The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-08
DEATH OF CAPT. FRENCH
How the Officer Received His
Fatal Wound.
THE STORY OF THE BATTLE
He Was Hit at Labano - In Charge OF a
Scouting Party at the T!ne-He
Was Very Popular
Officer,

French of this city to-day received
letter from Sergeant John T. Conroy,
formerly of Company A of this city, but
now of Company H, Seth regulars. Ma
Mia, in which he describes the particu-
lars of the battle and wounds which led
to the death Of Captain Charles French
of Great Falls, and Chief Frenchs
brother. Among all the members of
the list Montana Captain French was
well known and one of the most popu-
| lar officers of the regiment, and when
Lieutenant French decided not to re-
turn home with the boys, but accepted
a captaincy in the seth regulars, it was
predicted that he would make an officer
Montana could feel proud Of. Sergeant
Conroy, at the time the letter was writ
ten, Oct. 80, did not know of Captain
Frenchs death from the wounds re-
| ceived. and says:
''As l am a member of your brothers
company and well acquainted with his
wounds and cause of same, l write you
the circumstances as nearly $ possible.
Captain French was wounded at La
bano and was struck in two places.
The first bullet struck him in the right
leg, just above the ankle, causing
very painful but not necessarily serious
wound. The second bullet hit him in
the right hand, the bullet striking the
the stock of Il Krag carbine as he was
in the act of firing, passing through
the stock and striking him in the
thumb, making a very nasty wound
and necessit ting amputation near tha
hand. He was taken to Manila and
the doctor tells me that, outside the
loss OF his thumb, he would be none the
worse for his wounds. He was in good
spirits and, although ne was in great
pain, the dauntless courage that has
been characteristic of him throughout
this campaign never for one moment
fonsook him. Captain French died on
the operating table the next day)
Il will give you brief pen picture
of the fight. Captain French left our
| quarters at Guagua in charge of
scouting party of five officers and q
enlisted men. They knew there We're
insurgents in the vicinity of Labano
and, locating them in trenches, divided
their detachment into two parties and
made the attack. AT the first volley
there was one man killed and eight
wounded on our side, among them Cap
tain French and Lieutenant Ferguson,
in charge of the two attacking parties.
Captain French was hit in the leg, but
his extraordinary GOODNESS never de-
serted him for one moment, and real
command depended upon getting in as
many shots in the shortest possible
time, he grabbed a carbine belonging to
one of the fallen men and pushing on
to the front emptied his gun into the
trenches several times, and just as the
niggers started to run he received the
second wound in the hand. The hand
full Of men that were left charged over
the trenches and chased the enemy some
distance, and then retreated them
selves, as they had their hands full with
the one man killed and eight wounded.
Lieutenant Ferguson was hit in four
places before he would give up. but, like
Captain French, he got it in the hands
and was compelled to quit. We all feel
very sorry about Captain French, as he
was an excellent officer, liked by all his
men and admired by every soldier who
has ever seen him on the battlefield;
always cautious and looking after the
welfare of his command and drawer
or more cool-headed man il the face of
danger never stood in the field of bat
tie.
"Reinforcements went to the relief Of
the detachment and the wounded were
brought in about o'clock. Both French
and Ferguson are heroes, and had they
retreated after they We're wounded the
niggers, who were about 200 in number
would have surely annihilated the whole
party, but the fact That they stood UP
and fought after being wounded so bad
ly inspired the boys who were left and
they fought like demons until they |
cleared the trenches and won the day.
Tim Mcdonald is well and sends re-
CARDS to all his friends. Captain Moran |
and Sergeant Howe are on the south |!
line and. while I have not seen them |
since the regiment left, l hear from
them frequently and they are both in
good health"
Sergeant Conroy sends his regards to
all his friends and asks to be remem
bered particularly to all the boys of
Company A.