The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-31
He BEGAN IT.
William Grazen, Who Fired
First Shot at a Filipino,
Returns With His Regiment,
the First Nebraska
ABOARD THE HANCOCK
Transport Reaches San Fran
cisco at Midnight
Greatly. to the Disappointment
of the People.


San Francisco, July s1.-The untime-
ly arrival of the United States trans
port Hancock, having on board the Ne
braska regiment and TWO batteries OF
the Utah artillery. completely destroy
ed all the arrangements which had been
made for a royal reception and an en-
thusiastic welcome to the fighting vol
unteers returning crowned with their
laurels
The Hancock dropped anchor in the
stream shortly before midnight Satur-
day night. The committees here from
Nebraska and Utah had given up all
idea Of the vessels arriving earlier than
Sunday morning, and had prepared to
be up at dawn to greet the expected
ship. Tugs and launches had been
chartered, and Governor POynter OF Ne
braska had planned with all care and
detail to be the first man aboard the
Hancock and welcome the heroes from
his state back to American soil.
But there were no reception commit
tees afiOat at midnight, and only one
small deIegatlon or NeoTaska people
headed by Judge Robert Ryan of Lin
coin, and C. o. Wheaton, Of the same
city, accompanied the custom house
officials and the correspondents on the
race down the bay.
Quarantine and customs regulations
prevented even this little band from
getting nearer the deck of the ship than
the approach Of the gang plank. The
returning soldiers have no criticism to
offer for their silent reception. They
cheered themselves hoarse at sight of
the little fleet of launches, and from the
decks of the transport shouted greet
ingS and messages to the people on the
dancing craft below.
Colonel H. B. Milford of the Nebras-
kans, who is in command, soon appear
ed at the railing. BY his side stood
William Grazen, OF COmpanyD the SEN
tinel of the Nebraska regiment who
fired the first shot in answer to shots
from the FflipinOs which started the
war with the insurgents. He killed the
first Filipino who died by an American
bullet, and it was this shot which was
the signal for the advance of the entire
American line and the great rout Of the
rebel army on the night Of the 4th Of
February.
returning to Manila very soon,'' said
Colonel Milford, in response to a ques-
Just one man in the entire regiment
re-enlisted- Only twenty-five remained
in the Philippines to engage in business
The Nebraska had as much rough
work in this war" continued Colonel
Milford, "as any regiment. volunteer
or regular. Our death roll in the Phil
1pptnes from gunshOt wounds, accidents
and disease, is sixty-two. Including the
sick and wounded who are recovering,
we dropped all told 204 men. On the
Hancock are more than 100 wounded
soldiers The entire regiment is glad to
know that II IS to be mustered out in
San Francisco We have had a pleas
ant trip" concluded Colonel Milford
and it has improved the men wonder
fully. Quite number Of them will
have to go to their homes, but am
right"
The first man to grasp the hand Of a re-
turning Nebraska volunteer was Mr.
wheaton, whose son, Burt Wheaton, is
ment. The young officer was lowered on
the gang plank and father and son greet
ed each other with some difficulty- The
quarantine OFFICER does not board incOm-
ing ships between sunset and sunrise and
mere vas notnlng to do but wait for the
Inc men on the HANCOCK numbered 1.135
SIX discharged men from the Twenty sec
Colonel Milford. who is in command OF
the Nebrasl1a regiment, succeeded the late
LIEUTENANT Colonel Colon of the Ne
braska regiment, remained at Manila,
Only one man died on the Hancock after
she left Manila He was Private Richard
Among the OFFICERS Of the NebrasI[5 7, es5>
Captain IollingswOrth and Lieutenant
WadsNorth was on two different occasions
At an early hour Sunday the quarantine
and after a careful Inspection gave the
vessel a clean bill of health. Soon after
ward the sick and wounded We're taken in
amoulances to the hospital at the Presidio
Il had been arranged that those Of the
men able TO march should be landed at
noon and march to the Preside by way of
the principal streets. As an attendant
guard of honor. six companies of the Sec
ond Oregon, with the regimentaI band,
were detailed at the dock
It was found, however. that the men
could not be conveniently landed earlier
than o'clock and that. even then some
OF their paraphernalia and trophies of war
which they desired to use in their tri-
umphal march were deep down in the hold
and would not be available.
Governor POynter of Nebraska. made
these representations to Major General
Shafter, and, at the urgent request of
the SovesrIIlor General Shafter ordered that
be delayed until this morning at 3 O'Clock
ignorant Of the amended Arrangement
thousands of San Franciscoans. in holt
day attire, lined both sides of Market
street and Van Ness, and waited for hours
TO shout welcome to the returning SOL
diers 1t was not until the Oregon com
pan1eS- who had been assigned as an es-
cort marched back alone that the wait
ing crowd understood that they must bot
tie up their enthusiasm for tWenty-four
hours longer.