The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-01

Mckinley's call for 125,OO0 volunteers
was wired over the land the First reg
tment. Montana national guard, rallied
In it's armories and with one voice an
swered "Here!" through 500 patriotic
Threats.
In two weeks time volunteers had
filled the regiment to II companies,
mastering over 1000 men. Fighting
officers took the lead, for Colonel III. G.
Kessler was veteran of the civil war,
and so was Major James w. brennan.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Bruce Wal
lace had seen service with the regulars
on the plains.
Although ready to go with the first
expedition to Manila. the regiment did
not reach there until the Spanish had
been vanquished. 1t was brigaded with
the Twentieth Kansas, Tenth Penn
sylvania and Third United States ar
tillery under command of the veteran
soldier, General Harrison Grey Otis.
On the Oath of December it was as
signed to duty in the trenches within
range of the insurgents, who We're at
that time very troublesome and as
gressiye Two days before the out
break of Aguinaldo's men, the 4th of
February, the natives fired two shots
into the Montana line. but Major Dren-
nan, who was at the 'front.' would not
permit his men to shoot back. So all
was quiet for couple of days more
but the incident put the Montanas on
their guard.
When the Filtpinos rushed to the at
tack on the night of the 4th of Febru-
airy, Corporal w. S. Lincoln, with a
squad of IL pickets, was posted a
quarter of a mile from the main body.
The enemy tried to surround the post,
but the brave handful fought them off
and marched back to the line without
losing man.
At the time of the attack all but four
reserve companies of the First were
scattered on the picket line, but they
were quickly drawn together around
and in rear Of the Chinese hospital
and cemetery. Two guns Of the Utah
battery were posted here, and the fight
ing was kept up until daybreak. 1t
was baptism of fire for the regiment,
but the men faced it without wavering.
During the morning of the 9th Of Feb
ruary the line advanced to the heights
around La Iona church, taking the
position, but at the cost OF good
Montanians killed and wounded.
The regiment held the captured
trenches until the 10th of February
meeting with slight loss. On the 10th
the brigade captured Caloocan. The
Montanas were praised by General
Macarthur for the gallantry of its
members in this attack. Privatcs
James Case and William E. Edwards
raised the first American flag oyel
Caloocan. The brilliant exploit cos1
the regiment 10 men and officers kill
ed and wounded, among the latter
Lieutenant Colonel Wallace.
After the fight the First went into
the trenches beyond Caloocan. in from
of the Filipino stronghold at Malabon
and in three weeks of bitter trencl
warfare lost 20 men killed and wound
ed. The men on the outpostS were
constantly exposed to Filipino fire
from all sides. While the regimen
participated IN no granu cndfSe Hk'
San Juan Hill, it lost heavy dole O.
men, and many of the casualties occur
red in pitting man against man, as i
were, on the outposts.
While in front of Malabon the regi
ment suffered one of those sad ant
unprovoked tragedies which cast /,
deeper gloom over brave fighting mel
than the heaviest casualties Of fai
stand up battle. The Filipinos planne,
an uprising in Manila on the 23d o
February and attempted to cut off TIL
Americans in front of Malabon from