Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-04-06
WESTERN VOLUNTEERS
FIGHT LIKE VETERANS
MeikIejohn Enthusiastic Over the
Way the ''Boys" Are Fighting
in the Philippines.
CHARGES THAI WILL Be FAMOUS
Nebraskans, Dakotans and Kansans
Display Dash and Valor Rival.
ing Napoleon's Picked
Soldiery.

washington, April 1.-The bravery
and intrepidity displayed by the west
ern troops in and about Manila have
been the subject of universal comment
at the war department. On every side
have been heard the highest en-
comiums of praise for the valor shown
by the First Nebraska, the First South
Dakota, the First Colorado and the
Kansas and Oregon volunteers in their
attacks upon the Filipinos
1t was expected that the regulars
would show up to splendid advantage
in the various sorties and skirmishes,
leading up to the taking of the capital
of the so-called Filipino republic, but
the work of the volunteers was an UNI
known quantity until the battle of
Manila last year, which brought the
sons of the west prominently before
the civilized world as strenuousfi fighters
for the advancement OF. the American
flag in the faraway islands of the Pa
citic seas. Not since the days of BLACK
Jack" Logan have there been seen SO
may brave and courageous deeds done
as in the battles which have ragged in
the island of Luzon since the CONF
mencement of hostilities.
And yet, according to Assistant Sec
rotary Meiklejohn, there is good rea-
son for the dash and valor shown by
the boys in blue who are operating
1000 miles from their native shores.
Mr.. Meiklejohn in speaking of the
splendid courage displayed by the vol
unteers from the west said:
I'm many respects the volunteer has
merged into the regular. Many of the
regiments which have distinguished
themselves in the last few weeks have
had almost n years training in the
Philippines under regular army Off
GERS. They have had the advantage of
scientific thought in the care of the
troops and the training has been of in
calculable benefit to the boys who at
the first call for troops came from the
farms, the factories, the stores and
counting rooms of the west to help
take up the white mans burden for
humanity's sake. 1t is a well known
fact that the volunteers from the east,
coming from the great urban centers
of population, lacked somewhat of the
Drawn of their western brothers. Many
of the men who are now adding UNI
dying luster to the flag, especially of
the First Nebraska, have had years of
training in the state militia and be-
lieve it would be safe to say that five
tenths of the First Nebraska regi-
ment is made up of the flower of the
farms of the Antelope state, young
farmers who took to soldering as a
pasttime and who are now showing the
mettle they are made of by intrepid
charges upon the enemy that will go
down into history rivaling the famed
charges at Gravelot, Cressy and
Gettysburg.
individual mention has been made
by Major General Otis of the fearless
pess, dash and brilliancy displayed by
the First Nebraska as well as the valor
shown by the regiment from our
neighboring state, South Dakota. One
cannot help but regret the loss of so
many of our brave boys in the tropics
and sometimes the question arises, is
it worth all the blood and treasure lost
to bring order out of chaos and bring
stability to country which is so UNI
like our own in every respect? But
there comes the blessed satisfaction
that shoulder to shoulder the boys
from Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah,
Colorado, Montana and Oregon are
making for themselves history that
their fathers and mothers and the gen.
erations to come will revere and re-
spect for the important part therein
played by these self-same sons of the
west"
These expressions were conceded in
by Adiutant General Corbin, who said
that the work of the military in the
Philippines would make one of the
brightest chapters in the history of
The war with Spain.