Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-06
ECHOES OF THE WAR.

The splendid courage. skill and endurance
Of the Nebraska First in the Philippines
command the hearty admiration not only
OF commanding officers. but OF their as
sociates in the trenches and jungles OF Luz
zon. George c. l.. Snyder OF the oregon
regiment, in a letter published in the Valley
Transcript, McMinnvile, Ore, says: Ne
braska, well, we all take off our hats to the
regiment which brought from General King
the remark: There goes that Nebraska
regiment, and all h couldn't stop It," The
writer gives great praise to the Utah boys:
First and uppermost, in my opinion, comes
the gallant Utah light artillery. braver.
more efficient body of men were never mus
tered than this, The manner in which they
place their shells right where they are
needed is deserving Of more praise than
words can express, and they have played a
very important part in this campaign. The
state of Utah may well feel proud of its
quota Of soldiers"
The most remarkable evidence OF public
contempt ever shown a militia regiment was
the treatment OF the Seventh in New York
City during the parade on Memorial day
This pampered organization, formerly the
social pet of the town, voted against enlist
ing for the war when troops were called for
in April, 1898. The reason given for the
action was that they would be Obliged TO
disband their organization and enter the
service OF the government as individuals
Unlike the Thirteenth of Brooklyn which
declined to enlist and was disbanded in con-
sequence, the Seventh survived the storm OF
criticism which its action called forth, but
did not realize its depth OF public feeling
until 1t appeared on the streets on Memorial
day. Such scene" says an account Of
the affair, "as was witnessed when the Sew
enth wheeled into fashionable Fifth avenue
was never before witnessed in New York
City. There it was uniquely derided by hav-
ing large bagful of feathers thrown out
upon it from a window of house on the
east side of the avenue. The feathers de-
scended in cloud, which were soon caught
by the breeze and hurled like a snowstorm
in the faces of the marching men. Cries of
feather-bed soldiers rang out from the
crowd, and the chagrn Of the men of the
Seventh was manifest. Up and down the
avenue the feathers were waited until all
the street was filled with them. They fell
upon the soldiers and clung to their uni
forms and accouterments and MANY of the
men looked as IL their uniforms had been
tarred and feathered. The jeering was re-
doubled when the feathers came swirling
down, and 1t was a bad quarter of an hour
for the Seventh. The regiment was visibly
affected by the jeers and Kisses that greeted
1t, but all the men kept their eyes stolidly
to the front. They acted as If they had ex-
pected such reception and schooled them
selves to meet it."
According to a Pacific coast paper the |
making OF "a model camp" at the Presido |
of San Francisco for the returning volun- |
wi Uiu ric 70 no
cemetery. 1t is explained that during the |
summer months, from II a. m. until mid |
night, the trade winds fairly howl over the |
spot, bearing cold and heavy fogs, and !
making the place all but unnhabitable !
Troops from the hot, soft climate of Manila |
would be subjected to a great and most |
dangerous change in climate.
Here is fish story told by Admiral |
Schley on top of Pixies Peak:
at was in New Hampshire" the admiral |
begun, that l went fishing this day and |
1t was just such a rock as the one we |
have passed that caused me some grief. |
l knew there were some trout under there
and / was bound to have them, and / got |
on the rock and tried to poke them out |
with my fishing pole. But, by Jove, be-
lieve fate was against me that day, for l |
suddenly went off the rock and into the
water, and here the best part OF the tale
ends'
but, didn't you get the fish, admiral?"
''Of course, did. I just dove under that
rock and pulled them out"
pulled them out, admiral?" with en-
phasis on the "them').
well, 1t was only one after all, guess,
but, by Jove! it was beauty, about so
long" and the admiral indicated the length |
with his fingers, and said he didn't stretch
it any either
The Minneapolis Journal figures that the |
Thirteenth Minnesota volunteers will be out |
of pocket S87, ,O64 by being mustered out in
but they would probably be
willing to forego little bagatelle like that |
for the privilege of marching up Nicollet
avenue, the cynosure of thousands Of eyes
and the recipients of thunderous applause.
The captain who would not lose sb52 for
the sake of marching for an hour at the
head of his company on an occasion like
that ought never to have been given com