Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-06-22
A STORY OF VALOR.
Gen. Funston Talks OF the Career
of the Twentieth Kansas.
HOW IT WON FAME IN THE LIELD,
ExperIenco While In Camp Mt san
francisco Daring Of Its Meme
bers Ia the Face OF the
Eneny,

Chicago, June 2O.-The Tribune
prints the following special CORE
spondence from General Funston, ut
MANILA, under date Of May 10;
At the time the Twentieth Konsns
was mustered In, j. w. Leedy was In
the governors chair. Kansas had a
fairly good national guard organiza'
ton In the state but when the call
was made for volunteers the governor
decided to ignore the national guard
entirely and call for volunteers. He
determined to give men who had
served in the national guard the pref
erence, and, II they chose, permit
them TO elect their own officers.
was slightly acquainted with the
governor; he belonged to n different
party than myself. ! had just come
back from Cuba, where / had served
in the Cuban army. For that reason
the governor telegraphed for me to
como to Topeka.
When saw him he said; 1--WE have
been called on for three regiments OF
volunteers and want to appoint you
colonel"
/ told him that / did not have the
necessary qualifications for colonel;
that knew nothing about military
drill; would have all to learn. |
told him the only regiments that
would go into the war would be those
that could be quickly beaten into
shape. He told me that he had not
sent for me to argue the matter, and
that II wanted the appointment |
could have it. He wanted me because
of my experience in Cuba.
I told him that under those circum-
stances ] would accept commission
as colonel.
! left the Twentieth Kansas In
charge of the lieutenant colonel, and
three days after ] left for Tampa the
regiment was ordered to San Fran
cisco. 1t arrived there in such condi-
ton as to equipment that II was the
laughing stock of the whole Pacific
coast.
The men had mostly old Springfield
rifles, and the great majority wore
civilian clothing. They had left Kan
sas at the heated season and reached
Frisco when II was cold so that they
suffered from pneumonia and bron'
chial troubles. Our sick list was as
high as 1850.
The regiment was at once put
through course of instruction, but
II soon became evident that the men
would not be available for duty in the
Philippines for many months. Our
men had to stay there and see regi-
ment after regiment arrive and start
on it's way to the far East because
better qualified than the Kansas.
AS to the personnel Of the regiment,
nearly all Of the officers are young
professional men. Three-fourths of
them are lawyers. There are two col
Iege professors, one insurance man,
two newspaper men, and few me-
chanics.
The great bulk of the enlisted men
are the sons of fairly well-to-do farm"
ers. There are only eighteen men of
foreign birth in the entire regiment.
Most OF them are Of Anglo-SaNon
blood. As rule, they are out-and-
out Americans.
There are few men from towns OF
any size, principally because there
are few towns of any size in Kansas.
Shortly after we arrived in Frisco I
began to get rid of the vicious ele-
ment in the regiment.
/ doubt If the Twentieth KansaS
regiment differs much from the aver
age volunteer regiment. 1t had been
a fortunate regiment in that 1t has
had good opportunities. The men have
liked their Officers as rule. There
are not more than one or two officers
disliked by the men. | think That is
why the men fight so well.
Tn the advance from Malolos n con-
spicuous part was played by the ar.
mored train and the infantry OF
Wheaton's brigade had little to do, save
when a number of Montana men and
one company Of Kansas, under cover
of fire from the armored car, advanced
and occupied the bank of the Bagbag
river.
Twelve men of the Kansas charged
across the broken bridge while 1t was
still under fire from the enemy,
Jumped into the river and swan to
Che other side, when all that was left
OF the enemy fed. The bridge was
repaired by the engineers during the
day and the next day the brigade adj
van0ed to the Rio Grande de Pam
panga. the second largest river in Luz
ron island. II was found here that the
large railroad bridge Of $50 Eeeet span
had been almost destroyed.
I obtained permission from Generals
Wheaton and Macarthur to attempt
70 carry this bridge by assault. but
was told to attempt IT only with Iflen
who would volunteer for that special
duty. I sent Corporal Fergus on TO
Keconnoiter the bridge, an especially
hazardous undertaking, with the enc
my intrenched in force at the other
and.
He not only succeeded in reaching
our end of the bridge, but, under
0nYAR Of d9IkneaA. crAwled along the