The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-31
KANSAS RECORD.
Wheaton Reports What Fun
ston's Men Accomplished.

Washington, D. c., July 31.-The re-
port of operations by General Lloyd
Wheaton has been made public and in
the document an account is given of the
exact performances of Funston and his
regiment. which would seem to settle,
once and for all, as to whether Funston
swan a river or went over on a raft
According to Wheaton he did both He
swan on one occasion and on another
two soldiers swan the river, brought
back a raft and Funston went over in
it. This is the portion Of the report
referring to the Twentieth Kansas:
Pursuant to the orders of Major
General Macarthur, moved my bril-
gade out of MalOlOS on the morning OF
April "a, with the intention of attack
ing the enemy on the north bank of the
River Bag-Bag, but the brigade of Cen
eraI Hale, with which 1t was desired
should cooperate, not having advanced
from the direction of Qu1nga on Calun1-
pit sufficiently to attack that point that
day, 1 was directed by Major General
Macarthur to hold my brigade in the
vicinity of the railroad at BaraOS1n UNI
til Hale had fought his way to the vi
cinity of a ford across the Quinga not
far from the River Calumplt, About
$50 o'clock on the morning of the 18th
of April, by the direction of the division
commander L was marched to the en-
emy'S position, moving the Twentieth
Kansas volunteer infantry on the LETT OF
the railroad and the First Montana on
the right. The battalion of the Third
United States artillery, Major Kobbe,
was left at NalOlos and Baraosin to
guard the line of road directed the
armored train to follow up the track
after the brigade was we'll on the
march.
Our movements being well screened
from the enemy by extensive lines OF
bamboo jungle moved both regiments
of infantry into a Well-prOtected posi-
ton about !, 200 yards from the enemy
intrenchments along the Bag-Bag.
The armored train having reached at
this time a point on the road near the
infantry, I directed that fire be opened
from the rified siX-pounder and the
three machine guns on the train, and at
this minute Hale's artillery, to our front
and right across the Quinga, opened fire,
and the guns of the Utah artillery, on
our right, commenced firing. Soon after
I moved the armOred train to the front
and advanced several companies of in
fantFy from both regiments to seize all
places near the river from which an
effective fire might be directed upon the
enemy's intrenchments. The conVerg1ng
fire of the two brigadeS of the division
and the artillery now began to shake
the enemy. Colonel Funston, twentieth
Kansas volunteer infantry with Lieu
tenant G. NJ. Warner, First Sergeant
Raymond E. EnStOn and Sergeant e.
P Barshfield, company K, Twentieth
Kansas, endeaVored to rush across the
railroad bridge. A span of the bridge
being broken GOlOnGl + uUSlOus 4lSulG4A-
ant Ball and Sergeants Enston and
Barshfield swan the river and drove
the enemy out of the entertainments
near the bridge. At the same time
Hale's infantry, on our right, forded the
Calumpit which the enemy burned. The
two regiments of my brigade bivouack-
ed near the Bag-Bag-
April 20 the enemy was in force on
the north bank of the Rio Grande de Ia
Pampanga, a. broad and deep river. He
was protected by a most elaborate sys-
tenn of field Notifications and had near
the railroad bridge three pieces of ar
tillery and one rapid-fire Maxim. The
important strategic position of Calum-
pit would be untenable until he was
driven off. I was directed by Major
General Macarthur to do this, my force
to be the twentieth Kansas and first
Montana volunteer infantry, five guns
Utah light artillery and three machine
guns 1t was effected in thirtysix
hours as follows: I advanced the in
fantry in deployed lines, in the extend
ed order from Bag Bag to an fntrench-
ed position about 600 yards from the
Rio Grande. which position had been
abandoned by the enemy, placing the
twentieth Kansas on the left OF the
railroad and the first Montana on the
right. The main body now being
screened from the enemy'S fire, detach-
ments and small parties of skirmishers
were advanced and seized all sheltered
places near the river and within long
| rife range of the railroad bridge. Two
| brick and stone buildings near the river
1 were seized and 1OOp-hOled for musket-
| ry- The machine guns and part of the
| artillery placed in position for fire upon
| the enemy's intrenchments. The river
| was reconnoitered below the railroad
/ bridge for the purpose of ascertaining
, any place possible to cross. A constant