The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-14
Capt. w. J. Watson, Who Ar
rived Today, Carries One.
He Was Shot In the Breast
Before MaIolOs.
STORY OF THE WAR.
Discusses Achievements OF the
Kansas Soldiers.
New Incident About General
Fred Funston.

Captain w. J. Watson, of the Twen-
tieth Kansas arrived in Topeka this
morning and left this afternoon on the
Union Pacific for his home in Pitts
burg. Captain Watson carries a Fill
pino bullet in his breast having been
wounded during the advance of the
American army in May. Captain Wat
son was accompanied by his father, who
met him at San Francisco. He came
from Manila on the hospital ship Relief,
spending forty-six days in passage. He
goes home, but will return to San Fran
cisco to be mustered out with the regi-
ment.
''The boys are all anxious to come
home,'' said Captain Watson today.
They have had a steady siege of fight
ing in that tropical climate and at the
time the regiment was taken off the
firing line many of the men were sick
and unfit for duty. We heard in Ma
Mia that the people of our home state
were proud of the deeds of the regiment,
but we thought that it was just the
effervescence of the Kansas people find
ing a vent. When reached Yokohama
I found the New York papers and then
I realized what a wonderful record the
boys have made.
1T is a fact that the Kansans were
constantly at the front, and they made
thinks pop wherever they were. When
the regiment advanced through the
jung1es- encountering the MaIays in
trenches the insurgents were swept out
of their fortifications and compelled to
take to athe woods.
1.-The natives are fighters. Just as
long as one of them has a gun and am
munition he will stand and shoot but
when the ammunition gives out he runs.
The natives pass through our lines
at Will There is an order to this effect.
The management of the campaign being
carried on there believes that much mis-
siCnary work. can be done in this way.
oil fa7N 1a4r
eur hospital corps and when a hungry
native strikes the camp he is given free
access to our rice bin and told to take
what he needs. The authorities believe
that a man who receives this kind of
treatment win go out among his fell
lows who are fighting and give the SOL
dierS a good name. That he will aid in
establishing the opinion among the in
surgents that the Americans are a de-
cent people and not inclined to deprive
them of their liberties, on the other
hand willing to give them a better gov
ernment than they have ever had.
THE American armies never make a
movement of any kind between the
hours of II and o'clock. There is a
general order to this effect and when a
movement is made in the morning an
effort is always made to complete it be-
fore noon. At this time the heat be-
comes very oppressive. 1 think an
American can go to the Philippines and
live. as comfortably as in this country.
OF course he must protect himself in
the heated hours of the day by keeping
out of the sun which beats down with
terrific force. The soldiers, when in
barracks are confined to the barracks
between the hours of II and 8 o'clock.
Were I looking for a place to take a
chance on making a fortune I would
just as soon take it at Manila. or in the
Philippines as any place know Of
Discussing General Funston, Captain
Watson said:
Talking one day to General MacAr-
N-T, II
Funston said to him: Give me the
Twentieth Kansas and the Third artill-
cry and I will go down that southern
island and make a Methodist preacher
hours. This island is the q southern
island in the archipelago, and is inhab-
tied by a class of natives who think it
is their Christian duty to eat white peO-
pie This is the class of people Funston
wanted to civilize with the Twentieth
and the famous fighting Third artillery"
AS to the achievement of the Kansas
regiment Captain Watson says little.
He refers modestly to the gallant deeds
of the JayhaWkers- Speaking of him
self he says: Il was wounded in the
advance on MaIolos.'' Watson was on
the extreme left of the line and was
wounded while leading q gallant charge
of his men through the jungle after the
insurgents. Watson does not proclaim
this but the military records shows how
his wounds were received. He was shot
in the breast and has the bullet in his
body. It is located in such a position
that the surgeon deemed it wise to
make no attempt to remove it.
AS to the sentiment of the soldiers
concerning expansion Captain Watson
said: There are many of the men in
the ranks of the army who are opposed
to the war which is being carried on.
1t is due to the feeling which often
arises in military affairs The subor-
dinates feel it their duty to oppose the
things which their superiOrs and Off
GERS are in favor of.
4 do not believe the men will stick
to this idea when they realize the exact
conditions under which we We're labor
ing"
Captain Watson was asked as to the
truth of the rumOr that Filipino SOL
dierS, taken prisoners, had been shot
under orders of the colonel of the regi-
ment. He said:
L heard that report myself but there
is nothing in it so far as I have been
informed 1 was on the extreme left
of the line during the advance at the
time the prisoners were said to have
been shot. I did not see during the
time 1 was there a single prisoner
treated other than fairly. When we
captured prisoners We would take pos
session of his arms and turn him loose.
We could not spare the men to leave
behind to guard them. I heard that
prisoners were shot but I have never
seen or received any evidence of such
action on the part of our soldiers. I
am confident that the story is a myth
When Captain Watson started home
he was frail physically but the 46 days
at sea made a new man of him. His
complexion today is ruddy and he walks
with a firm step. He does not look like
his body. His uniform is spick and span
owing to the fact that it has not been
worn since he left San Francisco to go
to the Philippines. In that climate the