Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-06
FUNsToN,s GRAPHIC STORY.
Twentieth Kansas Experience on the
First Night of the War.

Twentieth Kansas Experience on the
First Night of the War.
Correspondence st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Just previous to relinquishins the COM
| mand of the First Brigade Of Gen. Mac
| Arthur's division, preparatory to entering
| the Second Reserve Hospital, to undergo an
| operation for an old injury received in the
| campaign with Garcia, Gen. Frederick
| Funston gave the following account Of the
most dramatic scene Of the Filipino insur-
rection.
At the time referred to-the night OF Feb
ruary and the two days succeeding-the
now famous little general was the colonel
of the 10th Kansas Regiment of Volunteer
infantry. His regiment was quartered in
the Binondo district of Manila, his own
residence being about three blocks away
from the building used regimental head
quarters. Prefacing his account with the
plain and positive statement that all of the
American forces had firmly believed for
weeks that war was inevitable and sure,
he continued:
For some days previous to this time the
insurgents had almost hourly grown more
insulting in speech and daring in manner.
The conflict so soon to occur had been near
ly precipitated on the I'd by an insurgent
officer with detachment of about forty
natfves-all armed and very drunk-at-
tempting to pass the line held by the Ne
braska regiment. On that occasion only
the tact and soldierly attitude of Col. Stot-
senburg prevented a fight. But to come to
the night of the 4th. Thrice challenged and
told to halt by a sentinel near the Santa
Mesa bridge, a party of four armed In
surgents attempted to force our lines, and
establish an outpost actually within our
territory. 1t was about $50 o'clock, and
as a good soldier obeying orders that man
of the Nebraska regiment fired and fired to
kill, and the fight was on. The Nebraskas
having reinforced their line, awaited
suits. They had not long to wait-perhaps
thirty minutes. AS they stood in the deep
ening darkness from across the river there
broke out long horizontal sheet of flashes,
marking for a brief instant the line of in
surgent trenches. Volley followed volley
with deafening crashes. desperate at
tempt to cross the bridge over the San Juan
and in the immediate front of the Ne
braska was soon made by the rebels and
very nearly succeeded. They were checked
only when well near our side.
II had just gone to bed when Major Met
calf knocked on my door and said: Colonel,
it's on! It's orr To tumble out, strike a
light and hastily dress took but very
few moments-all except the dressing(l
couldn't find one boot. You would think
man could find a boot in lighted room in
two seconds. I'm afraid that I was some
what excited. 1t found called the order
lies to saddle the-ponies. and. going out on
a rear balcony of my headquarters with the
major far away to the east and WORKING
to the north could hear the 'Pac-oww,
pac-oww' that unmistakable double report
OF MauSerS. AS we StoOu even lol tHoS
brief while. the pops grew into dull roar
MY own regiment though quartered IN
town. maintained strong outpost or sew
enty men on the Caloocan road and fet
that in but a short time they, too, would
be engaged The horses brought. down into
the street we clattered. And strangely
quiet and deserted that street was-not
sound. not a native-an gone-1n hiolns;
The three short blocks to the reg1mental
Headquarters required but little time.
There we found the regiment under arms:
the men laughing. joking, and all 1mpa-
thence to move. They had stood much III
those last weeks: but that had been per
soral grievance. Now 1t was the nation
that was being made target. Iaklng Two
battalions we broke into column OF tours
and took up the route 10 our pre"iou9iS
designated positions
1.-The men continued to char and com
ment and were positively gee1ul. I mes
couldn't be kept quiet. Thelr eagerness we" t
I'm bounded Arriving near our outpost the
firing that had gradually crept TOWARD our
front from away off on the right broke our
ahead of us. We could hear Captain Clark
with the greatest GOODNESS giving his com.
mands for volley f1ring-and then SSH!
Spat, The bullets from the enemy spec by
or landed in Nipa huts. 1t was odd now
quiet had crept over the men; and 1t crept
so quickly. too; no more laughter-now 1t
was business. But their eagerness was not
abated; and the check on their chafnng
broke out again. To add to the racket
there was no confusion-at irregular inter,
walls there tore over our heads shrapnel
from the old smooth-bore that the rebels
had planted about three-fourths OF mile
to our front But on up the narrow street
we went and soon in and through gar
dens. behind walls and houses, we We're In
position, battalion on either side OF the
street. That old cannon kept ripping out
its Internal roar and the men were fairly
crazy to locate its position once estap-
lished. we opened with volleys, firing slow
" and well under control but the insur-
gents, with plenty of ammunition. kept the
scenery pretty thoroughly punctured with
their rife fire. They were using individual
fire and were reckless in the extreme in
their expenditure. Through the long night
their fire kept up-now ragged and slow
and then bursting into quick, fierce volleys.
Morning so longed for. finally dawned.
What long night it was We made
slow, steady advance Of about 400 yards,
followed shortly by a second of 200. Then
I got word from the Sd Artillery, on our
ground and intended making a forward
movement to get into better position.
Daylight showed us a line Of the enemy
some 300 yards away, behind a barricade-
and daylight also brought with 1t a terrific
fire from the navy But my two advances
had thrown the left of my regiment pretty
we'll I'D into the line of their shell fire-in-
deed, it looked a bit as If the navy were
Smelling my left. Happily but one slight
injury was received by our men. The navy
fire having ceased, l encouraged my men
preparatory to making a charge. l must
confess that / was not absolutely sure that
the insurgent fire was inaccurate. but I
can stop u.s. and sounding the charge we
went at them. 1t was grand; it was SUI
perb.
Arriving al a point sixty yards from the
first barricade. / did what L could not do
again, because it would be unnecessary.
We halted and fixed bayonets. That done.
there was no stopping The first bar
ricade was rushed and taken, the men go
ing right in top of the rebels, and the
second 100 yards further on, and not hith-
erto seen. we also assaulted and. when the
resulting slight confusion had been over
come. we prepared to treat insurgent
blockhouse, to our left front, in a similar
manner, but just then we received peremp
tory orders to withdraw; we had gotten
aheau at too rapid a gait; and we went re-
luctanty back to our former position. Re
assembling in fours we took up this return
march, and then l had the most distinct
shock of any that | have experienced dur
ing the campaign. The navy reopened fire,
and a shell-a shrapnel-seemingly big
as a bucket. struck within fifty yards and
to right front of the head of the column;
exploding with a terrific crash it literally
swept with it's fragments and bullets
path across our very route. How We es-
capped, for it right on top Of US, shall
never even hazard guess; but we did es-
cape. For that matter the whole night had
| been a period of great and good luck in
casualties. For, during the first advance in
column up that narrow street under MauSer