Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-05
THE BRAVE SIGNAL CORPS
Colonel Thompson Speaks in High Praise
of Officers and Men.
Conspicuous GaIIaRtry Under Fire
Keeping the Wires Right
Up with the Front.

Rel orts from the chief signal officer at
Manila. Col. Thompson, and from Maj. A.
c. Davol of the quartermaster's depart
nent were made public by the War-De-
partment today. The report Of Col. Thomp-
son sketches in considerable detail the work
of the signal corps in the Philippines. and
speaks in terms of high praise of the work
of both officers and men.
Before the actual outbreak of February
) 1t was seen that the clash with the in
surgents was inevitable, and Col. Thomp-
son. following the example set by the signal
corps throughout the war, made all possi-
BILE prepara tions in advance. The whole
length of the American front, from outpost
to outpost. was connected by wire.
Preparing for HostiIities.
1t was evident that the wires would go
down at the first outbreak, as many of
them ran through thickly settled native
districts so each station was supplied with
rockets for emergency use, and a code of
signals arranged. The two ends of the out
post line rested on the bay. and here signal
stations were arranged to communicate
with the fleet. As soon as fighting began
all these precautions were justified. In
spite of the most careful watching, part of
the exterior line north of the PaSig went
down at once. Maj. Thompson says: 1T
was most comforting, however, to see
IOthtlS almost immediately announcing the
disrupted circuit. attack and ability to
withstand from each of the threatened out
posts"
After the first disheartening breakdown
the American advance was pushed forward,
and the wires went with them, the signal
stations being established the heels of
each fight. Again Maj. Thompson says:
The increase in the Use of the field lines
may he judged from the volume of business
transacted. The messages handled on the
day preceding the battle were 30 and on
the first days fight l.12o, since which time
the use has steadily increased the number
of messages handled yesterday (AIarch 30
being 1,IIO, with a total for the month of
February of 3U,J5i."
Rapid Work and Great Bravery.
Maj. Thompson gives a number of in
stances of rapid work and distinguished
bravery on the part of officers in the fight
at CaIoocar, where the laying of a long
line of wire was necessary. A signal office
was set a the extreme front and was doing
business in few minutes after the action
ceased.
In the fight at Tondo an office was opened
and doing business in the heart of the
burning town before any attempt was made
TO put out the fire.
Every command, depot or outpost of the
army can now be reached from twenty
nine different telegraph offices. Among the
officers mentioned for distinguished service
Chas. E Kilbourne. jr, Lieut.. f. II. Bal
ley. Lieut.. Chas. H. Gordon, Lieut.. +. +.
Kelly and Lieut.. Geo. S. Gibbs, il. Four of
the signal officers at the time Of the out
break were convalesctng from severe at
tacks of typhoid. Three of them, Lieut..
4. ]. Rudd. Capt. E. a. Nckenna and Capt.
Philip J. Perkins, have already returned to
duty. the first two being the strongest, GO
ing out Immediately under fire 10 the great
standardization of the surgeons who wanted
to keep them in bed. Both are now well.
Among the men and mono commissioned
officers who are especially mentioned are
Sergt Thos. McKinstry. Corps. VIM. +.
Schoneman and Fred. Shalda and Private
Tracey z. Inman. for repairing a limo un-
der heavy fire. Sergt. Dan. l.. Hopkins, for
similar work through a burning village:
Corp. Fritz Biebel and Private Allan For
man. for maintaining signals with the
navy from Fort Malate while standing up
under fire; Howser and Biebel also mark
ing the advance line with flags during a
charge: Sergts. Paul o. Paulson. David T.
Fiannery and Arthur Alexander and Pri-
vate Allen Kirby, for the excellence of their
signaling under fire at Calcoocan: Sergt.
A. \. MaXeiner and Privates Wier and
Prendergast, for long and trying service
under fire at outpOsts. and Private II. 3.
Young, for carrying a message to a block
house in the face of a heavy fire.
The report of jor Devol of the quarter
masters department relates merely TO the
number of cOnveyances, pack trains and
saddle animals in service with the troops
the statement being that they are well sup
piled for all requirements.