New-York tribune., 1899-07-22
MEDALS OF HONOR.
DEEDS OF BRAVERY PERFORMED BY
. AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
THE MEMS STRENGTH sAPPEp BY HEAT AND
FOOD NOT EASILY AssIMItATEp-A suo-
GEsT1oN THAT ELEPHANTS BE USED
TO HAUL SUPPLIES.

| GEsTIoN THAT ELEPHANTS BE USED
TO HAUL SUPPLIES.
San Fernando p T., June g.
Brevity is not the characteristic Of most OF
the regulations governing the Army Of the
United States. but paragraph III is brevity It
self, and it's purport none can misconstrue. 1t
reads: Medals OF honor will be awarded by the
President to officers and enlisted men who most
distinguish themselves in action" Upon those
few words hangs the best and bravest of per-
sonal rewards for the soldiers Of the Nation.
While none may despise the honor conferred by
the granting of a brevet, yet so often has brevet
rank been bestowed for administrative duties
faithfully discharged, or for thoroughness and
devotion in other matters of routine. that the
result has been to cheaper the brevet and cause
the simple badge given for meritorious acts
under fire to take rank with the Victoria Cross
Of England and the Iron Cross of Germany.
The number of recipients OF this distinction
for services in the Cuban campaign was small
one, and the Philippine fighting. though more
extensive in time and opportunity. has added
but few, so jealousy is the honor guarded.
Distinctive gallantry and fearlessnes have. how
ever, won this glory for small number. and
some of the deeds that have brought the recon-
mendations for the medal gallant enough
to live in the minds of comrades and witnesses
for long years to come.
On March 81 in the advance from La Iona
to Maolos, when the column came near the
Marao River the Sd Artillery being deployed
in advance and the Kansas Regiment one thou
sand yards in the rear in support, the whole
force moved forward. Soon the artillery regiment
had crossed the railroad bridge, and the 10th
Kansas came up TO reinforce. AS the head of
this regiment moved up heavy fire from the
left flank struck the column The first and sec
and companies We're Immediately thrown into
line to the left, and. without preliminary re-
connoissance. ordered to charge across the open
field toward the source of the fire. The enemy
were located in the edge of a bamboo thicket
several hundred yards away, but when the line
came up to within two hundred yards Of the
thicket IL encountered deep and swiftly flow
ing stream about thirty-fi yards in Width.
Owing to the absence OF abrupt banks this turn
of the stream had not hitherto been seen. AL
most without commands the men threw them
selves fiat, and with bayOnets and hands built
up each his little covering OF earth. and, thus
sheltered. increased the intensity of their fire.
A half hour passed, and no change in condition
or situation occurred. 1t was choice OF retrr
ing or forcing the crossing. A large raft Of
bamboo poles lay at the opposite bank. A call
for volunteers to swim and bring back
this raft brought fifteen men TO the coonels
side A hasty selection was made. and Lieu
tenant E. ]. Hardy Chief Trumpeter C. P.
Barshfeld Corporal Drysdale and Privates
Huntsman and Wiley. stripped completely and
without arms plunged into the stream The
two companies rose to their feet, and, with yels
Of encouragement to the daring five. poured
their hottest fire on the enemy. Shot after shot
from the insurgents line splashed around the
swimmers but on they went. Reaching their
goal they found the raft too heavy for them to
manage, and back the gallant Barshfeld swan
to carry over a rope that had been brought up.
This he tugged across the stream and the rest
is easily guessed The colonel OF the regiment
took twenty-one men and made the first cross
ing. and this small force turned the enemy's
flank, who fleeing, left twenty four killed and
twelve severely wounded. Prisoners to the
number of twenty eight were taken. and thirty
six rifles were captured Do not those five men
come under paragraph III A r.?
AT cALUMPIT BRIDGE
On April 26 the command having reached the
Rio Grande at Calumpit the railroad bridge
was found to be SO wrecked that it was prac-
tcally impossible. This bridge was about six
hundred feet In length, and all the roadway and
upper strngers having been removed, and at
the far end a strong insurgent outpost covering
the structure, only a desperate assault could
carry It and open the crossing. Night came on.
and Colonel Funston, wishing to test the prac-
tcability of sending a small detachment to
crawl through on the lower dagonals and chords
and surprise the enemy's post. easily found a
volunteer to make the trial trip in the person
of Corporal Ferguson, OF Company of his
regiment. Ferguson took off his shoes, and
armed with revolver, let himself down among
the lower bars and rods Fifty feet above the
water and straight into strong detachment in
trenched at the further pier. with sentry
posted on the structure itself this man crawled
along slender bars and twisted around uprights
and braces. Darkness. danger. life itself were
forgotten and swallowed up in duty. On he
went and never turned back until he rested
directly underneath the barefooted sentry. act
ually not six feet his head. Two hours his
colonel waited for his return, and when the
corporal came up from out of the deeper dark
ness with his short report OF the situation an
other medal.of honor had been worthily and un-
consciously won.
Two days later two more heroes with oppor-
tunty's finger pointing the way took a rope
across the same stream Swimming side by
side, the rope fastened 10 a light pole that they
held under their chins, they landed directly
under and not twenty-hve rods away from an
insurgent trench. Finding no convenient stump
or tree for an anchorage for the rope. one of
the daring fellows naked and unarmed. crawled
up the low bank to the foot of the embankment
of the trench, and, lying on his back threw 4
moose over a stout bamboo upright in the re-
vetment OF the work. Then he scuttled back to
the rivers edge. and the two caught up sticks
and stones and bombarded the enemy with that
queer ammunition. So successful was their dar-
ing that of eighteen armed men originally in the
work but four were left when party of COM