USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. I > Part 28
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Crowded into ordinary day coaches, the men made the trip across the continent and arrived in San Francisco on May 20th. They went into camp at Camp Merritt and, although there were but four companies in the regiment that could show a semblance of the army blue, the sturdy marching of the Kansas boys attracted the Californians.
THE CAMP IN SAN FRANCISCO.
As they marched through the streets of San Francisco an ovation, equalled only by the one they had received at their departure, greeted them. The boys were weary and grimy from their long ride, but the people appreciated the fact that they were looking at men, and the first men who had responded to the call of their country.
Their colonel was away. He had been detailed on the staff of Major General Miles. In far-away Tampa he was doing service that would aid in the Cuban campaign, but he knew that his boys would need him soon, and he was anxious to leave that duty and join his regiment. On June 6th Colonel Funston received the orders for which he longed, and the next day he set out for San Francisco.
In the meantime his men were faring badly. Camped upon a field which was a veritable hotbed of disease, they worked and drilled and ate and slept. The sand that covered the ground and on which the men had to drill by day and sleep at night, was about a foot deep. Under it were the dumpings of San Francisco, and many a Kansas boy fell victim to the foulness before he had had an opportunity to leave his country. Upon enlistment, the Kansans had been told that there would be no need of bringing along clothing that was protective and wearable. The men had been promised new government clothes as soon as they reached Topeka, but the elothing had failed to come and the men were in rags.
After the boys had gone into quarters at Camp Merritt the people of San Francisco and the press of that city saw the regiment in the light of the ludicrous. The uniforms failed to come and the men came to look more and more like scarecrows of the Kansas fields. The regiment was made the butt of all the ridicule that was lying around loose, and until two or three of the members of other regiments were soundly thrashed they, too, took a turn at the Kansans.
The regiment was never called the Twentieth Kansas. Cowboys, Coxey's army, and almost every other appellation that carried with it the idea of satire and ridieule, were used in referring to the boys. This continued until the uniforms eame. Then the talk changed, and if the boys had come back in overalls and carrying picks and shovels, San Francisco would have been only too glad to elaim them.
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FIRST SMELL OF POWDER.
The fighting qualities of the Twentieth Kansas are known all over America and the followers of Aguinaldo are not unacquainted with its methods of fieree attack and its cool nerve.
The first time the Kansans smelled powder was at night. Out in the edge of the city, Captain Clark had been posted with sixty men to do outpost duty. At about 9:30 o'clock the Kansans were fired upon by the insurgents. The darkness of the night was lit with spouts of flame and the sharp, double cracks of the Mausers and Winehesters in the hands of the Filipinos were soon drowned in the muffled roar of the Kansans' Springfields. Captain Clark, cool and collected, gave his orders in such tones that the men never thought of fear. They did not think of danger. Their minds were devoted to the receipt and exeeu- tion of their superior's commands, and the red, jagged tongues of flame leapt from the muzzles of their rifles as they sent volley after volley toward the unseen foe.
Word was dispatched to the field officers, and at 10 o'clock Colonel Funston was awakened by Colonel Metcalf, who was eager to reach the scene of action. Ont into the night rushed the two offieers and, reach- ing the buildings in which the regiment was quartered, they found the boys up and anxious for the fray. Up and down the deserted streets of Manila sounded the heavy tramp of marehing men; from the out- skirts of the city came the rattle and roar of musketry. Laughing and jesting, the command hurried toward the scene of action. Coming up to the ontpost, the jesting ceased, and, with eye and ear alert, each soldier waited with eagerness for the commands.
THE DAY ON THE FIRING LINES.
Daylight found the regiment ready for an attack, and it was soon made. For the first time the Kansas Twentieth was about to be given a chance to show its merit, and, with almost breathless impatience, the man waited to hear the longed for orders. When it came the line moved forward in that grand unwavering way which had won the plaudits of their countrymen when on review in San Francisco.
On went the line of brown; back, giving ground, grudgingly at first, then more rapidly, went the Filipinos. One entrenchment was won, then another, and the insurgents were forced to seek the protection of a block house. It was with difficulty that the victorious Kansans could be restrained from galloping on through the whole of the Tagalos. As a member of another regiment expressed it: "One of their offieers went around the earth when he couldn't catch them and met them coming, giving them orders to come back."
This is a sample of the bravery displayed in every fight. Trembley
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and White of Company B of Kansas City, Kansas, gave evidence of what would have been done by any member of the regiment in their swim across the Bagbag. One Topeka man, Ted Montgomery, almost forgot his teachings of discipline in his eagerness to accompany the swimmers.
WHERE THEIR SPIRIT ORIGINATED.
Is it surprising that the Filipinos were unable to withstand attacks made by men whose bravery equalled that of the fabled Gods of Greece and Rome? These men were reared on the plains and in the towns and hamlets of Kansas. Imbued from the time of their earliest under- standing with lessons of patriotism and veneration for the flag, they were ready to sacrifice themselves that the Stars and Stripes should not be polluted by the desecrating hand of an enemy.
That regiment did more than its duty. Every regiment in Cuba and the Philippines did its noble duty, but the Twentieth Kansas, with indefatigable courage and patriotic spirit, fought with a heroism that has become a standard in the country for which the service was rendered.
THE NIGHT ATTACK.
About 10 P. M. on February 4th, orders were received for the regiment to take the field. in accordance with a previously arranged plan. The Second and Third battalions, under Colonel Funston, went at once to the scene of the firing, which was the Kansas outpost at the extreme left of the line.
The attacking Filipinos were being held at bay by the outpost guard of two officers and sixty men. The Second and Third battalions quickly formed and the fire of the insurgents was returned. The Kan- sans and the enemy kept up this exchange all night and in the morning the First battalion joined the command. At noon an advance was ordered and the enemy was driven back past two lines of intrenchments to a block house about two miles north of Manila.
THE FIRST REAL BATTLE.
The next morning the Kansans occupied the ground they had won the day before. On February 7th, Colonel Funston secured permis- sion-for he had to ask it-to attack the insurgents directly in front of his command. With four companies, B, C, E and I, he drove them from their position after about forty-five minutes of sharp fighting. The Filipino loss was heavy.
At 3 P. M., on February 10th, the regimental commander received orders to take the town of Caloocan. The other regiments which took part in the attack were the First Montana Volunteers and the Third
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United States Artillery. The left flank was protected by two eom- panies of the First Idaho Volunteers and the line was re-inforced by the Utah Light Artillery with two guns and the Sixth United States Artil- lery with two guns.
Before the line moved upon the town, the American fleet bom- barded it for half an hour. Round toward the right they swung and then began to pour a hot fire into the Filipino lines. Back through the town hurried the routed insurgents and on came the unswerving line of Kansans. The Kansans were the first to reach Caloocan, but evident- ly remembering the orders read, to take the whole country instead of the town, they pressed on and drove the Filipinos ont on the other side. It was difficult to get the Kansans to halt; it was impossible to stop the Filipinos.
The insurgents kept np a continuous fire from the town of Malabon and the country surrounding the American intrenehments at Calooean. The Kansas boys, few of whom had ever been under fire, behaved ad- mirably making steady advanees in the face of heavy fire and never flinching in a degree. The Twentieth held its position in Caloocan until March 24th.
A SKIRMISH MARCH.
After leaving Calooean, the Twentieth was moved to La Luna church about a mile southeast of Caloocan. The Filipinos were strong- ly entrenched on the north bank of the Tuluahau river. The advanee on the enemy was begun at 6:30 A. M., of March 25th, and the whole line moved up to the south bank of the river. Here was the first place that the swimming abilities of the Kansas boys eame into play. Com- pany E, led by Captain William J. Watson, succeeded in crossing the river under fire and driving the insurgents from their position. The entire line then crossed and the position was oeenpied for the night.
The next day the Kansas continued to advanee, meeting with little resistance and finally erossed the Manila at Dagupon railway, near Polo Station. The night was passed near the station.
Early on the morning of Mareh 27th, the march was resumed and at 7 o'clock the command passed through the town of Meyeanagan. Just beyond the town the regiment halted for dinner, and the meal had scarcely been finished when companies II and I were called into aetion on the left of the road. the enemy oceupying a position aeross the Marilao river. After the attempt to dislodge them had failed, plans were made for crossing the river. Colonel Funston and a platoon of Company C crossed on a hastily constructed raft and made a vigorous onslaught on the rear of the Filipino intrenehments. Twenty-eight prisoners, with their rifles and ammunition, were eaptured.
The platoon re-crossed the river and the command marehed down
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to the town of Marilao, crossing the river there. At that point the regiment was met by a body of insurgents, who attempted to advance. The Filipinos were driven back with loss and the Kansans occupied their former position for the night, holding it during the next day.
At six o'clock on the morning of February 29th, the brigade again moved forward, the Twentieth occupying a position on the right of the line and left of the railroad track. Within a mile from the town the enemy was met and driven back across the Santa Maria Bigaa and Gniguinta rivers, halting for about two hours at a point south of the town of Bigaa. Just north of the Guiguinta river, a body of insur- gents met the Americans lines with a galling fire and the march was checked. The line was quickly formed and for twenty minutes the battle raged. The Filipino's fire was then silenced.
The march was not continued until March 30th at 2:30 P. M., the line proceeding to the main road to Malolos, where a slight resistance was met. In this campaign, as in the fighting at Caloocan, the mem- bers of the Twentieth showed the soldierly qualities in the men of Kansas. Fortitude and endurance were displayed in a manner that may well make this state proud of her sons.
MALOLOS IS TAKEN.
On the morning of March 31st, the gallant regiment advanced toward Malolos and soon entered the town. Colonel Funston and a part of Company E moved ahead of the regiment and were the first to enter the streets of the rebel city, charging forward with cheers and sending the insurgents flying before their furious fire. They pushed forward to the public square, meeting with but little resistance on ac- count of the great respect of the Filipinos for their intrepidity. The insurgents raced ont of the opposite side of the eity and the American line took a position a mile north of town. This camp was maintained until April 25th.
CALUMPIT, NEXT STOP.
On that day active operations were again resumed and the Twen- tieth, in conjunction with the First Montana, moved against the insur- gent's intrenchments, which had been thrown up on the north bank of the Bagbag river. About half a mile from the river, the command was halted and an armored train shelled the intrenchment briskly for a short time. Company K then moved up to the river and secured a position, whereby the intrenchments of the rebels were enfiladed. The fire against the enemy's lines was kept up for a short time and the rebels were driven from their position.
The brigade then encamped for the night and on the next day the Vol. I-16
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march toward Calumpit was resumed. The Americans were fired upon frequently as they pushed forward and a strong foree was encountered at that town. The fire from the insurgents was continued on April 27th.
A railroad bridge spanned the Bagbag river at Calumpit and be- fore the American troops were sighted the insurgents sawed part way through the girders of the bridge, hoping to precipitate the armored train, which had been playing so much havoe with their prospects, to the bottom of the river when it attempted to cross. The incision had been made too deep, however, and when the command came to the bridge, it had fallen through on account of its own weight.
The river was before the boys, with the enemy on the other side. The problem to be solved was how to get across in the safest and most expeditious way. Colonel Funston ordered Company K, under Captain Boltwood, to a position where it would attract the fire of the enemy. He then sent Lieutenant Collin H. Ball with a sconting party for a reconnoissance of the country toward the bridge.
Lieutenant Ball took with him four men from his own company on whom he knew he could rely. They were Corporal Arthur Ferguson and Privates Norman Ramsey, Albert Cornett and Abraham C. Wood- ruff. After they had reached the south end of the bridge, they were joined by Colonel Funston and Company K.
"How are we to cross the river?" shouted the Colonel above the rattle of the firing.
"Swim," replied the equally little and equally brave lieutenant, also shouting to make himself heard.
Followed by the four men and the first squad of Company A the two offieers ran out on the bridge to the place where the girders had been severed. One by one the men dropped into the water and were soon swimming toward the enemy, the bullets raising little fountains of water about their heads as they moved forward.
Up the bank they charged, Bugler Charles P. Barshfield, of Com- pany B nerving them to deeds of bravery by the elear inspiriting notes of his bugle. The Filipinos were routed almost before they had realized the wonderful bravery and andacity of the handful of men.
Thinking only of the success of the American arms and the glory of the American flag, the members of that little party, barely more than a corporal's guard, did not think that they were performing an act that would earn for them an eternal place in the memory of their country- men. It was not rashness that eaused them to make that swim, nor was it an outcome of the implicit obedienee to orders which they had learned at San Francisco; it but illustrated the highest type of heroism and patriotism, which had been instilled into them by the freedom they knew in far-away Kansas.
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TREMBLY AND WHITE IN SWIMMING.
Calumpit was captured, but the Kansas soldiers were not satisfied, and the retreating Filipinos were pushed on back through the country toward Apalit. "One more river to cross," sang out one of the men as the Rio Grande was sighted. As the line approached Apalit it was evident that this river would prove more of an obstruction than the others. The Filipinos had erected breastworks and had secured some artillery which they trained on the advancing column.
Colonel Funston sent Corporal Ferguson, of Company E, out on the bridge to see whether or not it could be crossed in the night. He returned and reported that it would be a dangerous and probably fruitless undertaking. Colonel Funston, with 120 men, then went down the river and attempted to cross, but some barking dogs spoiled the plan.
The next day a raft, capable of bearing fifty men, was constructed and two volunteers were called for to swim the river with ropes, by which means the raft should be guided. It was found impossible to find men by means of volunteering; the whole regiment wanted the chance. Privates Edward White and William B. Trembly of Company B, both Kansas City, Kansas, boys, were finally chosen.
As they stood ready for the undertaking their muscles, made more prominent by the exercise of many months, worked under their clear skins, and they were impatient to plunge into the broad waters of the river. Each looped a rope over his bare shoulders, and with the know- ledge that the snecess of their plan depended on swift, strong strokes, they struck out for the opposite shore. It was soon reached and the
raft made the trip in safety. The little body of men charged on the insurgent line furiously, but were obliged to give way on account of the hot fire from the enemy's Mausers and Maxim gun. Then Colonel Funston, Captain Orwig and eight men crossed in a boat, and the boys drove the Filipinos out of their position and allowed the rest of the regiment and the First Montana to cross the bridge.
THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES.
The Twentieth, with the First Montana, left Apalit on the morning of May 4th, and, after crossing several streams on railroad bridges, encountered the insurgents, who were entrenched on the north bank of the Santa Tomas river. Companies H and C were first engaged and they supported a battery composed of a Hotchkiss and a Gatling gun. After considerable firing, Company F relieved Company H, whose ammunition was running short. Company D was also engaged, and the enemy retreated to his trenches north of Santo Tomas, and there made a stronger stand.
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One span of the bridge across the river had been ent, but Companies C, D and F effected a crossing and were soon re-inforced by Companies G and E. The insurgents were driven baek and the Kansas boys occupied the field until May 6th, when they entered San Fernando.
On the evening of May 24th the regiment, under command of Major Whitman, left San Fernando, going into the country immediately west of the city to engage the enemy. The Third battalion was left in the reserve, and the First and Second made a detour to the right, moving under the cover of the woods to a point one hundred and fifty yards from the rebel entrenchments before being discovered. The First battalion attacked the enemy from the front, the Second deploy- ing at nearly right angles to the entrenchments. The First battalion swung to the left and the Tagals were routed and compelled to retreat in disorder, the First battalion following them through and beyond Bacalor.
OUTPOSTS ARE ANNOYED.
On the morning of the next day General Funston took a scouting party, composed of Companies D and H, a platoon of Company I and two companies of the First Montana, to make a reconnoissance toward Santa Rica. The party engaged the enemy for about an hour at Santa Rica and returned to San Fernando at about 4 P. M. At that hour the Filipinos threatened the outposts. Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I and L repulsed the attacking party and drove it north beyond Calumpit.
The next day the insurgents returned to the attack and again fired on the outpost. Company L was on duty and Companies B and F were sent as a reinforcement. The engagement lasted but half an hour.
The regiment was allowed to have some rest from that time until June 16th, except that occasionally a portion of the regiment would be sent out at night to reinforce the companies on duty at the front. This was on account of rumors to the effeet that the insurgents were planning an attack on the eity of San Fernando.
On the morning of June 16th, a large body of rebels attacked the Kansas and Montana line, the firing being kept up all around the city. Companies D and G were on outpost duty and Companies C and H, soon followed by the entire regiment, reinforced them. Companies C and E, under Major Bishop, went north under cover of the woods and surprised a body of insurgents, driving them back with a heavy loss, while the Kansans had but one man wounded. The Filipinos were soon repulsed and they retreated.
On June 22nd another attaek was made and, while the firing opened very heavily on the east of the city, it was weak when it reached the Kansas line, and the insurgents were quickly and easily repulsed.
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BACK TO MANILA.
Two days later, after one hundred and forty days of active service, the First and Third battalions returned to Manila, and went into quarters, the Second following on June 25th. The regiment was given provost guard duty in that eity and remained there until sailing for home, except that on July 12th the Third battalion went to Paranaque to join General Lawton's division and relieve a detachment of the Fourteenth United States Infantry.
When our boys left sunny Kansas to go to the front to serve their country, they were raw recruits. When they returned, and were wel- comed home with great orations and rejoicings at Kansas City, Kansas, and nearly every city and town in the state, they were experienced soldiers who had shared the hardships, the dangers. the triumphs and the glories of war.
But all of those who went away did not come back, and many hearts were sad, for the dead were many.
THE BOYS WHO GAVE UP THEIR LIVES.
The following is the long list of heroes of the Twentieth who gave up their lives on the field of battle:
Commissioned Officers :- Alfred C. Alford, of Lawrenee, first lieutenant of Company B. Shot in the head and killed instantly on February 7th, in an engagement three miles north of Manila.
David S. Elliott, of Independence, captain of Company G. Shot through the body and killed on February 28th, at Calooean.
William A. McTaggart, of Independence, second lieutenant of Company G. Shot in the head and killed on May 4th, at Santo Tomas.
Non-commissioned Officers :- Oscar Mallicoat, of Virgil, corporal of Company K. Shot in the head at Caloocan on February 23rd, and died in the hospital in Manila on February 24th.
A. Jay Sheldon, of Osawatomie, quartermaster sergeant of Com- pany I. Wounded in an action a mile and a half north of Manila on February 7th, and died in the hospital at that eity on February 9th.
Morris J. Cohen, of San Francisco, sergeant of Company B. Shot in the head and killed at Calooean on March 23rd.
Robert M. Lee, of Manhattan, corporal of Company F. Died of disease on the way home on transport "Tartar."
Musicians :- Osear G. Thorp, of La Cygne, bugler of Company F. Shot in the head and killed at Caloocan on March 11th.
Orlin L. Birlew, of Independence, member of the regimental band. Shot in the head and killed at Guiguinta river on March 29th.
Privates :- Charles E. Pratt, of Salina, Company M. Shot in
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the head and killed in an engagement one and a half miles north of Manila, on February 5th.
Ivers J. Howard, of Kansas City, Kansas, Company B. Shot in the stomach and killed at Caloocan on February 10th.
Alonzo V. Ricketts, of Stanton, Company I. Shot in the breast and killed at Caloocan on February 10th.
George H. Monroe, of Marinette, Wisconsin, Company F. Shot in the head and killed at Caloocan on February 23rd.
Larry Jones, of Pittsburg, Company D. Wounded in the head at Calooean on February 25th, and died at Manila on the same day.
Howard A. Olds, of Fort Scott, Company F. Wounded in the abdomen at Caloocan on February 26th, and died at Manila on Feb- ruary 27th.
James W. Kline, of Kansas City, Kansas, Company L. Shot in the head and killed at Caloocan on March 13th.
John C. Muhr, of Westphalia, Company E. Shot through the left lung on March 23rd at Caloocan and died there on March 24th.
Hiram L. Plummer, of Garnett, Company E. Shot in the head and killed near Caloocan on March 25th.
Albert S. Anibal, of Independence, Company G. Shot below the heart in an action near Caloocan and killed on March 25th.
Curran C. Craig, of Garnett, Company E. Wounded in the abdomen in an engagement near Caloocan on March 25th, and died at Manila on March 26th.
Troy E. Fairchild, of McCune, Company D. Shot in the head and killed in an action near Polo on March 26th.
William Keeney, of Topeka, Company I. Shot in the head and killed at Marilao river on March 27th.
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