Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-05-26
FROM TIE BATTLE FIELD.

feeble effort TO defend the uncalled for
snubbing of Lieut.. Col. Ed. c. Little
by the governor of Kansas. for purely
political reasons, by trying to ridicule
Little, saying, among other contempt
BILE and unworthy things, that Ed. |
Little "had never seen any service, |
had not been in a battie,'' etc To
show how small how dishonest and
disgustingiy contemplate some men
will prove themselves to be at the be-
extract from The Freedom. a news.
paper published at Manila, describing,
in the editors own language. his obser-
vations of the action of Kansas SOL
diers. and especially Ed. c. Little:
"At4 o'clock a. m. the men were
called. They soon rolled their blan-
| kets; coffee was served. canteens were
filled and all was ready at o'clock
| AT $50 the cry came down the line to
falkin. Every man was ready. For
ward! came the order, and every man
stepped out; there was no hesitancy;
no struggling; not one more eager than
his comrade Each one seemed not
willing but eager.
II, white and trembling. and ner-
vous, and without an idea in my head,
followed. I was impressed with three
things: The spirit and eagerness with
which D company moved; the beauti-
full. grand. inspiring sight of that line
of blue and brown, reaching as far as
the eye could see: the third was the
captains face. 1t bore slight pallor,
but if ever determination was pictured
in mans face it was his
''Soon the firing began, and our first
volley was sent into the jungle. Then
came the order to halt; then to lie down
and then for the first time heard the
enemy's bullets.
I'VE stood behind the breastworks
watching the advance till the support
ing battalion with colors flying came
marching proudly up. Lieut.. Col.
Little, blue. shirted and impetuous, in
command. Soon we advanced again.
We passed through the woods and into
another opening. 1t was here our first
man fell. BY this time excitement had
conquered my fears. One mans bra.
very and solicitude for others here i'm.
pressed me. He had received severe
wound. We passed him but a few feet
and haulted. Then came the hospital
corps and stretcher bearers. His wound
received full care and he was placed on
the stretcher. Just as they moved to
the rear, two men, about twenty or
thirty feet to the right fell. He saw
them and stopped the litter. He insist.
ed that he be left where he was and
that the others be taken first. The
surgeon refused but he persisted. A
superior officer settled the question by
sending the first man back.
''Now it was that men began to fall
all around US. On through the brush
and over cleared fields and on to deep
ravine, and then on to the river they
went; men were falling everywhere.
Here it was that the blue shirted Lieut.
Col. Little illustrated to me true brav-
cry.
HE had ordered his men to lie
down. The bullets were whistling and
cracking overhead and all around US,
finding here and there a victim. The
men were uneasy and restless; they
wanted to be up and doing They
would rise to their knees. always look
ing forward. q was behind a tree.)
Their actions seemed to anger the lieu.
tenant colonel, and he repeated time
and time again to lie down. He strobe
back and forth and exclaimed:
"Soldiers. If you don't lie down I'll
hit you clip with this sword. and see
if you'll then lie down..
"a pronounced smoker went down
the line, but the order was obeyed. 1
noticed, however. that the lieutenant
colonel did not lie down. He strobe up
and down in front of his men, uncon-
cerned for himself, but solicitous for his
men. That / think Is good soldering"
Kansas in Boston.