The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-22
FOURTEEN FOR THE MEDALS
OF Personal HEROISM IN
THE THIRTEENTH
Official Account of the Behavior of
the Regiment Does Not Detract
From Its Glorious Record.

OmciGA Account Oh the behavior of
the Regiment Does Not Detract
From Its Glorious Record.
Gen. Reeves official report Of the
conduct of the Thirteenth Minnesota
in the battle of Manila, Aug. is, is as
follows:
Quartet Malate, Manila P. l., Aug.
15.7Sir: In accordance with orders re-
ce1ved from Gen. Macarthur, 1 moved
with my regiment, comprising three
battalions of four companies each, from
Camp Dewey at $50 a. M, Aug. IS,
and marched through the town of Pas
sal along the direct road to Manila. At
7:45 a. m. l arrived at the general line
of our earthworks, where 1 was d.
rected to leave the Second and Third
battalionS, consisting of Companies G,
H, d, E, and 1, f, B, A, and proceeded
with the First battalion, consisting of
Companies K, l., NJ and G, to position
on the extreme left of the First bril-
gade, where we occupied an abandoned
line of 1nsurgent earthWorks. AT about
1920 [ was directed to bring up the
Second battalion, and at 1890 / ad-
Vanced with the First and Second bat
tal1ons past our earthwOrks, throwing
out strong line of sxirmishers from
Companies E and L. Near blockhouse
IA 1 was directed to detach one COM
which vicinity, and scouting to the
front, they remained during the entire
action. 1 was ordered under heavy fire
to throw out company to protect the
left flank, and Company D was detach-
ed for this purpose.
We reached the church at Cingalon
with six companies of the First and
Second battaliOns, and being in advance
of other troops 1 was commanded to
throw out q line of skirmishers to the
right and front and to establish a point
in the road Immediately in our front,
along which we had been advancing.
A detachment of Company K was
thrown out to the right; detachments
of Companies G. and H to the left. and
der Lieut.. LackOre, of Company L,
with eight men and a sergeant, 100
yards from the Spanish earthworks
These men remained in position in the
road and under such cover as they
could obtain until warned that the
battery was about to fire from point
fifty yards in their rear when they were
withdrawn to the side of the road and,
the fire increasing greatly, Lieut.. Lack
ore was ordered back by Capt Spear,
Of Company E, for reinforcements
Company G., Capt. Seebach, was sent
forward, and strengthened the line al
ready formed. With the failure to dis
artillery to get the pieces out of the
road, the line fell back about 100 yards
from the front to the crossroad by the
church. Capt. BjOrnstad and portion
Of Company H, occupying a position to
the left and directly across the road
In advance Of the crossroad at the
church, maintained their position until
the command cease firing was given.
The Third battalion, owing to some
confusion of orders, and Company NJ.
detached, did not arrive at the froat
during the action, although Companies
[ and f were exposed to a plunging
fire from the Spanish line, losing one
man killed and three wounded.
l desire to commend the conspicuous
daring of Capt Bjornstad, Severely
wounde0, the bravery of Cartains See
bach Severely woundad}, Spear and
Metz, Of Lieutenants Lackore, Trow-
bridge, Bunker, Falk and Garcelon; of
Sergeant Major Loye, and the jntelli-
gent dispositions made under heavy
fire by Captains Masterman and Nor
gan.
I enclose herewith a memorandum
setting forth the exceptional actions
on the part of individuals which de-
serve recognition and special reward:
Capt. A. w. Bjornst8d, Company H
Took personal command Of the firing
line in the road ait the church, lying
down on the line with his men. without
cover, and again forming another line
in the same place in the most exposed
portion of the road, partly screened by
two small logs in their front, at which
point both he and two members of his
company were wounded.
Capt. Oscar Seebach, Company G.
Crossed the road under heavy fire at
the head Of his company, deployed to
the front, occupying the advance line
about 125 yards from the Spanish earth,
works: severely wounded.
Lieut. H D. Lackore, Company L
In command of the point, advance up
the read to within 100 yards Of the
Spanish earthworks, where he remained
firing at the enemy until warned that
the guns were about to be discharged
by the Aston battery, sixty yards in his
rear.
Lieut.. E. G.. Falk, Regimental Adju-
tant-Constantly exposed o heavy fire,
both at the front and along the line
OF communications to the rear, in the
trar sn?ission of orders. He was at the
front during almost the entire action.
Battalion Sergeant Major J. H. LOya,
Second Battalion-Was the first to re-
sBond to the order of the general COM
manG;ng to carry a log into the street
to protect Capt. BjCrn5tad and his men.
who were occupying the most exposed
portion of the firing line, also most az
tive In constructing the first line of de-
lenses little in the rear.
The following named Drivates who
occupied firing line in the street, pro-
tected Only by two small logs:
Privates w. D. Bowen, Company F;
Berndt, Company G; Peake, Company
G.; Thorsel (wounded), Company F;
Widman, A. J. Weidle, w. j. Worth
ingtcn, L. H. Wallace (woundeD, and
Corporal E. 0. Cowden, all Of Company
H.
few more names to this list after fur
tber Investigation. Very respectfully,
&C. McC. Reeve,
Colonel Thirteenth Minnesota.