Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-05-16
NEBRASkANS ExHAUS
Respec fully Ask Gen. Macarthur for
Temporary Relief.

Manila. May S.-(Via Hong Kong, May
12)-The First regiment, Nebraska Vol
unteer infantry, is taking the unusual
step of respectfully petitioning the dlvls-
ion commander Maj Gen. Macarthur, to
temporarily relieve them from duty at
the front. The regiment is badly eX-
hausted by the campaign in which 1t has
taken an active part, and not many more
than 800 men of the organization are at
present tit for duty. On Sunday last lOO
men of this regiment responded to SICK
call.
The men. in view of the facts. have
prepared a respectful memorial to Gen.
Macarthur asking that their regiment
be withdrawn for short time from tie
fighting line, in order that they may re-
cuperate. The memorial states that the
men are willing to fight, but are III no
condition to do so owing to the strain
of long marching, continual lighting and
outpost duty i'll which they have been
engaged 1t is added that many OF the
men have been unable to have their cloth
ing washed for months past, having been
compelled during all that time to sleep III
their uniforms TO be in readiness for
fighting The memorial adds that since
February the regiment has lost 10
men killed and wounded and % since
the battle of Malolos.
The officers of the regiment propose to
present a similar memorial on behalf of
First Nebraska in the entire campaign
and the tone of the memorial prepared
by the men is such that no lmputaton
Of INSTRUMENTATION can be brought against
them. Officers of the regiment said to
the CORRESPONDENT of the Associated press
here today they thought that the men
had been worked beyond endurance and
should be given a rest and some of the
regular regiments which are now guard
ing the city sent to the front.
Five volunteer regiments and the Utah
battery of artillery are at San Fernando.
They muster in all about $500 men. Many
Of the soldiers are in hospital suffering
from heat or other causes. The wound
ed were all suffering acutely and showed
the effects of exposure to the sun when
they arrived. Three days rest has al
ready worked wonders.
Since the army entered Malolos the sol
diers have had little water to drink eX-
cept that which was brought on railway
trains from Manila, and that was of poor
quality. The artesian wells at San Fer
nando are doing much towards making
the men cOntented.
Why They Can't be Relieved.
Washington, d. c., May 12-No dis
patch received recently from Manila has
been read with deeper interest at the
war department than which was sent by
the Associated press via Hong Hong
ar department officials and army 9th
GERS did not care to be quoted upon the
subject, but the comment generally among
army officers was that the troops who
had been fighting so long and continu,
ously are exhausted and were really in
need of rest. 1t was explained that the
men did not fear fighting, but after fight
ing and marching and constant picket
duty, they were no doubt much exhaust
ed Some army officers suggested that
the action of the Nebraska regiment was
like town meeting and that the army
could not be conducted upon such lines
Comment was made to the effect that
the dispatches indicated that the various
regiments were on duty constantly and
that there was no reserve to relieve them
when they reached the limit Of endur-
ance.
1t was stated by an officer in the de-
partment that one reason why it had
been impossible to relieve the volunteers
with the regulars now at Manila, was
because the regulars recently sent to the
Philippines were at least two-thirds re-
cruitS, and were necessarily unframed
and lacked the discipline of the volun-
teers who are now veterans. 1t is be-
lieved that Gen. Otis does not care to
risk the hard fighting to untried men
and that he desires the volunteers to re-
main at the front because he is sure Of
them in any emergency.