Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-16

CHoE or THE Wan.
one year ago today the First Nebraska
volunteer regiment started from Camp
Saunders ct Lincoln for the Philippines.
The order assigning the regiment to the
then almost unknown isles Of the Pacific
was received several days before and
naturally caused unbounded JOY among Of
fcers ana men. The assignment was con-
sidered far more attractive than the Cuban
campaign for many reasons. General
knowledge OF the region conquered by
Dewey was exceedingly limited; the gov
ernmcut then had no other plans than to
hold what Dewey conquered, and distance
lent to it a fascinating charm. 1t was
considered an ideal quest for soldiers, a
vcritable Oriental picnic, and the boys, In
the high flush of youth and hungry FOR
adventure, ~joyfully congratulated themselves
on their good luck. Colonel Bratt was in
command. 1t was an ideal day and by day
break the regimental camp was struck so
great was the anxiety OF the boys to get
under way. by 9 o'clock the first battalion,
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Cotton,
was parading in heavy marching order,
awaiting the signal to march to the train,
In this battalion were the Thurston Rifles
and a large detachment from the Omaha
Guards was on hand to cheer them on and
wish them a hearty Godspeed. The reEi-
ment left in three sections over three roads
and such was the difficulty In making the
necessary preparations that it was late in
the evening before the last train pulled out
amid the cheers and farewells of their
%envious and less fortunate comrades OF the
Second regiment. The parting was a
strange mingling of tears and anticipated
pleasures-tears and heartaches for mothers,
| pig4Nr, nd c,.,,tl,,rt.. haNptnNvg nm tho
part of the soldiers, for whom the future
held aught but the thrilling pleasures of
adventure.
The passing of a year brought to the First
in large measure the honors and glory OF
war, as well as its melancholy ravages. In
whatever lines its duty fell it was well per-
formed. But little of the pleasures antici-
pated a year ago fell to its lot. CAM life
and constant drill at San Francisco and
Manila became exceedingly irksome. Out
of it emerged a regiment of effective SOL
diers. There was little opportunity to show
the stuff of which they were made at the
capture of the city of Manila, but later on,
at San Juan bridge, the water works,
Malolos and a score of battles, they showed
skill and courage unsurpassed by any other
regiment in the Philippines. Out OF LOO
men only 300 are now fit for duty. Disease
ravaged it before the Filipino war: 1t lost
225 in killed and wounded since February 2
and flfty-nine since the battle Of Malolos.
For six weeks it has been on the firing
line. Daily marches and the eXhausting,
nerve-killing guard duty in a strange coun-
try. menaced by willy foes and blistered by
tropical suns, has been a test of physical
strength and courage such as few American
soldiers have had to undergo in this war.
The contrast between a year ago and to-
day is a startling one. But such are the
fortunes of war.
The wife of Captain Frank e. Adams of
the Washington volunteers is with her hus-
band at the front in the Philippines. During
the engagement of February 3, when Cap
tain Adams company made q desperate dash
on the Filipino Pace church stronghold, the
plucky little woman accompanied the charge.
For this heroism General King has awarded
her a special medal of honor.
The Joint committee of the Cincinnati
Chamber of Commerce, members and citi-
Zens appointed to take charge of the move
ment for a popular memorial to the late
Colonel II. c. Egbert, formerly OF the Sixth
infantry, has decided to erect a memorial
tablet in his honor on the water tower at
Fort Thomas. 1t will be in bronze, and will
stand by another tablet which is to be un-
yelled on July 1 in honor of the dead of the
Sixth infantry led by Colonel Egbert at
San Juan hill. Both tablets are to be I'M
yelled on the same day. Colonel Egbert
was killed in the Philippines while leading
his regiment-the Twenty-second infantry
but his long service with the Sixth, ending
with a bullet wound at San Juan, while in
front of the Sixth, makes the position of
the tablets peculiarly appropriate. The
tower is situated near the end of the trolley
line running from Cincinnati to Fort Thomas
and is but a stones throw from the former
residence of Colonel Egbert while stationed
at the fort. A daughter of Captain Weth-
Grill, an old comrade-in-arms of Colonel Egg
bert, who was killed at San Juan, Will UNI
veil the tablet. Major Crowell of the Sixth
has been detailed to be present on the oc-
casion. The inscription on the tablet reads
as follows: Colonel Harry Clay Egbert, u.
S. A., Brigadier General u. S. ", who fell
MORALLY wounded upon the battlefield near
Manila, Luzon, March 26, 1899, while hero
ically leading his regiment, the Twenty
second infantry, against the Filipino in
trenchments. For thirty-seven years an
officer in the regular army of the United
States; distinguished in three wars of his
country; twice grievously wounded in ac-
ton at Bethesda, Virginia, 1864, and at San
Juan Hill, Cuba, July /, 1898, whore he
commanded the Sixth United States in
~fantry."
PROSPERITY IN WYOMING.