The times., 1899-05-28
MAJOR YoUNe's REPORT.
High Praise for the Utah Light ArtiI-
lery Officers.


The War Department gave out for pub
heation yesterday the report of Major
Richard W. Young in command of the
Utah Light Artillery, together with the
report of each OF his subordinate officers.
covering the operations in Luzon from
February to Is. The subordinate reports
include those of Captain and Brevet Major
f. A. Grant. Capt. E A. Wedgwood First
Lieut.. George a. Gibbs and Second Lieuts.
George A. Seaman. A. S. Fleming. and W.
c. Webb. and are purely technical.
After relating in detail the work nf his
command Major Young speaks of his Off
GERS and men as follows:
Il desire TO commend most heartily and
without distinction the officers and men
in the organization under my command;
the amount of labor done by them in
dragging guns and constructing Garth
works has been prodigious. and it has
always been done cheerfully. All have
been fearless. Compelled to advance
along open roads, usually in plain view
of the enemy, without the opportunity of
concealment, they have unshrinkingly
served their guns. 1t has. too, been
feature of these operations that in every
advance the guns have gone forward prac-
tically on the line of skirmishers Their
willingness to work and their intrepidity
nave not Deen more Conspicuous THAN Tue
skill with which they have handled their
guns and their accuracy of aim.
During the various engagements in the
period OF the report over 600 rounds of am
munition was used. Special praise is given
to Lieutenant Seaman for his advance with
one gun along the Caloocan road under
CALLING fire. No more dangerous or peril
GUS service than that performed by these
detachments has been performed in the
campaign according to the report. Cap
tain Wedgwoods work is mentioned as fol-
lows
Captain Wedgwood, with two guns of
his battery, reached Sampaloc Cemetery in
good time on the night of February 4, the
men having dragged the guns for three
miles without assistance from any other
organization. They took position near the
Sampaloc Cemetery, and were constantly
engaged from about $50 until $3.50 of the
morning of February 5, the enemy being
strongly intrenched and posted at ranges
varying from 300 to 700 yards. The prac-
tice on Blockhouses Nos. 5, g. and was
very effective, causing the enemy to retire
in great numbers, and paving the way for
the infantry advance. The guns were
served under a heavy cross-fire, the can
noneers having little or no protection.
From personal observation l am able to
concur in Captain Wedgwood's estimate
and commentator of his men. | call at
tention TO his mention of Hospital Steward
Shelby B. Cox, U. S. A."
Another undertaking in charge OF Lieu
tenant Gibbs is described as follows:
Under orders from the division COM
mander. the remaining two Nordenfeldts,
under Lieut.. G. A. Gibbs, manned by one
section of A Battery and one of Bat
terry, moved forward early on the morning
of the 9TH to report to Colonel Stotsen-
burg at Santa Mesa. The platoon was or
dered to advance to the San Juan Bridge,
under cover of Tennessee battalion, but
the latter had not arrived, and with
few thanking skirmishers, the two guns
were moved at double time down the 500
yard slope to the bridge in the face of
a heavy fire from the wooded slopes be-
yond. coming into action near the bridge,
and advancing with the infantry firing
lines up the hill leading to the Deposito.
The guns were handled with great
skill and efficacy. This movement, in the
open view of the enemy under close range,
was one of the most bold and commendable
OF the campaign. The platoon moved to
the vicinity of the Deposito, and on the
9Th took part in the advance to the pump
ing station. as previously described
Major Young continues, by relating his
own movements which were as follows:
Il was present with Lieut.. G. A. Sea-
mans platoon on the Caloocan road the
nights of February and 8; on the 5th l
spent the morning with the detachment of
Captain Wedgwood and Lieutenants Webb
and Gibbs, during part of their caunonad
ing, and the afternoon with Captain Grants
guns during the advance on the ceme-
teries; on the 6th, the morning. in re-
placing Captain Wedgewood's guns to con-
form to the new infantry lines, and the
afternoon, was present in command OF the
artillery. during the advance from the
Deposito to the pumping station; from the
7th until this date have been almost con-
stantly with the guns on the left of our
position, and commanded the several de-
tachments in the attack on Caloocan."