Medal of Honor Recipient: Watertender William Adolphus Crouse

I am honored a reader of this blog has sent me two personal letters written by William Crouse...Letter #2 is below (unedited and in the exact format sent to me - which I find to be part of its charm). Letter #1 was posted on April 26th.

Thank you Robert (relative of William's)
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The letter:

The following letter from William Crouse who is serving his country with Dewey and is on the ship “Concord”, was received by his brother Amos, of Fannettsburg, a few days ago.

Manila, Philippine Islands, Jan., 23, 1899.

Dear Bro: Your letter was received a few days ago, always glad to hear from home and to learn that you are getting along all right. I suppose you are having cold weather back in Penna. Now. Wish we had some of it here. We are almost roasted. Another 10 months here will just about finish us, the heat is so great.

We are continually on the watch with steam up ready to move at a moments notice. This is caused by the insurgents being unruly. They want us to leave the Island. Aguinaldo says they will fight. He has about 30,000 troops around Manila and refuses to lay down their arms. It may not come to a fight, yet we have to be on the watch and ready to move to a good position in case they attack the city.

I don’t wonder much at the Filipinos making a kick. They were promised reforms by our government; but instead they are getting worse treatment than they received from the Spanish. The Spanish scale of taxation is still carried out by our people, and Gen. Otis has introduced some reforms that are very offensive to the natives. He has stopped cock fighting and gambling. These being their principal pleasures they are very sore about it. Five years from now might be long enough to bring about reforms on that line among this people. Better commence such reforms at home among our enlightened folks first.

If this winds up in a fight. I believe the U.S. troops will be fighting nations here for the next 20 years. It will be a regular Indian warfare.

I have been to Ilo Ilo and Canton since I last wrote you. Canton is second largest city in China, it contains 1,600,000 in the city and 30,000 more live in sand pans, or small boats on the river. The city is 90 miles up the river from Hong Kong and lies in a beautiful, level country. Stopped there 15 days. Ilo Ilo is on the island of Panay one of our group. It is the next largest seaport in these islands, and is 360 miles south of Manila. The Spanish were still in possession when we were there, but the Fillipinos have taken it since. The “Baltimore” and three transports with soldiers went down to take it. They have not landed yet.

“Mr. Crouse closes his letter by making inquiry about his old associates around Fannettsburg. And persons who are now grown into manhood and womanhood he seems to have still in his mind as little boys and girls as they were when he used to be among them”.