Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-28
KANSAS BOYS RIGHT BOWER.
Major Dick Young, of Utah's Famous
Light Artillery, Makes an Of
6cioI ReDOrf

WASHINGTON, May 27.-Next in the Sc
ries of reports of the operations near Ma
Mia which the war department is making
public in connection with that of Major
General Macarthur is that of Major Rich
ard w. Young, of the famous Utah light
artillery. Major Young's report is accom-
panied by a report from his subordinate
officers, Captain and Brevet Major F. A.
Grant, Captain Z. A. Wedgwood, First
Lieutenant George A. Gibbs and Second
Lieutenants George A. Seaman, A. S. Flem-
ing and W. C. Webb.
All of these are in large part purely tech
nical and give detailed accounts of the va
rious movements made by the component
parts of this organization, which appears
TO have participated at an important point
in every engagement which has taken place
in Luzon.
In his report. which tells the story of
the operations from February to February
Is, Major Young, after describing the ad-
vance on Caloocan. says:
Il am satisfied that no troops during
this advance have performed more danger
Gus service than the detachmentS under
Lieutenant Seaman in their perilous pas
sage up the Caloocan road: too much.
therefore. in my judgment. cannot be said
in praise of their intrepidity and eff
Major Young also mentions the good
work of two guns of the Sixth artillery
under Lieutenant A s. Fleming, who were
assigned to his division. He says:
During the advance on Caloocan this
platoon did very accurate and effective
work under. heavy small arm fire from
the enemy
He also speaks of Grants and Critch-
lows guns which took part in the move
ment follows:
Extremely accurate work was done: one
of the best shots of the campaign was at
party throwing up earthworks at the
cemetery gate. the left side of the gate
being destroyed at estimated range of
900 yards by the first shell. Shrapnel ire
proved to be effective at range of 1000
yards in driving party which advanced
fearlessly from the right 10 take fianking
party under command of Major Bell. United
States volunteer engineers. A compliment
is paid to Wedgwoods battery. the men OF
which dragged their guns on the night or
February for three miles without assist
ance and driving the enemy back in great
numbers, and paved ed, the way way for for the r,1s in,
under a heavy cross fire. the cannoneers
having little or no protection"
Webbs two guns are described silence
ing the enemy's fire in almost every in
stance over an arc of nearly $50 degrees.
The two Nordenfelt's under Lieutenant
Gibbs are said to have been handled with
skill and efficiency In one case the guns
were brought down at double time on IL
200 yard slope in the face of heavy fire
close range and was one of the boIdest. and
most commendable acts of the campaign,
says Major Young.
In conclusion. he says: ''T desire to COM
mend most heartily and without distinction
the officers and men in the organza tion un-
der my command The amount of labor
done by them in dragging guns and con.
structing earthworks has been prodigious
and it has always been done cheerfully All
have been fearless. Compelled to advance
along open roads usually in plain view OF
the enemy, they have unshrinkingy served
their guns. 1t has. too. been feature OF
those operations that in every advance the
gunners have gone forward practically on
the line of skirmishers. Their Willingness
TO work and their intrepidity have not been
more conspicuous than the skill with which
accuracy of aim"