The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-03
FUNSTON AT CALUMPIT.
One of the Fights Especially Re-
ferred TO by Gen. Otis.
t.ro,, ~ r,t;oo,o tooo-d

To-day has witnessed the most
brilliant exploit and the win
ing of the greatest victory in the history
Of American operations in the Philippines.
The taking of the bridge over the Rio
Grande. at Calumplt, was a deed of
astonishing daring 1t was the most
strongly defended position held by the
insurgents. Located on the north shore
of the Rio Grande, opposite Calumpit, 1t
is the most valuable strategic point in Luz
zon. The fact that 1t was guarded by the
most trustworthy and best disciplined reg
iments of Gen. Aguinaldo made the fact
the more noteworthy.
II was a red letter day for the Tweu-
tieth Regiment of Kansas Volunteers,
commanded by Col. Funston. One hun
dred and twenty men belonging to that
regiment crossed the river in the face of
a deadly fire from 1900 insurgent Mausers.
This torrent of bullets was augmented by
the fusilade of a Maxim gun of which the
insurgents have obtained possession.
Col. Funston with only nine men, charg-
ed the trenches manned by thousands of
insurgents, discharging their rifles as they
ran up the embankment. The American
artillery on the south shore of the Rio
Grande poured shot and shell into the
Filipino stronghold The rebels were
stampeded. They went to the north to-
ward Bacoor.
Despite the extraordinary risks and
chances taken by the Americans. our
troops suffered very few casualties. Only
one man was killed and the wounded do
not exceed dozen. The insurgents lost
heavily, fully twenty-five were killed dur
ing the mad charge of Col. Funstons men
on the trenches.
The bridge where the desperate fighting
took place is about 100 yards long 1t ex-
tends over the Rio Grande and is the
gateway practically to the entire northern
portion of the Island of Luzon. All the
ties and rails had been removed from the
structure making it almost impossible to
cross. as the men had to creep along the
iron framework.
At the further end of the bridge. oppo-
site Calumpit, were the most carefully
constructed and formidable earthworl<s
They were almost impregnable. They
were in the form of semi circular trenches
around the approach of the bridge These
trenches have roofs of steel rails These
roofs formed a splendid protection against.
bursting shells. and for time made the
work of the artillery almost futile. These
earthworks extended for a long distance in
either direction.
Early this morning the F'ilipinos began
steady fire from both their infantry and
artillery. Most of 1t was directed upon
the freight house where the Sixth Artil-
lery gun was stationed. The Americans.
however, returned such heavy fire that
the insurgents We're obliged to- keep be-
meath the cover of their earthworks
1t was during this fire that Col. Funston
and his 800 Kansans performed the ex-
plot of the day.
They marched down TO the river. a dis
lance of 800 yards from The freight house.
in plain view of the Insurgents. Imme-
dately the Filipino fire was directed upon
the Kansas men. Col. Funston and his
men went prepared 10 cross the river so
that they could make flank attack upon
the rebels In the trenches.
Privates White and Trembly of Com
pany d of the Kansas regiment stripped
off their uniforms, jumped into the river
and swan directly toward the Filipino
breastworks. Almost Immediately thew
drew the fire from the trenches of the in
surgents, but evidently they had not been
noticed by the insurgents al the end of
the bridge The latter we're fully occu-
| pied by the artillery and infantry fire of
| The Americans.
When White and Trembly reached the
shore they carried a rope TO the beach
tied IL to an upright of the bridge. and
| by making a tremendous noise frightened
| the insurgents out, They had no arms
| but they threw clods Of dirt INTO The
trenches and kept up such 9 terrific veil
ing that the Insurgents thought a who,c
| company was upon them. All this tras
| Col. Funston and his men on the south
shore of the river kept up a steady fire
thereby protecting White and Trembly
Two more Kansans followed in a small
boat with the clothes and rifles of which
| had been stripped off by Trembly and
| White, but the boat capsized It's con-
tents were lost and the two men in il We're
! obliged TO swim for their lives.
| Col. Funston in the meantime followed
on a raft with about twenty men. Close
behind him came two more RATS, on which
were thirty men. The appearance of this
number revealed to the main force of the
Filpiuos the daring trick which had been
/ practiced upon them. Immediately they
directed a wild fire toward the RATS. II
was ineffective. As soon as Col. Funston
reached the opposite shore with his fifty
men he rushed down to the small stream
which empties into the Rio Grande about
! 800 yards from the railroad bridge. His
mon were yelling like demons. They were
pouring a terrific enflading fire into The
main trenches of the insurgents across
the small stream.
| The Filipinos became panic stricken.
| There was a regular stampede When
| Col Funston saw them running he search
ed for some place to cross, and in so doing
got under fire from several hundred in
surgents, who had retreated some dis
lance from the smaller stream. A Maxim
gun was opened on them from a different
direction, and this cross fire compelled
them to retire. When the Maxim ceased
the Filipinos returned.
Finally Col Funston found a small
boat and with Capt. Orwig and eight
men crossed the small river. and with
this handful Of volunteers charged straight
into the. heavy trenches held by the Fill
pinos. They chased the Insurgents out of
their protected position, and by the time
Col. Funston reached the railroad the
Kansas and Montana troops began creep
| ing across the bridge