The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-17

deep river. To the right of the railroad
some Of the South DakOtas had crossed
and formed
The Kansas troops had to be hurried
across. and as the fire on the bridge
was terrific IT made the crossing ex-
tremeIy difficult There was no footing
on the bridge for horses and not much
for men AS the colonel was across
and my battalion at the head of the col
umn. my bugIer, Berry OF F, and
were the first to reach the bridge and
of course the first to Cross I've read
OF men crossing bridges under fire at
the head of columns and supposed the
sensation was peculiar 1t is not
man simply tries to paddle along as
fast as he can and get across I beat
Berry over, but we haven't decided yet
whether it was because was the
drawer or the worst scared
a few yards to the left of the rail-
road bank Gen Hale and his staff and
Col Funston were on one side OF
bank built and deserted by the insur-
rectos observing their advance across
the open The little fellows were pretty
nervy for FilipinOs- The First Kansas
battalion swung to the left on the river
bank and running rapidly deployed to
the left of the regulars Col Funston
was on ahead finding the place The
Second battalion followed and the Third
formed a support, and we opened nre
by companies as fast as we came up
However. the natives were a mile away
and I don't think our Springhelds ever
reached them. though their fire soon
ceased. anu We E4IIlpE0 4OI the Night
Several men were killed and wounded
here, especially crossing the bridge
Any one OF them was OF more value TO
Kansas than the whole island of LuZon
would be-
Next day the First battalion and
Company H formed the firing line and
went forward a short distance and saw
AarilaO burned behind US The next
day, which was March 90. I think. with
First battalion in the firing line and the
rest in reserve owing to the nature Of
the ground, we went forward, Whit
mans battalion soon getting into the
line to the left; my battalion rested its
right on the railroad and marched
straight forward toward the river in the
open, the FilipinOs being intrenched
across river, about 20 feet deep We
marched one and One-half miles under
fire Half way up we drove them from
a little trench and moved on to the
river At 500 yards we opened fire, at
400 we broke into rushes and finally ran
yelling at the river, Funston On the
right and I on the left. I emptied my
revolver here but don't think reached
anybody They ran as we came up
and We crossed the railroad bridge in
peace for which we were all grateful
Crossing a railroad bridge on ties under
fire Is really rather cOmical if one isn't
hit, but there are other forms of amuSe-
ment I consider preferable. Major
MeLcalf who had the reserve that day
had just dismOunted because of the hot
fire when he was shot through the foot
and had to go back He is doing nice
". We halted then at Bacave for sew
era1 hours for the guns. They fred a
few shots at $500 yards to where the
enemy was loading a big train at Bigaa
and we marched forward to GuiguintO
and rested a while. As usual every man,
woman and child had fed and we found
only deserted Nipa houses. all the best
buildings being burned We were sur
prised at the extent of the towns and
the many evidences of civilization
GuiguintO is the last station on the road
Ma101RE 2 mil fF-r0r7
that capital Half a mile north of town
is the railroad bridge over another
river, the Guiguinto, broad and deep.
They fired this bridge and Funston
hurried up Company 3 TO extinguisEl
the fire, after We had marched all over
the woods looking for an enemy At
p m my battalion and one battalion
of PennsyIvanians crossed the bridge
side by side in file They depIoyed to
the right of the railroad enba ukmeut I
and We to the left in an open space /
about 100 yards between the fringe Of
timber on the river and the dense woods {
toward MalOlOs- We were told no
enemy was near. The battalion had +
at right angles to the railroad /.
and I had just marched them up to a
rice dyke abOut ten inches high I made /
it a rule to do this so that if suddenly /
attacked they would have some prOtec- I
ton w were all standing there await :
ing the troops following on this bridge. ]
w hitnan had come in ahead of his
battalion and was taking a drink from I
my CalCeeQ, WleD some 3.UUO OF the {
little Imps suddenly opened from the /
thickets and began the most extensive I
engagement the regiment ever had.
The enemy's fire was fully as hot as I.
any Of the smaller fights and they made +
as good a stand as they ever did. We /
had y killed and wOUnded-the largest /
list Of casualties furnished by any en- /
of the Twentieth Kansas.
The hope of the enemy evidently was to /
cut the First battalion to pieces before /
the other could cross. However. as /
soon as the fire began-at the command +
Lie dOWn'-the battalion dropped be- F
hind the rice dyke Immediately at I
Commence firing the whole battalion +
opened and kept the enemy busy till (
battalion across the bridge, took them /
across the open behind our line and !
formed on our left The fire was ter I
rife. We ran forward to the edge of 4
the woods and after a bit the little peO-
pie quit The First battalion did not
have man hit till we ran Forward
thanks to the dyke. I went up with .
the center of my line just at right of /
Company B. and TO their left. F and !
L TO the right AS We ran four men of I
3 were shot within four feet of me be-
instant over Smith till I saw he wasn't /
much hurt SpurlOck looked so CHASTITY I
thought he was killed as Ben Nor
-hrup raised him up 1 never want TO
see another place like that Early in
he fight I walked over to my right and
Jumped into the railroad ditch TO Cap
tain Watson of L to tell him to raise |
MS sights to 200 yards. He was looking !
over the top Of the ditch and as 1 came
IN a Remington bullet threw the dirt
IN his face As I went down the line
again gave Fire at will and their
firing was tremendous I know one
man who fired Us rounds in the Gui-
yuintO fight Captain Watson of Pitts
burg was dangerously wounded here
The rear of the Third battalion now
Under Captain OTWig) did not arrive in
time to participate but as they had TO
cross the bridge under the heavy fire
hey were in the same danger. The be
aavior Of officers and men was uni
.ersallE good--the door and hosnitaI /