The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-10-27
MONTANA's SOLDIER BOYS.

The present week in this state has
been largely devoted to welcoming
home it's war heroes. With the recep.
tion to the First Montana regiment at
Butte last Monday, and the receptions
to the various companies in other cities
Of the state since, probably IS, 900 oiti-
zens of the 200, 900 residing in Montana
have turned out to do honor to these
gallant soldier lads; they are the pride
child glories III their achievements;
they have awakened the spirit Of pa.
triotism, which is nowhere stronger
than in this glorious commonwealth,
and furnished an example Of loyalty
to the government and the flag that
may we'll be emulated by coming gene.
rations.
We are all proud Of the fact that the
First Montana was the first regiment Of
volunteers to be mustered into Uncle
Sans service, and we are proud, too,
that this state furnished more than
double the number Of its quota of troops
and would have been glad to furnish
twice as many mote. That is the
record Montana has made in the Span.
ish-American war in the matter of
troops furnished. It is indeed q proud
one, but prouder still is the fighting
record of her men. The First Montana
was stationed Oh the firing line for five
months-longer than any other regi-
ment in the service. In the capture of
Caloocan, one Of the most important
events of the campaign, the Montana
boys were the first to enter the town
and had the honor of raising the Ameri.
can flag while the rebel bullets were still
flying. They also gained distinction
at the capture of Malolos, the battles Of
'Tuliahan, Malabon. Santo Tomas, San
Fernando and other engagements. In
fact they were in all the hard battles,
and in the final charge against the
Filipinos at Bagbag, over a stretch Of
country that afforded not the least pro.
lection from the Mausers, and under a
sur that struck thirty men down with
it's pitiless rays in that brief quarter Of
an hour. there was not a waver in the
line, not a faltering footstep seen as
some unfortunate was stricken by q
bullet or heat. Usually, in such
charges, the men deliver q volley while
lying prone on the earth, spring to their
feet and make a dash Of twenty or
thirty yards, drop and fire again. But
those Montanians poured in their vol
legs standing erect aud with a GOODNESS
and accuracy such as would be looked
for were they firing at jaok.rabbits.
They said they didn't have time to lie
down when it was suggested to them
that they do so by General Macarthur
the Montana boys knew not fear. The
4CSA lA1CIlV lIu6VSlCu III 1,OCC 1lcu, 1lNV
IL killed il action, 10 deaths from
wounds and accident, 10 from disease
and 80 wounded in battle.
But while we are reviewing the proud
record Of the First Montana, we must
not forget the four troops Of cavalry
this state furnished to Grigsby's Rough
Riders-the Third cavalry. That regi.
ment actually lost more men from dis
ease at Chickamauga-some fifty odd
than did the First Montana III it's Phil
ippine campaign. The Rough Riders,
had they been sent to the front, would
have made this states fighting record
even more glorious, and their patriot.
ism is shown from the fact that l15
men OF tho 1886 in the four troops, were
at Butte last Monday, paying their
own expenses. to greet the members Of
the First Montana on their return
home. 1t is in Troop M of the Rough
Riders that Billings takes especial
pride, for which she furnished eighty.
four men, while only three from this
city-Chaplain Stull Of the First Mon.
tana, Fred Soule Of the Idaho regiment
and Fred Ohland Of the Thirteenth in
fantry-saw active service in the Phil.
ippines.
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