Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-16
American Soldiers Showed
The True Spirit
GENERAL KINGS REPORT
Several Instances Where Officers and
Men Risked Their Lives in Line
of Duty-Aguinalda Reported As
@ SaSSinated, But This is Denied.

Brigadier General Charles King, COM
manding the First Brigade, First
Division, during the early fighting at
Manila, has been made public at the war
department. This brigade, composed Of
the First California, First Washington
and First Idaho, saw some very hard
fighting. 1t was while executing an or
der of General King that Major McCon-
vile fell, leading his men Of the Idaho
regiment.
General King calls attention to the fact
that the losses of his brigade were greater
than of any other brigade in the corps.
He also says the damage inflicted on the
enemy was very great, his men having
buried 1853 Flipinos. He adds:
II beg leave to call attention to the fact
that this is the only exclusively volun-
teer brigade in the corps and that it
/ fought with all the steadiness, dash and
discipline of their comrades, the regulars.
and it now therefore devolves on me a
duty that I falter in attempting. I saw
no instance of shirking; / saw many of
daring leadership on the part Of the Off
GERS and of devoted following on the
/ part of the men. | shrink from discriln-
mating, yet should not deserve the faith
of command Of which I am SO proud were
to fail to publicly mention the officers
who, acting under my orders, We're most
conspicuous. My regimental commanders,
Col. Smith. First California; Col. Who'll
ley. First Washington, and Major Fig
gins, First Idaho, bore themselves with
marked bravery and ability, Wholley be-
ing under the heaviest fire for the longest
| time, his maiden fight at that. Major
! McConville died proudly, leading his men
in the dash on dangerous line.
| Major Weisenburger Of the First
! Washington was an example of soldierly
bearing throughout. Capt. FOrtZe was
in command in Pandacan island, con-
stantly exposed, and he and Captain
Wilmington, First Idaho, won my ad-
miration for their daring assault on a
fiercely defended position, the redoubt
across the Concordia.
Captain Otis, First Washington With
his cheek and ear scored by Mauser led
his company from start to finish. Their
loss of 25 killed and wounded in one cont
pany shows what they had to fight
through. Lieutenants Erwin and Luhn,
First Washington, the former severely
wounded, were notably cool. Capt. Dyer
and Lieutenant Hawthorne of the artl-
lery won plaudits of the men for consum-
mate skill and GOODNESS, and of the COM
mendation Of others in the line whom I
did not see, l must refer you to reports
of their respective commanders as to the
bearing of their officers and men.
Every man on my staff from the
senior in rank, Brigade Surgeon Major
Shields, down to our mounted orderlies,
Shields was constant in his attendance
on the wounded in the extreme front and
under heavy fire. Leutenants Merriam,
Third United States Artillery, and Hut
ton, First California We're time and again
to risk their lives in carrying |
orders along the line.
Captain SaXton was systematic in the |
field hospital His horse and Lieutenant |
Merriam's gave out at the Concordia |
bridge but they followed afoot across the /
fields. Captain Handy's brigade COM /
missary carried out his duties under the
fire of the enemy on the roof of his office
and three orderles, Privates Clay G.
Mills, Company d, First Washngton;
Edward c. Hanford, Company X, First
washington, and Spencer G. Lane First
california, were constantly under heavy
fire and are soldiers their states should
be proud of. One more name, that of
Lieutenant Colonel Duboce. First Califor-
MIA, must not be omitted. Fe had diff
cult and hazardous task in wiping out
he cowardly gang that under the sanct-
ty of a church roof and from within the
walls of apparently peaceful homesteads
Sept up treacherous fire on officers and
nen hurrying by with orders or messages.
saw his work long before it was finished
md it was well DONE"
AOuin1ldA Aecaecinnted :.