The San Francisco call., 1899-10-11

After a rest OF one day at Guiguinto the
advance on MalolOS was taken up again
at 1:30 o clock on the morning of the 3lSt,
and by o'clock the American flag was
floating over the plaza in the late capital
of the Fflipinos. The Kansas Regiment
had the left of the line, as usual, but did
not sustain as heavy loss as some other
regiments of the attacking force, losing
but one killed and one wounded. Their
end of the line was kept we'll forward all
the time and Colonel Funston with a part
OF his command were the first American
troops TO enter the city. The Montanans.
coming in by another street, raised the
flag on one side of the plaza as the Kan
sans passed over the other in pursuit of
the flying enemy.
In the advance from Malolos to Calum-
Dit on May "a the Kansas regiment had
fighting mates, the MOntanas. had the
left. General Wheaton commanding the
brigade.
CaIumpit was not only strongly forti-
fed, but was held by a larger force of
the enemy than had been encountered
by the Americans before, estimated at
over 5000 men. 1t was protected on the
north, east and south by the Calumpit
and Bagbag rivers, the banks of which
were covered with lines of trenches On
the 25th the Kansas and Montana troops
drove the enemy from the outer line of
trenches on the east side of the Bagbag
River, and the next day, crossing over
the bridge, which had in the meantime
been repaired. drove the enemy from
southern part of the city, while Hale's
column was attending to the northern
part.
On their retreat across the Rio Grande
the insurgents broke down a good part
of the iron railroad bridge, the only
means of following them, and gathering
their forces on the west side began to use
their artillery on the Americans. Colonel
Funston with the approval of his supe-
riors, called for volunteers to effect
crossing. and selecting the few desired
-. 1s- 11,sz,-
ceeded in the night TO try the passage on
the broken down ironwork OF the rail-
road bridge. The feat was a hazardous
one and if discovered while creeping over
the tangled and twisted ironwork, would
have cost the life of every man in the
party. With eager readiness a number
of men volunteered to make trial trip
One was chosen, Sergeant Ferguson In
the darkness, with the swift deep river
below him, he worked his way cautiously
to the other side, saw that the enemy
were on the lookout for any such a move
and well prepared to annthilate them If
they tried II. On his report Colonel Fun
ston abandoned the project to try an
other in daylight. The next morning
again calling for volunteers and selecting
hundred and twenty men from the
whole regiment, he proceeded TO a point
a mile or more below the bridge and
made preparations to cross. Rats large
enough to carry eight or ten men each
were first built and volunteers called for
to carry over a rope and make 1t fast on
the other side. A large number stepped
forward: two were choSen-Priyates
White and Twombly. These breasted the
broad and deep river and made the line
fast on the opposite bank, right under
the guns Of the enemy. The colonel and
the rest of the men crossed as rapidly as
possible. and climbing the bank caught
the enemy IN flank, and although out
numbered ten to one put them on the
run toward the bridge, over which other
troops were crossing. and the victory was
complete.
General Luna sent his chief of staff to
the American lines with a flag of truce
to express his admiration of the feats of
the Kansas boys on this occasion, and
their colonel was made a brigadier on the
recommendation of the commanding gem
eral. In this action and the day before
the regiment had three men killed and
twelve wounded.
On May the advance was resumed, and
the brilliant work OF the Kansas boys