Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-03-15
TALES OF PLUCK
and ADVENTURE,
Sergeant Walkers Daring Feat.

Sergeant Walkers Daring Feat.
In recent dispatches from the Phil
ippines there was reference to a
'trusty messenger" who saved the
United States forces from destruction
at the battle of Muntinlupa by travel
ing seventeen miles in leaking boat
for reinforcements. In the official
reports it was said only that the hero
was Tennesseean. Mails have come
since then, and the "trusty messen-
ger" has been named as Richard
Wilde Walker, Sergeant Major of the
First Battalion, Thirty-seventh In
fautry, son of J. Simpson Walker of
Nashville, aud nephew of DIR. L. P.
Walker of 20 East Twenty fourth
street, New York City.
Sergeant Walker, responding to a
call for volunteers at the outbreak of
the war, went from Mississippi, where
he was in business, to Nashville and
enlisted in the First Tennessee. He
re enlisted last June in the Thirty
seventh Infantry. He comes of South
ern fighting stock. On his fathers
side of the family was General l.. P.
Walker, who was Secretary of War in
the cabinet of Jefferson Davis; Major
John j. Walker was Captain in the
Greek Indian war; Judge r. w.
Walker was in the Confederate, Sem
ate, and afterward ON the Supreme
bench of Alabama. On his mothers
side was Colonel Benjamin Herndon,
hero of Kings Mountain, and John
w. Rice, Captain of tho Mexican
war.
Three companies OF the Thirty
seventh Infantry received orders on
September IL from Major Swigert to
go to Muntinlupa from Pasig. They
started out in bancas, rowing down
the river, but at Laguna de Bay the
water was so rough that they had to
disembark. Through marshes and
over rough country they went, until
at least they sighted Muntinlupa and
veritable forest of white flags. Out
to them came the padre of the town,
who told Sergeant Walker that the in
surgents had fed the night before.
The Americans, unsuspecting, ad-
vanced. In few minutes volleys
were poured into them from all sides,
and they knew the priest had betrayed
them.
They lost seven men, and then fled
into the town, where they could fight
from better cover. There were 100
of them, surrounded by 400 inspr-
gents. Their only hope was to send
for reinforcements, and for that peril
GUS mission Sergeant Walker was
chosen. To succeed he had to travel
seventeen miles to the nearest tele-
graph station in boat that leaked,
that was manned by three Filipinos
impressed by him into service, and
that had to cover most of the distance
under heavy fire from the shore.
"When the enemy opened on us, ="
writes Sergeant Walker, "the bullets
hit the water all around us, and my
'hombres' tried to turn back; but L
cooked my pistol, pointed it at tho
scoundrel i'll the stern, and said I'd
shoot if he didn't go on, Then they
began to dig, and we finally got out
of range.
Several times his rowers rebelled,
anu oerSeanb walker unally was
obliged to knock one man senseiess to
impress the others that he meant bust
ness. Lieutenant Cooke, who was in
charge when Sergeant Walker reached
the field telegraph station, reported
that the young hero was so wet and ex-
hausted from his struggles with the
Filipinos and from baling out his boat
e., &C.,. I e.
was unable to make known his errand.
The assistance for which he had
come reached his comrades al 9 o'clock
at night, when they had only six
rounds of ammunition left. This was
not Sergeant Walkers first feat of dar-
ing. Thrice he carried orders under
fire across the bridge at Manila, and
at another time, with the assistance Of
another, saved comrade from drown
inc in Manila Raw