The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-28

Washington, May 27.-Next in the
series of reports of the operations near
Manila which the war department Is
making public is that of Major Richard
w. Young of the famous Utah light ar
tilIery. Major Young's report is &C
companied by a report from his su-
bordinate officers, Captain and Brevet
Major F. A. Grant, Captain E. A.
Wedgwood, First Lieutenant George A.
| Gibbs and Second LieutenantS George
\. Seeman, A S. Fleming and w. g.
Webb.
All of these are in large part purely
technical and give detailed accounts OF
the various movements made by the
component parts of this organization,
which appears to have participated at
an important point in every engage
ment which has taken place In Luzon.
In his report, which tells the story OF
the operations from Feb. 10, Mayor
Young, after describing the advance on
Caloocan, says:
Il am satisfied that no troops during
this advance have performed more dan
gerous service than the detachmentS
under Lieutenant Seeman in their Pc
rilous progress upon the Caioocan road;
too much, therefore. in my Judgment,
cannot be said in praise of their intre-
pidity and efficiency
Advance On Caloocan.
Major Young also mentions the good
work of two guns of the Sixth aruL-
lery under Lieutenant A 5. Fleming,
who were assigned to his division in
this action. He saws:
During the advance on Caloocan
this platoon did very valuable and et-
fective work under heavy small arms
fire from the enemv-"
He also speaks of Grants and Critcf-
lows guns which took part in the
movement. as follows:
Extremely accurate work was done;
one of the best shots of the campaign
was at a party throwing up earth
works at the cemetery gate, the LETT
side of the gate being destroyed at an
estimate range of 900 yards by the
first shell. Shrapnel fire proved to De
effective at range of 1000 yards IN
driving a party which advanced fear
lessly from the right to take a flank
ing party under command of Major
Bell, L. 5. V, engineers"
A compliment is paid to Wedgwood'S
battery, the men of which dragged
their guns on the night of Feb. for
three miles, without assistance, and
driving the enemy back in great num-
bers, and paved the way for the in
fantry advance.
L
heavy cross fire, the cannOneers having
little or no protection. Webb's two
guns are described as silencing the enc
mys fire in almost every instance over
an arc of nearly 10 degrees. The two
NOrdenfeldts, under Lieutenant Gibbs,
are said TO have been handled with
skill and efficiency. In one case the
guns were brought down at double
time on a 50O-yards slope in the face
of a heavy fire. This was in open view
of the enemy and at close range, and
was one of the boldest and commend
able acts of the campaign, says Major
Young. In conclusion, he says:
Bravery of the Men.
''I desire to commend most heartily
and without distinction the officers and
men in the organization under my
command. The amount of labor done
by the men dragging guns and con-
structing earthworks has been prodi-
gious, and it has always been done
cheerfully.
''An have been fearless. Compelled
to advance along open roads, usually
in plain view of the enemy, without
the opportunity of concealment, they
have unshrikingly served their guns.
1t has, too, been feature of these
operations that in every advance the
gunnerS have gone forward practically
on the line of skirmishers. Their will
lingneSS to work and their intrepidity
have not been more conspicuous that
the skill with which they have handled
their guns and their accuracy of aim.''