The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-28

on every occasion where courage was
required since the fighting in the Phil
ippines began, has made him the latest
military hero of the day He was 1lrst
brought into prominence when Gen.
Macarthur asked him how long ne
could hold a certain exposed position,
and' he replied: Till my regiment is
mustered cut" The three occasions
when he has crossed rivers under a
heavy fire with a few men and routed
the enemy, however, have been the
crowning features that have won him
his place in the peoples favor. Inc
first Of these occasions was during the
Malolos campaign, when Funston, with
&c men, swan a swift stream, routed
the natives, and was the first man TO
enter MarilaO at the head Of his Veto
rious column. April %, the Americans
reached another stream, whose bridge
had been almost destroyed by the Fill
pnos.
Funston again came to the rescue
With four or five volunteer companies
he crawled along the wreck Of the
bridge amid shower of happily mis-
directed bullets, sprang into the water
when the bridge could take them no
farther, swan ashore and. with yell
and a few shots, captured the rebel en-
trenchments. Two days later came an
other opportunity and another Feat OF
gallantry. Our troops had reached the
supposedly impossible Rio Grande, or
Great River, at Bagbag, where the ma
tives were intrenched in force. Funston
and his men tried to cross at night, but
were discovered. so they decided to
cross in the daytime Two men Of his
regiment, who bore the names White
and Trembley, swan the swift current
under fire, carrying one end of a rope,
reached the opposite shore unhurt, and
made the rope fast. Funston and his
men had meanwhile rugged up rart,
and on it several companies were fer
ried across and captured the enemy
works. The feat completed the dis
couragement of the Filipinos, and they
soon began overtures for peace.
Secretary Long, in his speech at the
Essex Club banquet in Boston, May l,
compared Horatius with Funston,
pointing out that Horatius swan the
Tiber to get away from the foe, where
as Funston swims rivers to get at
them.
The following is a summary of the
principal events of General Funston S.
career.
From his boyhood days Funston has
been a fighter He was born in ONO
In 1866, but his father, E. H. Funston
soon moved to Kansas, where ne be-
came a congressman and was known as
''Foghorn" Funston. His first public
appearance was made when ne was
about sixteen, at political meeting at
Fort Scott. Kan, to oppose his
fathers candidacy After all the speak
ing was over and "Foghorn Funston
had been pretty well torn 10 pieces
the boy took the stage and began tell
ing funny stories about his 1ather'
These led to other and more favorable
remarks about him, the howls OF the
opposition subsidized, and by the TIME
the young fellow finished it was FUN
ston audience.
Soon afterward he thought it would
be a fine thing to go to West Point his
father had at his disposal subject TO
competitive examination, a cadetshlp'
and Fred, after filling his mind with
United States history, and practising
workmanship and sword-eXerclse LOT
months went into the examination
confident of success. A young man
named Charles Crawford however,
with less confidence but more know
lodged, carried off the honors and the
appointment. Crawford is now a leu
tenant. in the 21st Infantry and IS on
his way across the Pacific to Manila. Ii
IS possible that his regiment may De
assigned to General Funston's brigade.
At is Funston entered the Kansas
state University, where he was class
mate of William Henry White, VINO
made himself famous during the last
presidential campaign by the INJURY,
assxNyhot,s the matter with Kansas
white led the wrong end Of his class
an scholarship. with Funston close
,.5,,si white tells the following story
80 tba voung fellows college days;
"H He is not afraid of anything that . San
-.aii once the towns bad coon tried
Ua,rhed pretty nearly two hundred
snd was a 'scrapper' with razor re-
cord. Funston was I'VE 1eeI tr M, ely sai
W W. nasorsd brother to a standstill and
, IN. tO for a warrant. and marched Inc