The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-05
The Hero Who Commanded the
First Nebraska.
WAS A WEST POINT MAN
In Honolulu as Major Of the Re
giment-Aoded to His Own Re.
Cord-Losses In the Command,


Nebraska Infantry, VINO held the rank
of Captain in the regular Army, killed
in the reconnaissance at Quengua. was
born in Indiana, November "a 1858.
and appointed a cadet at the Military
Academy in July, 1877, and graduated
| number Al in his class. He was ap-
pointed Second Lieutenant of the Sixth
Cavalry in 1881, and became a Captain
December IA, 1898. He served with his
regiment in Arizona and New Mexico
| latter year participating in the Sioux
campaign in the battle at Wounded
| Knee. He was at Fort Niobrara, and
served for few months at Fort Myer,
near Washington, going thence to the
infantry and cavalry school at Fort
| Leavenworth, Kas., where he gradual
ed with distinguished honors. Colonel
| Stotsenberg then served with his regi-
mant at Fort Leavenworth until De-
cember, 1897, and from that time to the
| following April was professor Of mill
tary science and tactics at the Univer-
sity Of Nebraska. He was mustered in
as a Major of the First Nebraska In
| fantry May 9th last and as Colonel of
the same regiment November 10, 1898.
He sailed with his regiment for Manila
June 18th
| In appearance he was short and
slight and had rather an ascetic coun-
| tenance, partly, perhaps, due to the
| fact that he was always a very studious
man. He was a strict disciplinarian
, and the recruits he had to break in
during the early months Of his COM
mand of the First Nebraska resented
his methods so bitterly that they pro-
cured the passage of a resolution of
censure against him through the Ne
braska Legislature. Once they became
lengaged In actual warfare, however, the
merits Of his course became SO appa
rent that in response to a very strong
demand from the people of the State
and the soldiers themselves the reso-
luton of censure, by formal vote, was
expunged from the legislative records.
Colonel John NJ. Stotsenberg was in
command of the First Nebraska Volun-
teer Infantry as the result of the i'll
ness of an officer and the detachment
of another. The First Nebraska went
to Manila in command of Colonel
Bratt, and under his command took
part in the operations south of Manila
against Malate fort and the attack and
Of Tn
the selection of officers for serious po-
sition in the organization of the gov
eminent for the city, planned by Ma
jor- General Merritt and put into ex-
ecution by MajorGeneral Otis, Lieu
tanant-Colonel Cotton of the First Ne
| braska was made deputy collector of
| the port Later Colonel Bratt became
| i'll and was condemned by a medical
board. General Otis ordered him home,
and then. as he did not care to take
| Colonel Cotton out of the Custom
house. where he was doing excellent
| work, decided to select some other Off
| Ger fer the command Of the regiment.
| Choice fell upon Stotsenberg and he
| was named. At first there was strong
opposition from within the command,
many of the officers thinking that those
| in regular line should be promoted.
Colonel Stotsenberg endeared him
| self to every man in the regiment and
| brought the command to a high state
of efficiency.
| WASHINGTON, April 25.-General
OLis has furnished the War Department
| with the following casualty list:
Killed-Ffrst Nebraska, April %,
ond Lieutenant l.. e. Sisson; B, Quart
ermaster Sergeant j. F. Storch; H, Ser
| geant Charles Meleck.
Fourth Cavalry, Company I, Privates
William B. Jackson. William D. Skin
ner.
| Wounded-K, Musician Charles Pow
er, ankle severe; Prlvatas Ralph Whit
Ter. thigh, severe; Edward Quinn,
shoulder, severe; John B. Carey, thigh,
slight: Paby O'Connor, head; severe.
First Nsbraska-H, First Lieutenant
William K. Moore, leg, moderate; B.
| Second Lieutenant A. S. WadSworth,
leg. severe; Privates William l.. Rich
ards, arm, severe; D, Lee Stoner, jaw,
severe: Edwin o. Peterson, cheek, Sc
we're: James Richard, jaw, severe;
Charles Swartz, lilac region, severe; F,
John White, leg, moderate; Musician
Walter G.. Tingley, neck, severe; H. w.
Livatei and Walter Elifritz, shoulder,
severe: Guy Minor, leg, severe; I, Ed
win F. Gregg, forearm, severe; James
keenan,, thigh, severe; David Wilkins.