The Globe-republican., 1899-08-03
RETURN Of SOLDIER HEROES
Nebraska and Utah Volunteers
Home From the Philippines.
REACH FRISCO At MIDNIGHT.

REACH FRISCO At MIDNIGHT.
SAN Francisco. July 31.-The un-
timely arrival of the United States
transport Hancock. having on board
the Nebraska regiment and two bat
teries of the Utah artillery, completely
destroyed all the arrangements which
had been made for q royal reception
and an enthusiastic welcome to the
| fighting volunteers.
The Hancock dropped anchor in the
stream shortly before midnight Satur-
day night The committees here from
! Nebraska and Utah had given up all
ideas of the vessels arriving earlier
than Sunday morning, and had pre-
pared to be up at dawn to greet the
expected ship Tugs and launches
had been chartered, and Governor
Poynter of Nebraska had planned
| with all care and detail to be the first
man aboard the Hancock and welcome
the heroes from his state back to
American soil.
But there were no reception COM
, mittees afioat at midnight, and only
one small delegation of Nebraska peo-
pie. headed by Judge Robert Ryan. of
Lincoln, and c. O. Wheaton, of the
same city, accompanied the custom
house officials and the correspondents
on the race down the bay.
Quarantine and customs regulations
prevented even this little band from
getting nearer the deck of the ship
than the approach to the gang plank.
The returning soldiers have no criti-
cism to offer for their silent reception.
They cheered themselves hoarse at
sight of the little fleet of launches,
and from the decks of the transport
shouted greetings and messages to the
people on the dancing craft below.
Colonel II. Il. Mulford, of the Ne
! braskans, who is in command. soon
appeared at the railing. By his side
stood William Grazen. of Company d,
the sentinel of the Nebraska regiment
who fred the first shot in answer to
the shots from the Filipinos which
started the war with the Fiiipinos.
He killed the first Filipino who died
| by an American bullet, and it was
this shot which was the signal for the
advance of the entire American line
and the great rout of the rebel
army on the night of the 4th of Feb
ruary.
Il don't think you will see any of
us returning to Manila very soon. :"
said Colonel Milford, in response to- a
question.
"Just one man in the entire regi-
ment rc-enlisted. Only twenty-five
remained in the Philippines to engage
i n business.
work in this war;" continued Colonel
milford. ''as any regiment. volunteer
or regular Our death roll in the
Philippines from gunshot wounds.
accidents and disease, is sixty-two.
Including the sick and wounded who
are recovering, we dropped all told
2O4 men. On the Hancock are more
than 100 wounded soldiers. The en-
tire regiment is glad to know that it
is to be mustered out in San Fran
cisco. We have had pleasant trip, :"
concluded Colonel Milford, land it has
improved the men wonderfully. Quite
a number of them will have to 60 to
their homes, but I am assured that
every one will soon te all right"
The first man to grasp the hand of a
returning Nebraska volunteer was
Mr.. Wheaton, whose son, Burt Wheat.
on, is first lieutenant and adjutant of
the regiment. The young officer was
lowered on the gang plank and father
and son greeted each other with some
difficulty. The quarantine officer does
not board incoming ships between
sunset and sunrise, and there was
nothing to do but wait for the MORN
ing with what patience was possible
Only one man died on the Hancock
after she left Manila He was Pri-
vate Richard Walsh of Battery A,
Utah artillery, and he died of typhoid
fever at Nagasaki.
At an early hour yesterday the
quarantine officer of the port boarded
the Hancock and after a careful in
spection gave the vessel a clean bill
of health. Soon afterward the sick
and wounded were taken in ambu-
lances to the hospital at the Presidio.
It had been arranged that those of
the men able to march should be
landed at noon and march to the Pre-
sidio by way of the principal streets.
As an attendant guard of honor. six
companies of the Second Oregon, with
the regimental band, were detailed at
the dock
1t was found. however. that the
men could not be conveniently landed
earlier than o'clock, and that. even
then some of their pharaphernalia and
trophies of war which they desired to
use in their triumphal march were
deep down IN the ho:d and would not
be available.
Governor Poynter of Nebraska made
| these representations to Major Gen.
avail Cha flor and at tho upnonf -.