The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-11


men had crossed in front Of The town and had
chased the enemy out killing n dozen or fifteen
ui them and capturing n few prisoners and some
rifles, That was all there was 10 the night IL
was just such ~ many another little skirmish
W. have had. our total casualties were only
eleven. La wton was the only man killed. =
They took his body across. 10 San MateO and
cared Tor II that day. Word was sent nj once
To- his headquarters IN this city ana Ia Gen. Otis,
but the command was away beyond the tels-
graph and no flying wire had been sent with II.
The messenger had n hard ride back over the
terrible roads and he had been marching all night
aud without food all day II was late at night
when the news reached OILS. Early next morn
ing Col. Ha yes with three troops Of the Fourth
met | Troop bringing back the body Of their dead
General 4 carronatta had been knocked down
50 that just the body remained, and then the dead
man had been lashed to a. : s' h"h ana p'acsd
In mating. At Marignina ! Troop turned the
remains over to Cob HAYES and went back 10
San Mateo Col la o. escorted it into Manila,
coming by way Of Santolin and the pun ping
station The long column wound slowly over
the hills through the streets Of the city, going
down through the Escolia and across the Bridge
If Spain, and 50 10 the dead mans house, which
1t reached at q o'clock: TWO days later there
was u simple private funeral attended by only
u few II The most intimate friends. and the body
was placed temporarily IN a vault in the Paco
rrmn.arv to await transportation to the United
States. where il will be buried finally al Arling,on
will fun military honots.
There IN small need u W0 " IrpDlr Oh 'ne
States that I.aw,on WAS brave, and no one now
wants 10 say more. The quality Of his courage
is known by no one better than by the newspaper
men VIII? had iSll"Scd him II many an e e,.g;om,
81 the correspondents u ride with the headquarters
guard when out with ~lawton, and the many
times that practice led them under hre VIII not
only two men here whose style Of lighting is at
all like ~law,on's They are Brig Gen, s. T. N,
Young, and b,ie Gen 1,o ), , fIa a n, 5 iSa Th ,S,t,y
sixth, for repeated instances q distinguished
gallan'ry Coupled with personal bravery, which
Iawton had indomitable perseverance and tire
mrndouS, tiralpss energy. He never was stumped.
When he started nothing could turn him back.
He was the ideal commander for the KIND 81 night
ing Their. has been Ia do out here, Md while
he was reckless Of self 10 the last degree and never
spared himself hardship. OF fatigue or dangerof
any sort, he was one Of the mos, oonsldera'e men,
where his troops were concerned, who has held a
command in the Philippines, His style Of night
ing was to work the men hard, 10 push them
through, and put them IN tlght places ana make
them de- the work. II was shown again and again.
But his casualties were fewer than those 0f other
men, and his accomplishments AS great, II not
greater If he made ms men work harder than
Others he sent fewer Of them under fire and put
fewer II them in danger. lie was a terrible fo,
while the action continued, but with The. sound
q the last gun he was the most merriful friends,
Many II Inc FilipinoS knew this, and many a man
IN town sad Of his death that II was the hardest
blow the Fllipinos had received from the war.
He started in his work here with a me contempt
for his enemy, but II was a contempt. only for the
enemy. When he had won ihe night which he
knew he was going 10 win before he went In,
he was the hest Of friends Ia the vanqnished.
He believed that the way 10 make war was 10
make il as terrible a. possible while II lasted and
then To have il all over with as soon as 1t was
ended, II" was always ready To meet the Flii-
pinuS more than half way, and he hegan 10 eslah-
llSh civil governments in the towns he took before
the idea had occurred to any one else Vet he
was not SURE Il the situation here, just the night
1.f.r. A.. Lt.WtAl Z - IAa laAt tta~hf Ia "a n 10
what he thought of the situation, and he replied
that h. was not prepared 10 say, tie, wanted
more time 10 think IT over lie wanted To see
what the next few months would develop II
might Ee that We were at the end Of the rebellion
or that II had just begun.
His personal recklessnrss had been the subject
Of many circumstances from his staff and from
his friends, and he often admitted the solndness
Of their arguments that his place was not on
the firing line. But he had the eagerness and
enthusiasm Of a boy, and could not restrain him.
self II anybody sho, al him his one sole desire
was To get where he could see who it was and how
IT was done In large measure he conducted his
own reconnaissance work. But while he was
reckless Of his own life he never forgot the others
IN his care. lie looked out for his men with Jealous
eye. | saw him once, riding along. in hot haste,
pass a wagon loaded with jars Of water going
Ia the front for the men. The water was splash
ing ont as the wagon jOlted. LAYTON shouted
to the driver rs he went by
Stop and get some banana lea YES and put them
IN the iars 10 keep the water in
ON the recent march into the north he was he
hind looking after communications and supplies
whlle Young had the advance. One day LAYTON
came by a hull train tina, had broken down, and
the men were pulling some Of the carts, One II
the loads excited his curiosity and he asked what
II was.
Mineral water for the officers, was the reply.
dump II oil night where YOU are, ha ordered.
His men might haul heir own rations II no
other Transportation could h. had. but no ~luNurieS
for officers. The mineral water was dumped
right there a. he ordered, and then 1t wasd drunk
there by the thirsty men who had been hauling IT,
piled about him by the score, but they wouldn't
explain any more what Iawton was. lie was a
great big man with a great big heart, who lOnged
to see peace re- established and the country quiet
and prosperous rs II should h., and " no was doing
all IN his large power to bring that about, and
who wanted IL 90 back when his work was finished
grow oranges IN California, in his own peace
ful, quiet home. His death leaves a vacancy in
the Army no man Is competent to fill,