Lake City Graphic
Lake City, Iowa
November 2, 1899

ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SENATOR
Letter From Fred V. Hibbs.
On Board the S. S. Senator

Mr. J. L. Hibbs,
Dear Parents and Folks at home; As we expect to arive in "Frisco Sunday, October 22, I will try and have a letter ready for you by the time we land. It has been so long since I last wrote that I hardly know where to commence. We were relieved from the firing line on September 6, our last advance being made on Angeles, and although we were in the thickest of the fight our loss was comparatively small, one man of our company receiving a slight wound below the knee.

We went into Manila, September 8 and were given Quartel Spanel, the best barracks in the city, which were formerly the barracks of the old 71st regiment of the Spanish army.

We were assigned to the Senator to sail the 22d of September. That morning we finished loading at 11:00 O'clock and went on board. We sailed at 4 that afternoon. The second day out, the sea was a little rough and we witnessed the same sea sickness that we did when we left San Francisco nearly a year before. Five days sailing brought us to Nagasaki. We reached the bay the evening of the 17th but did not pull into the harbor until the next morning.

They have no docks here but transport the people to the shore in what they call a sand pail, a flat shaped boat which they propel by one oar at the back. They have no horses but the men pull you around in their small carts called rikisha. Nagasaki is situated around a small bay which has an elevation in all directions, except towards the bay. The people are a much different class than any we have seen before, being very industrious and are turning their attention towards education. We sailed from Nagasaki October 1st for Yokohama by the way of the inlad sea.

We passed many islands of which nearly all were under cultivation, raising some fruit and rice but mostly vegetables. Both entrances to the inland sea are well fortified, their artillery being placed on the mountains on both sides, and as the entrance is very narrow, they could easily reach any boat that enters.

We reached Yokohama the evening of October 5th, and went ashore the next morning. We were well treated ther by the American ladies.

In the afternoon we got on the train and went to Tokyo, a distance of about 18 miles. Here we got some rikishas and rode over quite a portion of the city. It being a city of nearly two million inhabitants, we could see comparatively little of it in so short a time. The buildings here (except those belonging to the Government) are usually small. The government and church buildings are immense.

We came back to Yokohama in the evening and went aboard our ship to sail for "home" but the next day was rainy and stormy and we did not leave until the morning of the 6th. The first day out the sea was very rough; that night we anchored for about 10 hours. Since then we have had pretty pleasant sea except the last two days but this time the wind and swells are with us and we are making good time.

I was detailed the first day on the ship to work in the hospital. We have had considerable sickness this trip. One man by the name of Kissick, who had a relapse of the typhoid fever died at Nagasaki. Private Read of our Co. was struck over the eye by a broken sail, causing a fracture of the skull, but at present is getting along nicely. Herbert Berry has been sick for four weeks but is up again now. Arney and myself are in the best of health.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY OCT. 22, 1899

We arrived here all O. K. this afternoon at one o'clock, and having heard of the report about our boat sinking I sent you a telegram at my earliest opportunity. There are several here from Des Moines. The Frisco people came out in launch boats to meet us. They are going to give us a grand reception. I do not know when we will be mustered out but understand it will be about the fourth of Nov. and as far as I know we will be taken to Council Bluffs.

It had been three months since we received any mail so you may know we were glad to get it. We will get off the boat tomorrow and will probably be taken to the same camping grounds that we left nearly a year ago. I will close hoping to be home soon.

Your So, Fred v. Hibbs