Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-10-08
FUNSTON'S LAST REPORT.
His Official Account of the Twentieth's
Part in the CalOOcan
CurnD Hirn

WASHINGTON. Oct. 7.-(SpecialD Fol-
lowing is the last report received by the
war department from Colonel Funston on
the part taken by his regiment in the great
campaign of last February:
Caloocan, y. l.. Feb. -, 1899.
To the Adjutant General, First Brigade,
Second division.
Sir:-I have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report OF the part taken by the
Twentieth Kansas infantry, United States
volunteers. in the operations against the
Filipino insurgents from the beginning of
the outbreak of February until the pres
ent day.
The outpost OF this regiment, in the car
station of the Caloucan road. was fired
upon about 10 p. m. by insurgent patrols.
Before this time the uutpOsts of various
other regiments had been fired upon. and
the general alarm had been given. The
whole regiment was under arms in few
moments, and. leaving Companies y, B, F.
and l. under Captain Buchan. to guard the
quarters. the remaining companies, con-
sisting of the Second and Third battalons.
| under Majors Whitman and Metcalf
| marched to the relief of our outpost, now
| fighting valianty under Captain a. c.
| Clark. We We're Joined on the way by a
| detachment from the Utah light artiliey
| with one CUR under Lieutenant Seaman.
Upon arrival at the outpost | found that
| our men We're making a stand in the road
| 4CD yards north of the car station. The gun
| was placed in position in the middle Of the
road and the four companies of the Sec
ond battalion deployed in the gardens to
| the left and right and an occasional reply
made to the enemy's fire, which appeared
| to come from the woods about 500 yards
on our front. With the coming of day
| light another gun of the Utah battery,
which had arrived, was placed in position
and two companies of the Third battalion
| placed on the firing line.
During the day Major Whitman was
| taken III and returned to the city. where
| he has remained ever since. AT noon l
| received orders from the brigade COM
raander. who was on the ground. to ), a da
| without difficulty, the woods being FIRST
cleared of the enemy by a dozen well di-
rected volleys. The two field pieces were
| placed i'll the road in front of the small
| church and fred few well directed shots
| The insurgent barricaGes and tr1ches
were distant only so yards and the Iire
from them was so CALLING that an advanc
was imperative. Major Mctcalf had gone
to protect our left flank with Companies c.
d and X, and did excellent service, Com
panies + and l. had come out from the
| city under Captain Buchan and with these
two companies. Z. II. l. l. and NJ; l or
| fanked IT, This charge. which led in
| person, was most CALAMITY made, the men
firing as they advanced. The insurgents
| stood until we were within sixty yards
when they gave way. We occupied both
| lines of barricades and were preparing to
assault the small blockhouse when Major
| Strong adjutant general Of the division
arrived and ordered me TO retire. for the
night to the position that we had just left
| This was done and the n!Sht was passed
| without incident
Our casualties in the desultory fighting
of the day were one enlisted man Killed
| and six enlisted men wounded.
| on the morning of the 9th | received
| orders to advance to tho insurgent barri-
cades that We had taken the previous even
| ing and occupy them This was done with
| out difficulty, as the enemy had fled. Dur
| ing the day we found and buried the bodies
of thirty-one insurgents, killed in our
| charge of the previous day.
The regiment was intrenched facing the
north. the right resting on the railway,
where It Joined with the First Montana,
and the left on the impossible bayous from
| the sea
The day and night passed without Incl
dent. except for an occasional exchange Of
! shots with the enemy
On the afternoon OF the 9TH the enemy
became so bold. firing from behind dyke
so yards in front of our line. that it be-
obtaining permission from the brigade
commander L led three and one-half com
panies in an attack on this position. car
rying 1t at the point of the bayOnet. Our
loss was. First Lieutenant A. c. Afford. of
| Company p. a most bright and promising
young OlnceV. killed. ana SIX enlisted men
severely wounded.
| | counted twentysix dead insurgents on
| the ground where they made their stand
| In accordance with our original orders we
| fell back to the trenches before dark and
remained there during the whole night I'M
| disturbed.
| There were no further incidents of note
until the 10th. when. in conjunction with
| the First Montana and Third artillery, we
were ordered to advance on the town of
| Caloocan. The attack, so far as this regi-
ph
| dense woods and IN the face of a hot
| though badly directed fire from the enc
my. our loss being two enlisted men killed
| and one officer and eight enlisted men
| wounded. We are now intrenched on the
north side Of the town OF Caloocan. with
| our left on the water and right. as before.
| on the First Montana.
| Where everybody did so well it is i'm
| possible to make distinctions, but I wish
| 70 bring to your notice the splendid con-
! duct OF Major Wilder 8. Metcalf, who has