The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-05-05
THE HERO or CALuMpIT.

A dispatch tn the New York Her.
aid from John Bass, the special COZ
respondent for the HeraH and HHr.
pens weekly in Manila under date o
April -, gives the following graphic
description of the brilliant achieve
ment of Col. Funston at Calumpit:
Colonel Fred Funston of the Twen-
tieth Kansas volunteers il the hero
ct Calumpit. He crossed the Rio
Graude river this morning with "A
small force. after brilliant but un-
successful attempt last uight, tlanked
the insurgents and drove them from
the strong position they held.
The crossing was effected under
tremendous fire from the Filipino
trenches, which we're manned by the
strongest force the insurgents could
assemble to guard the railroad
bridge, their line extending for a
mile on either side.
This was the most daring enterprise
of the entire campaign in the Philip
pines. 1t was Colonel FunstOn's
second attempt to cross the river
On the opposite side lay, supposedly,
the whole of the insurgent army,
heavily intrenched They were
armed with artillery. The control
Of the river was of immense strategic
value. 1t was necessary to cross the
stream.
Colonel Funston's attempt to get
over last night failed, because the
barking of dogs disclosed the move
ment of the enemy on the opposite
side. But he was entirely successful
this morning.
Kansas and Montana volunteers
held the entire town of Calumpit,
except the bridge. Heavy insurgent
forces occupied trenches at the
further end of the bridge, extending
mile on either side of the railway,
In regard to their artillery, how
ever, 1t lie possible they may only
have had one piece and that they
moved this constantly from place to
place before firing, with the object OF
conveying the impression that they
had seve al.
FUNSTON'S FIRST ATTEMPT.
The American and insurgent lines
were separated only by the width OF
the river 100 yards. There was a
constant, scattering fire. When
night came Colonel Funston made a
daring attempt to surprise the in
surgents. His plan was to lead tit-
teen men across the bridge under
cover of the darkness and surprise
and attack the insurgents. The
bridge is long and much exposed.
Colonel Funston sent Corporal Fer
guson of Company f., of the Kansas
volunteers, to recOnnOiter the bridge
The corporal stripped and crawled
along the girders TO within twenty
feet of the opposite shore. The I'M
surgent sentry approached within
ten feet of him without discovering
his presence.
Ferguson reported that the plan
was impracticable, because, the rails
having been removed, walking would
be dangerous, and the wounded
would fall into the river. In othel
respects than the loss of the rails the
bridge Is intact
Colonel Funston then decided tt
lead 100 men across the river
mile to the westward and entilad'
the Insurgents. His purpose was t
surprise and rout them.
Eight companies of Kansas volun
teers furnished the detail. Tint
march was down the river bank
But it was moonlight, and the bark
ing of dogs betrayed the American
activity. A heavy fire followed from
the insurgent artillery, and the at
tempt to cross was necessarily aban
doned.
SUCCESSFUL AT LAST.
Undaunted by two previous failures
Colonel runston persevered in the en-
terprise and succeeded i'm taking tn
Rio Grande defenses opposite Calum
nit. 1t WAS one of the most daring
and courageous achievements of tn
present war.
The insurgents, numbering severa
thousand, occupied almost impregna
| lio On 81 !, ,UOrLa ON tha north hank q