The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-02


principally directed against that por-
ton of the American lines where Kan
sas was stationed, the regiment was
called into defensive action at the first
alarm. 1t did not take long to drive
back the massed FilipinOs who retreat
ed after severe loss. Hardly a day pass
ed without its attendant skirmish, and
Kansas was continually exposed to the
fire of the enemy's shooters. Dur
ing one of these slight engag ements On
February %. Kansas lost another of It's
best officers, Captain David Elliott
Captain Elliott was one of Kansas best
company commanders, and in the three
weeks of fighting had gained an envia-
BILE reputation as a leader. His loss
was a severe blow to his command, and
the entire regiment sincerely mourned
his death.
The Kansas Yell.
The Twentieth Kansas. First Mon
tanaS, the Sixth regulars and the titan
battery had lively exchange with the
enemy February "a. It was $50 in the
evening and the camp fires were burn
ing brightly all along the lines
Suddenly the insurgent cheer of 'Vive-
Filipino RepublicO'" rent the air and
Volley afer volley was fired over the
heads of the Twentieth Kansas. The
outpOsts were withdrawn and the in
Surgents opened fire all along the line
Companies L, F, H. I and Z returned
the insurgents vOlleys by pouring q
deadly fire into them. giving the Kansas
During the fight Major Metcalf was
shot through the ear
Again on the 2Sth of February the
Fighting Twentieth and the First Mon
tanas had an afternoon pink tea with
Colonel Reous who directed the insur-
gent lines on the north. The firing was
hot but shells from the Sixth artillery
the Utah battery and Colts rapid nre
gun chimed in with the infantry and
the insurgent- firing soon ceased
On March 10 the Kansans claimed
another victory. It was 10 o'clock in
the morning that Gen. Funston went
ont to receive a message under a nag
of truce. The message he received was
to get back to his lines and night The
fight was on. Company F opened on
the insurgents. The Utah battery
threw shrapnel and all was confusion.
By 7:30 o'clock that evening the natives
were gone from the Malabon road leaV-
ing 60 dead.
It was on Sunday. March u, that Os-
car G. Thorne was killed. He was on
an errand of mercy. He left the lines
to carry water to his comrades when
shot by an insurgent sharp-shooter The
next day James W. Kline was shot by
a sharp shooter while passing between
two tents.
Glory at Ca1umpit.
The following is Douglass Whites
description of the movements that
made Funston a brigadier:
For nearly month the 'E1ghunS
Twentieth remained before MalOlos, oc-
cupylng a defensive position at that point
On April "A the advance against CaluTn-
pit was taken up with Generals MacAr-
thur, Wheaton and Hale in personal COM
mand- Advancing that AFTERNOON JoMaE t13
the rebel stronghold Kansas rested until
u5T , OF Jh9 mex gay WIllCn va 70 7 -
additional honors TO FunstonS oaL1n5
soldiers. In the early morning advance
MADE an eXcepIlonaily caring. Snd.so
across an open field, was stayed by the
structed particularly skillful fortthcations
besides destroying a span of the railway
its position until reinforced by the bal
ance Of the regiment Here Colonel Fun
stOn performed the most brilliant act OF
cher dee5s7 IF braL-e,rv brought to him
the advancement he so well deserved +
want volunteers to cross the bridge with
me was Colonel F7llnston's call He might
have had the whole regiment. but the
daring feat needed only a few With Ileli-
tenanf Ball a corporal and three prfvates
Colonel Funston crawled over the iron OF
the destroyed bridge, until the broken
span was reached, when they dove into
the rushing current and swan the re-
naming distance Once more sturdy kan
sas bravely won the day, for the insur-
gents seeing that they had not succeeded
in destroying this daring band, poltee
from their strongest position, Ieaylng =
clear road for the Kansans to cross the
stream Following their advantage: = IN
and with the assistance of reinforcements
from Hale.s brlgade carried re, 1ne rsslllslll 7
ing earthWorkS between the BaSDe-g anu ~
Calumpit, and at nightfau OF April =.
the town The rebels retreated to a
series of strong intrenchments beyond the
Rio GrandeY which flows to the north OF
without rest Funston and his Kansans
pushed in the wake of the uee1ng tlll-
pinos, hoping to overtake them ana &c
strOy large portion of their force But
still another stream lay between the kan
sas soldiers and the rebel earthWor
At its crossing Funston and his brave
lads were destined to again make a rec
ord for heroism by overcoming one OF
the most serious obstacles which had YET
faced MacArthur's advance 1t was on
the morning of April 2, when the lines
reached the south bank of the Rio Grande
Just across the stream lay Apal1r, and De
tween the river and town there was =
network of rebel iutrenchments occupied
General Luna Under their leader dl-
rectfon the KanSans constructed ra1Ls
capable of carrying ten soldiers eacn- Tor
the bridge had been almost Lolally .IS
| work their position had been constantly
assailed by sharpshooterS from me
time came for what will stand as one OF
/ the most daring escapades OF the Enlllp-
pine campaigns. Under Colonel funston s
| direction Pr1VateS White and IremDley
| braveIy faced the rushing current. carry
/ ing a line with which to draw a ratC
| across. The FflipinOS saw the movement
/ and every rife spoke as the Two ptstEe
/ lads carried the line across. ana Ln1tl
| dragged over a raft containing CoioneL
| Funston and a detachment OF kansa1s-
/ Other RATS followed, and with their lead
l formed and a bold flank movement exc
| cuted, before which the F1dpinos ned. pei
| nell, leaving many dead In the GrencIes-
| of Funston and his Kansans, had the
| rebels been routed from one OF Jne1F
| strongest positions
LAS a result OF his exceptional bravery,
| the army leaders in Luzon especially n
| dorse6 Colonel Funston for promotion.
with the result that on May 2 he became