The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-06-16
TAKING Of CALUNP|1!!
An Eye Witness Writes Graphic
Story About the Skill and Daring of
Our Splendid Regiment.


Record's cores pendent in the field be-
fore Calumpit, p. l., writing under
date Of April % about the Twentieth
Kansas regiment says:
This is the story of the Twentieth
Kansas and how that regiment chang.
cd an intrenchment filled with Fill
pinos, got across the Q1ingua river
and drove the insurgents back to
their next stronghold. IT Is not the
first or he sec nd time the Kansas
boys have got what they went for,
aud they went In like veterans. We
lay in the dry bed of creek that
made the firing line from 6 o'clock on,
but 10 big advance was made until
10 o'clock, whsn the armOred train
came down the track with its one 6
pound gun gun that hal done duty
onsthe transport sheridan, firing ga
lutes at the sun as the flag came down
at retreat-two Hotchkiss guns and q
Gatling. The Utah battery was over
IN the right of Gen. Hale, who was
given time TO make a flank movement.
The Kansas boys were peeplng
through the trees where there was an
opening, aud grimly they sat there,
too, keeping ears open for au order.
| Colonel Funston. the son of the "ior-
mer Congressman from A lieu county,
stood near his horse cracking his rid
ing boot with his whip.
Then the 6 inch gun opened the
| fight on the American side. The Fill
pinOs had been firing toward Us for
| 10 minutes and Lieutenant Bridges,
in command of the train, sent the fret
shot. incidentally the Dust flew from
| the trench down the track and cheer
went up before the report of the piece
! had died from the ears of the men in
the ravine. Again and again that
long, black piece rang up the echoes.
Then the rapid fire came into range
and began its belching. But when
the Gatling began to purr the Kansas
boys were ready for their charge
across the open. Gen. Hale got his
| position on the extreme right and be-
gan throwing shells into the enemy 9
csmp. Now, there should not have
been trouble for those Filipinos, even
then, because their iutrenchments
were not strong, but the shells evil
IDENTIFY brought fear to the hearts OF
the dark skinned fighters.
Then it was that Colonel Funston
said, "come on boys" and they want
ed no second invitation. Out into
the open they went, with the Calling
throwing bullets over their heads
and the FOUNDER and the Hotchkiss
hurting heavy pieces into the trenches
1t is long way across that corn field,
and the corn was net past the second
| blowing. The tracks left there are
evidence that there was no hesitancy
in the attack Colonel Funston led
them on fully half "A mile, when they
came right in the face of a fire direct
ed point blank at them from the
trenches. one man dropped nut and
came back. He had wounded hand
and it was useless tor the time being.
On the brown regiment went, passed
a clump of bambo0s, where the Maui
sers were biting aud whistling, until
at last 1t reached the bitches along
the railroad track aud dropped into
them,
"Who goes across with me?' called
Colonel Funston ard there was a
chorus of Here
"It's swim"
ave can swim, =" came the answer.
But | don't want the regiment
now. I'll take you all later
20 the colonel picked out Lieuten-
ant Ball OF Company +, Coporal Me
Nulty of Company f., First Sergeant
Enslow Of Company X, and Privates
Weaver. Case and Cooper of Company
*, with Captain Boltwood of Company
f. Now it was case of follow your
leader, and never did daring spirit
lead his followers into a more danger.
Gus place. The river, with its broken
bridge. was between those men and
the Filipino trenches, and out of the
port holes came the shots. A volIey
went up from the edge of the ditch
that blew dust from those ports, ano
woe to the dark head that appeared
above. The colonel ran out on the
bridge across the timberless structure
Behind him were his picked men
The missing span was on the enemy''
side, but the boys hoped along anc
came to the end only to see the colo
mel whip Off his riding boots anc
jack ct and slide down bamboo pole
into the water He went clear out o
sight in that plunge, but came NJ
suffering, within five feet of the
broken span. This helped him along
and before the last man was down the