Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-06-20
PRAISE FOR HIS MEN.
Gen. King Tells How His Volunteer
Brigade Fought at
Manila.

Washington D. c., June 16.-The re
port of Brighten. Charles King, COM
handing the First brigade, First division,
| during the early fight at Manila, has been
| made public al the war department. This
brigade, composed of the First Califor-
MIA, First Washington and First Idaho,
saw some very bard fighting during the
| first days of the attack by the insurgents.
| 1t was while executing ar order Of Gen.
King that Maj. McConville fell, lead
ing his men of the Idaho regiment. Gen.
King calls attention to the fact that the
losses of his brigade were greater than
those of any other brigade in the corps.
He also says that the damage inflicted
on the enemy was very great, his men
| having buried 153 of the FilipinOS. He
adds:
Il beg leave to call attention to the fact
that this IS the only eXcluSlvely-vo volunteer
| brigade in the corps and that 1T fought
with all the steadiness, dash and dlsci-
plire of their comrades, the regulars.
And now there devolves on me duty
that l falter i'll attempting. L saw no
instance of shirking-I saw many deeds
Of daring leadership on part of officers and
of devoted following on part of men.
shrink from discriminating, yet | should
which | am SO proud, were l to fail to
publicly mention the officers who, acting
under my orders, were most conspicuous.
My regimental commanders, Col.
Smith, First California;; Col. Wholiey,
First Washington, and Maj Higgins.
First Idaho, bore themselves with marked
| bravery and ability-Wholley being I'M
der the heaviest fire for the longest time
his maiden fight at that Maj. Neon
vile died proudly heading his men on the
| i T.,
| berger, First Washington, was an exam
pie of sOldierly bearing throughout Capt.
FOrtSO was in command in Pandacan,
constantly exposed, and he and Capt.
Wilmington, First Idaho, won my ad-
miration for their daring assault in 81
tercely defended position, the redOubt
across the Concordia.
Capt. OTIS, First Washington, with his
cheek and ear scored by Mauser, led
his company from start to finish. Their
loss of twenty-five killed and wounded in
one company shows what they had to
fight through. Lieuts. Erwin and Luhn
First Washington, the former severely
wounded, were notably cool. Capt. Dyer
and Lieut.. Hawthorne of the artillery
won the plaudits of the men for consum-
mate skill and GOODNESS and for the COM
mendatlon of others in the line whom |
did not see | must refer YOU to their re-
ports as to the bearing of their officers
and men.
Every man on my staff from the SEN
Tor in rank, Brigade Surgeon Maj
Shells, down to our mounted orderlies,
won my thanks and admiration. Mai
Shlels was constant in his attendance on
the wounded at the extreme front and
under heavy fire. Lieut. Merriam, Third
United States artillery, and Lieut.. Hut
| ton. First California, We're time and
again compelled to risk their lives in car
rylng orders along the line. Capt. Saxon,
a. y. e., was systematic in the field of
ice. His horse and Lieut. Merriams
gave out at Concordia bridge, but they
followed afOot across the fields.
Capt. Handy, brigade commissary.
carried out his duties under the fire of
the enemy instead of the roof of his of
ice, and the three orderlies. Privates
Clay c. Mills, Co. D, First Washing
ton; Edward G. Hanford, Co. X. First
W aShington, and Spencer G. Lane. First
California, were constantly under heavy
hre and are soldiers their states should be
proud of.
One more name, that. OF Lieut.. Col
Duboce, First California. must NOT be
| omitted He had a difficult and hazard
Gus task III wiping out the cowardly gang
that, under the sanctity of a church roof
and from within the walls of apparently
peaceful homesteads, for a time kept up
a treacherous fire on officers and men
hurrylng by with orders or messages. /
saw his work long hours after it was
finished and 1t was we'll DONE