The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-15
KANSAS NEWS.
Lieut.. J. F. Hall Again Attacks
Gen. Metcalf.
Protests Against Commander
of the Famous 2Oth
GIVING ITS HISTORY
At the Meeting of the State
Historical Society.
Says 1t Would Be an Insult to
the Regiment.

Lawrence. Jan. 15.-Lieut. J. f. Hall
has written the following open letter
to Geo. W. Martin, secretary of the
State Historical Society, protesting
against the prominence given Gen. Will
der S. Metcalf at the twenty fourth an
nual meeting to be held Tuesday in To-
peka~ Mr.. Hall says:
According to to-day's papers, Col.
Wilder s. Metcalf is going to read a
paper entitled History of the Twen-
tieth Kansas I wish to enter a pro-
test against Metcalf being given so i'm
portant a duty to perform.
Metcalf is a narrow minded parti-
san. He has never been able to eradi-
cate himself from his prejudices. I am
sure that a paper read by him before
your society Will be highly cOlOred with
his prejudlces and favoritism. and will
contain little, if anything, of historic
value.
Metca1f was in fewer battles than
any other officer of the Twentieth Kan
sas. He got hit in the toe early in the
morning of March 90, just after we be-
gan our advance north from Marloa~
His battalion was in support, and was
fully 1000 yards in the rear of the firing
line Although his wound was only
slight, yet he took the first train back
to Manila and managed to play the
cripple act for more than two months.
He Joined our regiment at San Fer
nando and took up the most comfort
able quarters in town. AS long as
there was nothing to do but play tin
soldier Metcalf managed to go about
camp, walking as we'll as any of the
rest of the officers of our regiment.
But as soon as there were a half dozen
shots fired on our outpost Metcalf's toe
began to give him trouble and he at
once became too lame to walk. Lieut..
Col. Little or Major. Whitman would
then be asked to take command of our
regiment and lead it into action.
Metcalf knows nothing about the bat
tie of the Guiginto. fought late in the
evening of March 20, for which he was
breveted brigadier- general for gallant
and meritOriOus conduct in charging a
bottle of champagne in Manila, fully
twenty miles away from the battlefield.
He knows nothing about entering Malo-
los and our campaign against San Fer
nando. He was not at the Bagbag
river or at the Rio Grande. He did not
take part in the battles of Apalit and
Santo Tomas. In fact, there is not a
single member of the Twentieth Kan
sas so thoroughly disqualified to write
the history of our regiment as Col. Met
calf.
Metcalf will tell you nothing about
his experience with the British. AS we
We're leaving Manila bay the crew of an
English war vessel gave us three cheers
and it's band played the Star Spangled
Banner" Metcalf replied by ordering
our DdnQ TO play HOT lime. "A greater
breach of international courtesy could
not have taken place.
After we put to sea, the only order
we received was to have setting up ex-
ercises twice a. day. Col. MetcaIf did not
bother himself about the comfort of our
men or the condition of the boat The
consequences were, that when we
reached Hong Kong. that our boat was
in such filthy condition that the British
authorities positively refused to grant
US clearance papers until the boat was
cleaned up. That disgrace could have
been avoided had a man with a little
executive ability been in command of
our regiment
You are no doubt aware of the fact
that Metcalf is charged with the most
heinous crime of modern times With
out just cause or provocation, he shot
and killed with his own hand pistol an
unarmed prisoner of war in the battle
of Caloocan, February 10, 1899.
To have such a man read before the
State Historical society, the history of
our regiment is an outrage against
common decency and an insult to every
respectable member of the Twentieth
Kansas. Very respectfully,
JOHN f. HALL,
Late First Lieut. goth Kansas