Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-10-08

heroes were gong to pc worth wAen Inc
time for action came, but the regiment as
whole presented steady and foTmld-
aDle an appearance that II was at once
written down as command TO be thnr-
oughly depended on. How well this trust /
was placed is told in every move which |
Macarthur has made while driving the en-
envy from the country above Manila
First Brush With the Rebels.
When at last, on February 4, Aguin- !
aldo's dusky soldiers started the game Of ,
war, Kansas was one of the first reSi- |
ments thrown to the front at the north |
of Manila The line Of the Fighting Tween |
tieth' was furiously attacked by the con- I
fident FiiipinCs but these rebels were not
prepared for the reception which was given /
them. The TagalCs evil entity expected to |
make easy work of those brown lines be
fore Caloocan, but they met with grievous !
disappointment, finding that not only were !
the Kansas lads prepared for defense, but
when at daybreak an order came turning
them loose to move against the enemy, !
their advance meant simply defeat and
destruction for the Communicating and well
protected enemy. This first engagement |
OF the Filipino war WAS magnificent DEM |
onstration of the Fighting Twentieths ut
ter disregard for danger. From its colonel |
to the lowest private in the ranks there
was not man who did not seem 20 ind
| delight in battle. 1t was even with dif-
liculty that the command was held back
in its position on the American firing line.
Having won its first victory and made
its mark as one of Americas historic hsht..
iit5 the iNtiiti'Li
was left little rest. for the night of
February FunstonS command was or
dered to attack the enemys position be-
fore its front. The work demanded an ad-
vance against a strongly protected rebel
position, located il dense jungle. 1t was
brilliant charge, the enemy being driven
Ike chaff, and the kansans penetrating
the very heart of Caloocan before they
could be recalled. In this attack Kansas
lost its first commissioned officer. Lieuten-
ant a. e. Afford, vino fell while bravely
q ms hic nv a 60
rious blow. as he was not only a popular
officer, but also possessed military kn2wl-
edge far in advance of the ordinary citizen
soldier.
Capture of Cnloocan.
ut was discovered on February that
| the enemy was nassing in front of Mac
Arthur's line, and on the afternoon of
February 10 orders were issued for the dis
Judgement of the native forces. The adj
vance commenced at $40 D. m. with Kan
sas in the lead. Across the open swept
Funston's boys, driving the natives from
their earthworks, and at o'clock the in
surgent position, with the railroad line.
was in the hands of the Americans. That
night the line of the Fighting Twentieth
was established at CaloOcan. amidst the
ruins of the town which the insurgents
had fired before their retreat. AT this
point the Kansas boys proceeded to in
trench themselves, and there awaited or
ders for a further advance. Here before
Caioocan, Kansas was several times at
tackled, an exceptionally strong effort be-
ing made by the natives on the night Of
February y. This attack was intended to
break the American line so that the TaSa-
los might enter the city of Manila and
there cooperate with the natives, who
were attempting to carry out AguiDaldOs
nefariouS plot for destruction of the town
and the murder of all white residents AS
the force OF the attack was principally
directed against that portion of the Amer
lean lines where Kansas was stationed, the
regiment was called into defensive action
at the first alarm. 1t did not take long to
drive back the massed Filipinos, who re-
treated after severe loss. Hardly a day
passed without its attendant skirmish, and
Kansas was continually exposed to the
fire of the enemy's Sharpshooters. During
one Of these slight engagements on Feb
ruary %, Kansas lost another of its best
officers, Captain David Elliott Captain
Elliott was one OF Kansas best company
commanders, and in the three weeks of
as leader. His loss was severe blow to
his command. and the entire regiment sin
cerely mourned his death.
kansuns Take to the Water.
Until Saturday, March %, the TWEEN
! tieth' remained intrenched before Calico
can. For several days prior to that date
it was known that some decisive movement
was about to be made. and in all the line
which formed MacArthurs front there was
! no regiment that displayed greater de-
sire To ice on the move than Kansas. Oc-
| cupying Il most exposed position, the
| fISLINS twentieth nal IOSt many ul IT'S
| brave men, and every soldier in the regi-
ment WAS aching for an opportunity to
! wreak vengeance upon the skulking min
ions of Aguinaldo. at last the advance
| commenced and long before break Of day
| on March -, the Kansas volunteers rcd
I the movement against the well intr@nched
FilipinOs. Against a whirlwind of bullets
| these brave boys from the prairie charged
| the first line of intrenChmcnts, driving the
enemy from the position and pilng up the
J trenches with Filipino dead. Line after
Inc. Of tRTts.
| Fighting Twentieth at one point being
brought under a severe fire from 4 rebel
blockhouse on the opposite side of the Tuli-
ahan river. The river must be crossed and
the blockhouse taken. No bridges were at
hand, but that did not deter the brave lads
from Kansas, for with bullets cutting the
limbs of trees above them, Funston 5 brave
band crossed the stream, sometimes SWIM
ming, 50 deep was the water, and upon
the opposite bank reforming the dripping
lines dashed at the blockhouse and its aC-
charge as the Filipinos could make no
stand against, and the enemy broke and
ran. This daring charge of the Kansans
was the eliminating point of the days
action. Its bravery and dash seemingly
broke the rebel spirit, which up to that
time had caused the natives to hold on to
their positions with logged persistency.
Advance on MnIoIos.
This first days work of the Fighting
Twentieth was the beginning of the adj
, vance against the rebel capital at MalO-
los, and every point along the way where
the rebels were encountered was marked
by some conspicuous act Of bravery the
part Of members of the regiment. On
March 26, at Malinta and Meycuayan.
Kansas was hotly engaged. the result be-
Ing that when night fell the regiment rest
ed in the very trenches from which that
afternoon they had driven the enemy. The
advance which Kansas made was along the
line of the railroad. The Filpinos had
realized the necessity of holding this means
of communication. and on either side Of
D.. the track had constructed lines of in
] trenchments, the principal positions being
protected by thick earthworks topped with
stones and provided with loOphoIcs.
, sans made their way. fighting AT almost
every step, charging across the open
against bands Of intrenched Fiirtnos or
diminishing against the enemy through all
? most impossible jungles.
2 AT Maralao the Filipinos made a deter
! mined stand on the north bank of the
( river. delivering effective fire as the
: Eansans approached. The river was too
deep TO ford. and the artillery was she'll
5 ing the enemy's position. Kansas was
4 chatting nj not getting into action, when Il
band of daring heroes from the regiment
= proved that no river could keep them from
= the enemy.
: Funston Leads the Swim.
These brave Kansans. led by Colonel
Funston. boldly swan the river under a
heavy fire, landing almost under the shad-
= ow of the Filipino earthworks. With a
I wild dash up the bank Colonel Funston
= and his brave lads captured the position,
] together with eighty prisoners and all their
5 arms. Once again had Kansas daring
= methods demoralized the enemy, who broke
when hat thafr