The Lamar register., 1899-05-03
BRAVE KANSAS MEN.
TaEIR WONDERFUL ACHIEVE
MENT.
A handf'h of Them cro.. River Uade.
fire and cha.s Thousands of Filipino,
FROM Their Trenches


from Manila to the Record give fur
ihrr details Of the remarkable success
es Of the American troops few days
ago in the face of great obstacles. The
correspondent says:
The taking OF the bridge over the Rio
Grande at Calumpit was deed OF as
ionishing daring. II was the most
strongly defended position held 10y the
insurgents. Located on the north shore
oil the Rio Grande. opposite Calumpit.
IL Is the most valuable strategic point
IN LuZon. The fact that 1t was guarded
by the most Trustworthy and best dis
clplined regiments of General Aguin-
aldo made the feat the more note
worthy. Army officers tonight say the
daring displayed 10y the American
troops to-day Is almost unparalleled
in the annals OF modern warfare.
II was a red-letter day for the Twen-
ueth regiment OF Kansas volunteers.
commanded by Colonel Funston. One
hundred and twenty men belonging to
that regiment crossed the river In the
face Of deadly nre from 5000 lnsur-
gent Mausers. This torrent OF bullets
was augmented by the fusillade of a
Maxim gun of which the insurgents
have obtained possession.
Colonel Funston, " .th only nine men.
charged the trenches manned by thou
sands OF insurgents. dIsehnrgipg their
rides ms they ran M the embankment.
The American artillery. on the south
shore OF the Rio Grnnde. poured shot
and shell into the Filipino stronghold.
The rebels were Stampeded- They
went to the north toward Bacolor.
Despite the extraordinary risks and
chances taken by the Americans. our
troops suffered very few casualties.
Only one man was killed and the
wounded do not exceed n dozen. The
insurgents lost heavily. fully twenty
five were killed during the mad charge
OF Colonel Funston's men ON the
trenches.
counted tlftecn bodies In the trench
es and along the railway In u distance
OF quarter OF mile.
The bridge where the desperate light
ing took place II about 100 yards long
II extends over the Rio Grande and is
the gateway. practically. to the entire
northern portion Of the island of Lu-
ron. All the ties and rails had been
removed from the structure. making IL
almost impossible TO cross. as the men
had TO creep along the Iron framework.
Al the further end Of the bridge. OPP
posite Calumpit. were the most care
fully constructed and formidable
i
pregnnble. They were in the form OF
ssmiclrculnr trenches around the APP
proach Of the bridge. These trenches
have roofs OF steel rails. These roofs
formed a splendid protection against
bursting shells and for n time made
the work OF the artillery almost futile
About 300 yards west OF the railroad,
ON the north shore OF the Rio Grande,
a deep narrow stream emptles into the
river. Beyond this stream are other
trenches commanding the south shore
Of the river.
The American forces occupied the
south shore. within 400 yards of the
insurgent carthworks-
Early In the morning the Filipinos
began a steady fire from both their In
fantry and artillery. Most Of it was
directed upon the freighthouse where
the 9Th artillery gun was stationed.
The Americans, however. returned
such heavy fire that the insurgents
were obliged TO keep beneath the cover
OF their earthworks.
II was during this fire that Colonel
Funston aud his 100 Kansans per-
formed the exploit OF the day.
They marched down to the river. n
distance OF 800 yards from the freight
house. In plain view of the insurgents.
Immediately the Filipino fire was di-
rected upon the Kansas men. Colonel
Funston and his men were prepared to
cross the river SO that they could make
a flank attack upon the rebels in the
trenches.
Privates White and Trembly of com
pany ID OF the Kansas regiment strip
ped OF their uniforms. jumped into the
river and swan directly toward the
Filipino breastworks. Almost iIlmedi-
ately they drew the fire from the
trenches of the insurgents. but evil
IDENTIFY they had not been noticed by
the insurgents at the end OF the bridge.
The latter were fully occupied by the
artillery and infantry fire OF the Amer
leans.
When White and Trembiy reached
the shore they carried rope TO the
beach, tied 1t to an upright of the
bridge. and by making tremendous
noise frightened the insurgents out
They had no u ms, but they threw
clods of dirt into the trenches and kept
up such terrific yelling that the in
surgents thought whole company
was upon them. All this time Colonel
Funston and his men on the south
shore OF the river kept up steady
fire. thereby protecting White and
Trembly. Two more Kansans follow
ed in a small boat with the clothes and
rifles which had been stripped off by
l,,,f YI,.