gave me liberty & utterance. Last night the Holy Ghost shed His love abroad in my soul & blessed me most graciously; praise His dear name.

Meetings are held now amid rumors of war & shooting of natives by our pickets, & attacks by the Filipinos upon our sentries. This state of affairs unsettles everything.

Private Devine (Landon) K. battery cook, brought me some food before meeting but I had no time to eat it until after meeting.

Audience 10. The Lord gave me liberty & utterance. Last night the Holy Ghost shed His love abroad in my soul & blessed me most graciously; praise His dear name.

Practiced at the Palace all a.m. & Tabocalaria [Tabacalera] in p.m. Went to call on Senorita Marcelanna in p.m. then the Glee Club serenaded the Cal. and Palace boys. Sent letter home & to Tops. Also to Miss Caughran. Ships in line o’ battle order and all soldiers sleep on arms. A large lot of ammunition got to Aguinaldo today.

This has been a fine day but rather hot. Eight men are on guard and eleven on the line. A good many attend services at the different regiments. We had service in our usual place. Chaplain Joseph Hunter announced that Chaplain Fleming of the Colorado Regiment and he have received a one month furlough with permission to go to China. This day we are mostly engaged in writing letters to home as mail will leave tomorrow on the Zealandia accompanied by 180 sick and discharged soldiers. George Conn of our company is among them having received two months furlough. It looks more like Sunday at home now than it did when we first entered the city. In the afternoon, Lieutenant Charles Howard was taken to the general hospital. The same number of men remain on the sick list.

The weather is lovely and we go through our regular routine of drills and have eight men on guard and eleven on outpost. The Zealandia raises anchor at noon. Everything is pretty quiet everywhere. The American is out again apologizes for statements it had made frankly calling their informants “liars.” Another transport with 800 Spanish soldiers leaves today. The sick list remains the same.

1. Friendly fire – isn’t.
2. Recoilless rifles – aren’t.
3. Suppressive fires – won’t.
4. You are not Superman; Marines and fighter pilots take note.
5. A sucking chest wound is Nature’s way of telling you to slow down.\
6. If it’s stupid but it works, it isn’t stupid.
7. Try to look unimportant; the enemy may be low on ammo and not want to waste a bullet on you.
8. If at first you don’t succeed, call in an airstrike.
9. If you are forward of your position, your artillery will fall short.
10. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself. (Especially if the idiot is from the state of Washington!)
11. Never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself. (It is an insult to say Filipinos are psychotic, but I would bet the Filipinas involved were patriotically very motivated to "fix" many an invader.)
12. Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder. (Or made by crooks. Which is COLT. M.)
13. If your attack is going really well, it’s an ambush.
14. The enemy diversion you’re ignoring is their main attack.
15. The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: When they’re ready or when you’re not.
16. No PLAN ever survives initial contact.
17. There is no such thing as a perfect plan.
18. Five second fuzes always burn three seconds.
19. There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole.
20. A retreating enemy is probably just falling back and regrouping.
21. The important things are always simple; the simple are always hard.
22. The easy way is always mined.
23. Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy other people to shoot at.
24. Don’t look conspicuous; it draws fire. (For this reason, it is not at all uncommon for aircraft carriers to be known as bomb magnets.)
25. Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you.
26. If you are short of everything but the enemy, you are in the combat zone.
27. When you have secured the area, make sure the enemy knows it too. (Actually this only applies to prisoners. The free enemy will never accept your definition of control. M.)
28. Incoming fire has the right of way.
29. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.
30. No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat.
31. If the enemy is within range, so are you.
32. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
33. Things which must be shipped together as a set, aren’t.
34. Things that must work together, can’t be carried to the field that way.
35. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support. Corollary: Radar tends to fail at night and in bad weather, and especially during both.
36. Anything you do can get you killed, including nothing.
37. Make it too tough for the enemy to get in, and you won’t be able to get out.
38. Tracers work both ways.
39. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will get more than your fair share of objectives to take. (This is the rule of success. Generals tend to assign objectives to “elite units”.
40. When both sides are convinced they’re about to lose, they’re both right.
41. Professional soldiers are predictable; the world is full of dangerous amateurs. Napoleon was a professional and the British beat him. Washington and Jackson were amateurs and they reamed the British coming and going.
42. Military Intelligence is a contradiction. (See 41. M.)
43. Fortify your front; you’ll get your rear shot up.
44. Weather ain’t neutral.
45. If you can’t remember, the Claymore is pointed towards you.
46. Air defense motto: shoot ’em down; sort ’em out on the ground.
47. ‘Flies high, it dies; low and slow, it’ll go.
48. The Cavalry doesn’t always come to the rescue. (The same goes for the Navy.)
49. Napalm is an area support weapon.
50. Mines are equal opportunity weapons.
51. B-52s are the ultimate close support weapon.
52. Sniper’s motto: reach out and touch someone.
53. Killing for peace is like screwing for virginity.
54. The one item you need is always in short supply.
55. Interchangeable parts aren’t.
56. It’s not the one with your name on it; it’s the one addressed “to whom it may concern” you’ve got to think about.
57. When in doubt, empty your magazine.
58. The side with the simplest uniforms wins.
59. Combat will occur on the ground between two adjoining maps. (In plain English, this means the enemy will find your two most bull-headed generals who hate each other’s stinking guts and attack right where their units are adjacent to each other. M.)
60. If the Platoon Sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
61. Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can sleep.
62. The most dangerous thing in the world is a Second Lieutenant with a map and a compass.
63. Exceptions prove the rule, and destroy the battle plan.
64. Everything always works in your HQ, everything always fails in the Colonel’s HQ.
65. The enemy never watches until you make a mistake.
66. One enemy soldier is never enough, but two is entirely too many.
67. A clean (and dry) set of BDU’s is a magnet for mud and rain.
68. The worse the weather, the more you are required to be out in it.
69. Whenever you have plenty of ammo, you never miss. Whenever you are low on ammo, you can’t hit the broad side of a barn.
70. The more a weapon costs, the farther you will have to send it away to be repaired.
71. The complexity of a weapon is inversely proportional to the IQ of the weapon’s operator.
72. Field experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
73. No matter which way you have to march, it’s always uphill.
74. If enough data is collected, a board of inquiry can prove anything. (Another way to express it, is that the board will assign blame to anyone but the commanding idiot actually responsible. M.)
75. For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. (in boot camp)
76. Airstrikes always overshoot the target, artillery always falls short.
77. When reviewing the radio frequencies that you just wrote down, the most important ones are always illegible.
78. Those who hesitate under fire usually do not end up KIA or WIA.
79. The tough part about being an officer is that the troops don’t know what they want, but they know for certain what they don’t want. (Which is usually, YOU, so watch your back and take care of them so they will take care of you the “right way” instead of the “usual way”. M.)
80. To steal information from a person is called plagiarism. To steal information from the enemy is called gathering intelligence.
81. The weapon that usually jams when you need it the most is the M60. (Or the Potato Digger in 1899. M.)
82. The perfect officer for the job will transfer in the day after that billet is filled by someone else.
83. When you have sufficient supplies & ammo, the enemy takes 2 weeks to attack. When you are low on supplies & ammo the enemy decides to attack that night.
84. The newest and least experienced soldier will usually win the Medal of Honor. (This is called the Gome4r Pyle Effect. M.)
85. A Purple Heart just proves that were you smart enough to think of a plan, stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive.
86. Murphy was a grunt.
87. Beer Math –> 2 beers times 37 men equals 49 cases.
88. Body count Math –> 3 guerrillas plus 1 probable plus 2 pigs equals 37 enemies killed in action. (My father hated this one. M.)
89. The bursting radius of a hand grenade is always one foot greater than your jumping range.
90. All-weather close air support doesn’t work in bad weather.
91. The combat worth of a unit is inversely proportional to the smartness of its outfit and appearance.
92. The crucial round is a dud.
93. Every command which can be misunderstood, will be.
94. There is no such place as a convenient foxhole.
95. Don’t ever be the first, don’t ever be the last and don’t ever volunteer to do anything.
96. If your positions are firmly set and you are prepared to take the enemy assault on, he will bypass you.
97. If your ambush is properly set, the enemy won’t walk into it.
98. If your flank march is going well, the enemy expects you to outflank him.
99. Density of fire increases proportionally to the curiousness of the target.
100. Odd objects attract fire – never lurk behind one.
101. The more stupid the leader is, the more important missions he is ordered to carry out. (Hence when Merritt left for the Paris peace Conference, who did he pick to hold Manila? The dumbest general he had, the war criminal, GEN Otis.)
102. The self-importance of a superior is inversely proportional to his position in the hierarchy (as is his deviousness and mischievousness). See 101.
103. There is always a way, and it usually doesn’t work.
104. Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when the General is watching.
105. The enemy never monitors your radio frequency until you broadcast on an unsecured channel.
106. Whenever you drop your equipment in a fire-fight, your ammo and grenades always fall the farthest away, and your canteen always lands at your feet. (The Krag rifle was custom designed for this nonsense. M.)
107. As soon as you are served hot chow in the field, it rains.
108. Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.
109. The seriousness of a wound (in a fire-fight) is inversely proportional to the distance to any form of cover.
110. Walking point = sniper bait.
111. Your bivouac for the night is the spot where you got tired of marching that day.
112. If only one solution can be found for a field problem, then it is usually a stupid solution. (And it means you have a stupid sergeant to go in tandem with your incompetent LT. M.)
113. All or any of the above combined.

Cavite, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo.

A trip to Cavite usually means up early. So today. Arose, read bible lesson, prayed cooked breakfast & hurried down to the river, paid 20 cts. Mexican & crossed in an hour over to Cavite. My object was to get the films that had been left with private A.F. Fromme of the Tennessee brass band, but he had not even commenced to develop them, said ice was almost impossible to purchase. Advised him to get up early in the morning & try it when the air is cool.

Purchased some shells for my collection.

Mr. W.B. Silver treated me to dinner at his restaurant. Spoke to several persons individually re the salvation of their souls.

Visitors about 4. Been away all day so couldn’t keep account.

Cooked supper. After partaking thereof Private Clayton Scott arrived. Secured a carromata & together we drove out to San Miguel Montana barracks. I paid the fare, 20 cts Mex. Scott is almost sick, caused by a very bad cold. He loaned me a letter from his brother Albert, who is now confined in Bilibid prison. The Lord rejoiced me greatly through the contents of this letter –it was so spiritual. Scott want to be sworn in as a soldier. Proposes to work for the salvation of souls in Bilibib [Bilibid]. I sent him 10 S.A. song books by Clayton, also at the Montana tent before starting meeting wrote him a letter, encouraging & advising him to go forward.

Brother Henry M. Paxson (brother to Robt Paxson who accompanied me to Mariveles) sounded the church call for us. An audience of 25 listened to our words. Myself, Scott and Paxson were the only workers present. Hines, Lloyd & Freemen were out in the trenches doing picket duty. No souls forward.

The sky is getting blacker & all signs now pointing to war with the Filipinos. I fear it is just at hand. Am sorry.

Yesterday was made a memorable day in Philippine annals. The Insurrectos resolved their provisional republic into the Philippine Republic. The Army & civil officers swore allegiance to their new government. Aguinaldo was elected president & took the oath of office. Americans are now trespassers & must be rooted out of the archipelago. I am impressed quite often with the thought that the Filipinos are full of self conceit. Their troops (unarmed) are allowed in & out of Cavite & Manila at will. They swagger and put on airs & are now appearing in garrish uniforms. I am convinced they they are anxious to measure strength with the Americans. I feel very sorry for the poor creatures & wish they would know the things which belong to their peace. They seem to have no just conception of the terrible struggle that awaits them. They cannot win; their struggle is a hopeless one. Their fight with Spain, was simply playing at war.

Their fight with Spain, was simply playing at war.

 Downtown all day –brought white shoes 62½ American. Last Sat. or Fri. the Revolutionary Army Government was formed with Emilio Pio del Pilar (Aguinaldo) as Presidente. Say they will fight to the death for complete independence. There are seven German War Vessels, several Japanese, British and others in the Harbor today. Twenty thousand rounds were delivered to ins. at Mandaluon [Mandalyong] yesterday. Query: Did the Germans land them?

The night has been very cool and we make good use of our blankets. The company goes through regular routine of duty. Eight men on guard and eleven on outpost. There is not much change in the situation. The same men are on the sick list.

Camp Santa Mesa, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Manila.

Mail day –day of expectation, excitement pleasure and pain.

Out at Camp Santa Mesa; in ever tent almost passed by the writer he saw one or more soldier-boys reading letters. A letter from home! How we Americans do appreciate them in this distant region of the far East or far west as you please. The letter I wrote to Private V. Herron of the Nebraska troops requested him to announce a service next Saturday night or evening in the Chaplain’s tent. On my way to the post office to mail the letter I met Chaplain Mailie of the Nebraska regiment & spoke to him about the proposed meeting with his troops. He advised me not to come. Gave as an excuse that the muddle with the Filipinos is worse than ever; the troops are liable to be called out any moment & for that reason he has discontinued his services there. Thereupon I decided not to mail the letter. Visited the post office: were distributing U.S. mail; no time to wait on me. Pushed on to the native market at the Suspension bridge across the Pasig. Bought some newspapers in Tagalog & Spanish & ordered more. Then called at the office of the “New Orient.” Had a long talk with Corporal Wilson, editor of that paper. He practically gave me the same news as did Chaplain Mailie re the Filipino situation. Bought a couple of his papers & returned home & made a cold dinner satisfy my wants. Then in company with Rev. Chas. Owens hired a quilez to take us out to Camp Santa Mesa. Out there I called on several soldiers, specially Privates Gilbert & Hunting & discussed the subject of meetings. They announced me for last Saturday night & had a full tent but I did not show up: Reason: did not receive Herron’s letter until 23d or 24th. About 3 days late. Outcome of my visit: Hunting will have me announced for next Saturday evening. This was arranged without the knowledge or consent of the Chaplain. If he objects & stops it I am no worse off than I am now without his sanction. He may let the unsettled state of affairs prevent him from holding services, but the Y.M.C.A. & other religious organizations are going ahead with their meetings as usual.

Yesterday p.m. 14 A. battery, Utah light artillery, men marched out to Camp Santa Mesa & pitched 22 tents; 48 more are are to follow. Cannon were hauled out last night to avoid attracting attention. They are hid in a couple of large tents & closely guarded.

From Camp Santa Mesa we drove down to San Juan bridge which crosses San Juan estuary. An American sentry stands on the Manila side & a Filipino sentry on the opposite side. Took a snap shot of the bridge & sentries. Counted 15 Filipino soldiers on the other bank of the stream. After satisfying our curiosity returned to the post office.

Received an armful of War Cry & newspaper mail besides several letters. Threw the papers in the bottom of the quilez & returned home. Paid $1. Mex; as my part of cab fare. The distance from the Port Captain’s office on the Pasig to Camp Sta Mesa is about 5 miles.

Rec’d 119 S.F. War Crys No. 577, Dec. 17th 1898.

Saw one copy (Peter Schipper’s) of the S.F. Xmas War Cry. Is the poorest gotten up edition that has appeared for years.

From Ensign Maud Sharp, Hilo, Hawaii came 2 letters. She offers herself for the Philippines but especially China. God bless her. Ensign Rosa Young also writes. Ensign W.J. Dart, cashier San Francisco H.Q. with letter dated Dec. 20th ’98. Sends postal money order No. 85 sense 6689 for one month’s salary –$36. U.S. coin. Complains that no receipts have reached him from me.

The assistant editor of the New York War Cry under date of Dec. 6th requests an article for their Easter edition.

Visitors today 4. –cooked supper.

More mail. Letter from Jennie Adams. Lay around all day. Read “Irene’s Vow,” a tale of bloodshed and revenge. “Too late for the balm when the heart is broke.” Took Sergt Burtt to supper at Casino de Paco, where we had the usual number of courses, also a strange rare fruit “dulce,” like a watermelon, only it grows up on a very high tree

I returned to quarters at I 1.45 p.m. I heard a shot and 2 white rockets were sent up from the mole on our right.

Camp Santa Mesa, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Manila.

Cloudy and cool with a breeze that reminded of the fall in the temperate zone.

Quite busy. Made 3 trips away from home. After prayer, bible reading & breakfast, went down town with Private Berry of the Montana troops. Called at the post office & received 2 letters (1) Ly-Col. Wm Evans –answering mine re Commandant H. Booth’s notifying me that I am poaching on his territory. E. said he would write New York about the transfer. Thought New York would agree because of the distance from America. (2) Mrs. Elizabeth Swift Brengle. Answering my letter & explaining the “Acquiantance” League. Enclosed me a card to sign.

Out at the 2d & 3d Battalion I called on a soldier photographer. He developed 2 films for me but had no pictures printed. I purchased 3 at the Imperial gallery for prospective stereopticon views.

To Private Geo. Berry I gave 30 War Crys for distribution in the 1st Battalion, Montana Vols. viz., 10 each of Nos., 575, 576 and 577.

Private M.L. Devine (Landon) of K. battery 3d artillery, took all the Chinese War Crys and went forth to sell them to the “Chinos”. Disposed of copies.

Visitors 6.

Went down on the Escolta late in the afternoon & got a shave in a Spanish barbershop.

Cooked supper. After partaking thereof hired a quilez which gave Private Clayton Scott & I a four mile lift out to Camp Santa Mesa and back home. Brother Gilbert & Holding had made such arrangements as were deemed necessary. We arrived early but found the tent lighted with hanging lanterns. Gilbert started with a praise service & then turned the meeting over to me. The soldiers filled the bamboo seats, occupying the tent to its capacity. Audience about 70. A fine lot of Christian boys grace the Nebraska regiment with their presence. Scott testified & gave us a solo. Others testified. Chaplain Mailic came in but slipped out while we were at prayer. Three men raised their hands for prayer; glory be to God who moveth upon the hearts of the dead. After service shook hands with a number of the men. Several invited us to come again. We got into the quilez & was about to drive home when Chaplain Mailic called me to one side in the dark. Was hot. Called my attention to what he advised me Thursday –not to come out. Felt hurt because I came in opposition to his wishes. All arrangements should be made thro’ him. Requested me not to come again unless he wanted me to come. I explained but he refused to accept it. If Chaplain Mailic would do his duty the assistance of outsiders would not be necessary to the degree that we now find necessary. Because he intended to make the present strained relations with the Filipinos an excuse to discontinuing religious services I felt it a duty to step into the gap. Of course such action is a reflection on him, but he should be a leader of all agressive efforts on soul-saving lines.

Prayed with several comrades who called at No. 2.

Mr. Chamberlain of Cavite, a civilian who is awaiting an opportunity to prospect the interior for gold and other metals, called to see me this afternoon. He inquired the price of a room. I gave him no decisive answer because I have not been anxious to secure lodgers. It is a dangerous undertaking at present to cross the Insurgent’s lines; they are bitter against Americans & refuse to grant them favors any more.

The weather is lovely. We have inspection at 7:00 a.m. Seven men are on guard and ten on outpost. At 11:00 a.m. our mail arrived. Our regiment received 22 sacks of which our Company got three. I received five letters and three bundles of papers. All the boys are in a happy frame of mind. We all hear news that we would be at home soon but we know better as they expect us to leave here on the 1oth but we have no orders yet and are not looking for it. The Filipinos have six of our men captured but we can’t locate any of them. One of them is Private Culom (Grant Cullums?) who acted as a spy and crossed the line on horseback. He is Major Bierer’s orderly. Up until taps he hasn’t returned. The men at the hospital are doing well. Our five men in quarters are about the same.

Worked on map in a.m. Wrote letters in afternoon. Mail in from Hong Kong. Got letter from Wilson, who “left” us in Honolulu. To bed at taps.

Weather beautiful but the morning is hot. We go through our regular drills. The city and outskirts are quiet and many improvements are made on the street. The Wagner Circus arrived this morning from Australia and will locate here for some time here. This is quite a curiosity for all who live here. I worked all day at headquarters. We received some more mail today. I got one from home but the news was not very good as Mabel (daughter) is sick with a bad cough. We have seven on guard and eleven men on outpost. Four men are left on the sick list. The men are not heard from yet.

Went to Singalon[g] in a.m. Got a “bolo” from a native. A few days ago the ins. caught a staff officer and a 1st Lieut. and were going to kill them –and had the staff officer tied to a tree, when they were rescued. I have been over the same ground many times. They have a cannon there now, and a large outpost. Slept and platted in p.m. Were called to arms at 3.30 a.m. & stayed in the court until 7 a.m.

The weather is as fine as ever but very hot. The regiment goes through its regular drills. We have seven men on guard [duty] and eleven on outpost. Everything remains quiet. Not many soldiers land in the guardhouse, all are pretty broke now and try to keep out. We have fresh meat today. I worked all day in the Commissary. Lieutenant [Robert] Wood remains sick in his quarters. We have seven men off duty on account of being sick.

Pointdexter was tried before a summary court [in front of a] Lieut.Col. He was fined $10 making no defense. Think it was a surprise to him as General Court Martial was expected. Capt. McDonald was sick with fever. Not yet serious & we expect it will not be as he was better in evening. Mail leaves tomorrow but will send no letters.

Insurgents last night advanced on the Nebraska outposts they fell back according to orders so as to avoid trouble. The insurgents who made the advance are not directly under Aguinaldo & want to fight. [Gen.] Otis hopes to arrange matters peacefully so will not oppose them with force until it becomes necessary. It seems to natives [our] policy gives false idea of us. Makes them think we are afraid so gives them much confidence if trouble ensues[and it will] finally will make that much harder work to subdue them. There was no general call to arms last night but several regiments were under arms. Our mess is no so good it was when Ferlnabador [Fehrenbacher] first took hold. He is somewhat close & seems to wish to make a stand as a money saver instead of serving fine meals. We ate much better under Pratt than under Fembacker (sic) we now get very little but government rations although there is something like $400.00 in food.