Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-04-27
THE DARING KANSAS.
Company K Performs a Brilliant
Deed in a Charge.
AMERICANS IN FRONT OF CALUMPlT,
Col. Fred Funston Calls for Volunteers to
Cross the River Three Wounded in
the Kansas Regiment Fill
pin0s Fight Well.

advancing four miles, mostly through
woods and jungle and crossing tn,
Bagbag river. This was accomplished
at cost to the Americans of six killed
and 2swounded, the First South Dakota
regiment being the heaviest loser
After fording the river, the South Da
kotans pursued the insurgents to the
outskirts of Calumpit, but the town
was found to be so strongly protected
that Gen. Macarthur deemed it best tc
withdraw the tired fighters and go into
camp for nights rest before making
the final assault,
The largest buildings in Calumpit
were being fired by the Filipinos while
the Americans were crossing the river
fully mile away, indicating the enc
my's intention to abandon the place.
The insurgents seem to have adopted a
settled policy of retiring from one posi-
ton after another, after inhicting the
| greatest possible damage upon the ad-
vancing army. The forces yesterday
were well drilled. Every foot of the
ground was tenaciously disputed by
thoroughly-organized troops, who stood
remarkably firm even before artillery.
The enemy had planned to wreck
our artillery transport train. This at
tempt was a failure, but span of the
iron railway bridge over the river was
destroyed, hampering the American
transportation for some time. The
Filipinos cut the girders, intending to
have the structure fall with the train,
but it collapsed prematurely of it's own
weight.
The Bagbag river, which is about 100
yards wide at that point, was splendidly
fortified, and the Americans were com
PEELED to approach an open space from
which the rebels had cleared every OBJ
struction to sight. The bank of the
river, high bluff, was surmounted
with trenches, capped with rocks, loop
holed and partly hidden by bushes.
Gen. Wheaton's brigade approached
the river along the railroad, leaving
camp beyond Malolos city Gen. Hale's,
which started Monday, was earlier on
the march and sweeping westward to-
ward the railroad. The armored train
was being pushed by Cinnamon, the
Twentieth Kansas regiment advancing
in an extended order on the left and
the First Montana regiment with the
Utah light artillery, on the right.
The rapid-fring guns on the train
"opened the BALI at 1880 a. M. about |
a mile from the river, their popping al
ternating continuously with the boom
of the six-pounders. The Montana
regiment and the Utah artillery bat
teries at the same time entered the
jungle, from which the insurgents, who
were occupying large Struggling vii
lage of huts poured heavy volleys.
In the course of an hour the Ameri.
cans had forced passage through the
woods to the open space in front of the
river, and the artillery, Immediately
On wheeling into the open, began she'll
ng the Filipino trenches.
In the meantime, company X, Twen-
iieth Kansas, led by Capt. hollywood,
performed one of the most brilliant
achievements of the campaign. The
'egiment was being held in reserve,
md company X charged distance of
| quarter of a mile over cornheld to !
he bank Of the river near the bridge,
where the insurgents, from a trench,
we're peppering the armored train,
hen about 200 yards down the track.
he company found shelter in d ditch.
'o. Frederick Funston called for vol
lnteers to cross the river and the coll
mel himself, Lieut.. Ball, private of
X, private of company II,
'rumpeter Bansfield and Corporal Fer
uson, of company |, crawled along
he iron girders.
While this was going on the men of |
X, from the ditch, were fusil- l
aiding the trenches in the endeavor to
iyert attention, but the Filipinos got
he range from a trench down the
iyer and their bullets soon spattered ,
ne water under the structure. Hav-
~ reached the broken span, the small =
ut valorous party of Americans slid i
own the caisson, swan few yards to Il
he shore and crawled up the bank, the Z
olonel leading the way to the trenches,
,volver in hand, while the few remain
lg Filipinos boltcd.
Col. Funston said afterwards: at was G
OF much to do. We knew they could !
OF shoot straight and that our boys Il
ould attend to them while we were .
'ossing.' g
Gen. Hale's right joined Gen. Whea- :
MI left soon after noon, curve in the q
yer enabling the Americans to pour N
4 enflading fire into the enemy's v
enches. About this time the cheers = =
the Kansas troops announced that al
lie Americans had crossed the river. p
en-. Hale's men began to ford the rt
lico, branch of the Bagbag, stretch o. :,
g to the northeast. The general p
mself plunged in up to his neck, and pr
'e regiments all carrying flags, houn- y
red across the stream. The guns of y
e Utah light artillery were dragged "
'er next and formed in extended line. j
advance upon the trenches before M
llumpit, from which the Filipinos .,
ERE pouring continuous vollevs a.
/ he armored car had one man killed y,
ID two wounded. The Kansas regi- s.:
ent had three wounded during the 81
arge and the Utah light artillery one q
He'd and two wounded. Most of the
4 l. r.t -