Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-08-05
return Of SOLDIER HEROES
Nebraska and Utah Volunteers
Home From the Philippines.
REACH FRISCO AT MIDNIGHT.

SAN Francisco, July 3L-The I'M
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 a 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 aud 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
POINTER 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 afloat 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 CORES pondents
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 Il. B. Milford, 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, y
said Colonel Milford, in response to a
question.
Just one man in the entire regi-
ment re-enlisted. Only twenty-five
remained in the Philippines to engage
in business.
1.-THE Nebraska had as much rough
work in this war; continued Colonel
Milford, las any regiment, volunteer
Philippines from gunshot wounds,
accidents and disease, is sixty-tvo.
Including the sick and wounded who
are recovering, we dropped all told
204 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 a pleasant trip, y
concluded Colonel Milford, ''and it has
improved the men wonderfully. Quite
number of them will have to go to
their homes, but I am assured that
every one will soon be 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-
1ances to the hospital at the Preside.
1t 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.
It 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 tc
use in their triumphal march were
deep down IN the hold and would not
be available.
Governor Poynter of Nebraska made
these representations to Major Gen
eral Shafter, and, at the urgent re
| quest of the governor, General Shat
ter ordered that the landing of the
Hancock passengers be delayed unit
this morning at o'clock.
The men on the Hancock numbered
! 1916.