The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-08
THE RECORD THAT WAS MADE
BY MONT ANA IN THE FIELD
Chapters That Make Up the Story Of the States Soldiers
The Service They Saw the Honors They
Won and the Losses That Are a
Part of the Record

! Under the call for troops by the pres
ident of the United States on April %,
1898, Montana was required to furnish
one regiment of infantry. consisting of
u companies. and one squadron Of four
troops of cavalry There being only
10 companies of infantry in the Nation
al Guard of the state. two additional
regiment was called together at Camp
Smith
On May 4. under general order No. :,
by virtue of section IA. military code of
Montana. 1897. the organization of the
LIST infantry, N. G. Nj. was SO changed
that it was made up of three battalions
of four companies, each company made
up of three officers and 81 enlisted men.
The cavalry was also increased by two
troops, one from Butte and one from
Missoula.
The regiment of infantry, under com
mand of Col Harry c. Kessler, was
assembled at Camp Smith May 5 and
mustered into the United States service
May 9, 1898. with so officers and 9SS en-
listed men. On May "a an order was
received from the war department di-
recting the list regiment to proceed TO
San Francisco. Cal. On May 25, at s
a. NJ. they were On their way and ar
rived at their destination May %, where
they We're stationed at Camp Merritt,
attached to the eighth army corps. Re-
manning here until July IS, they en-
barked for Manila, Philippine islands,
on the transport Pennsylvania.
The squadron of cavalry. consisting
of 337 officers and men, under Lieuten-
ant Colonel Charles F. Lloyd, and at
tached to Colonel Grigsby's command,
We're sent to Chickamauga park, Ga,
where they remained until Sept. 2S.
1898, at which date they We're mustered
out of the service.
The LIST Montana aboard the Penn
sylvania arrived al Honolulu July Is at
at 7:30 a. m. A reception was rendered
the regiment there. 1t proceeded on it's
way Aug. 3, at a. NJ, and arrived off
Cavite, p. l.. at $3.50 a. m. Aug. "a. 1t
completed Decentralization and went
into quarters Aug. 20 in Cavite arsenal.
Oct. "a, 1898, headquarters, field, staff
and band and list and I'd battalions
moved from Cavite to Manila. The Sd
battalion consisting of companies A,
B. F and 1, remained in garrison at
Cavite until Nov 81, when it Joined the
main body of the regiment at Manila.
December and January were dull
months, the regiment being occupied by
routine duty and responding to the
many false alarms of attacks by ma
tives.
On Feb. 4. 1899 came the insurGent
attack on the American outposts sur
rounding Manila. The Montana resi'
ment was intrenched in front Of q
cemetery. About $50 y. ~. the regi-
ment's outposts, consisting of Compan-
les NJ and ], We're attacked with VigoI
and retired to the cemetery. The 1ol-
lowing day a general advance was or
dered, Companies c, f, II, |, K, l. anG
NJ taxing part III the battiS' "itS'
lasted the remainder Of the day ana re-
suited in the enemy being driven from
their position at the Chinese cemetery
Company G was on the left of the Kan
sas regiment and advanced with 1t.
In this baptism of fire the regimen
conducted itself with such credit as t.
win high praise from the superior Off
rers. The men and officers to mar
were cool and collected during tbs