Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-04-25
Madison. April %.

Madison, April %.
Capt G. J. ROLLS returned to
Stoughton yesterday, fresh from his
long campaigns in the Philippines.
With him was Capt. Frank L. French
of Sparta. Both Of these badger sol
diers began their military careers in
the Wisconsin national guard. Capt.
French was commander of Co. l.. in
the Third Wisconsin volunteers in the
Porto Rico campaign. This regiment
was for some time at Camp Harvey,
near Milwaukee. Capt. ROLLS was in
the Fourth Wisconsin volunteers,
which assembled at Camp Douglas a1d
went to Admission, Ala. He has been
captain Of company G in the Thirty
fourth volunteer infantry. Both men
were mustered out of the United
States service in San Francisco. April
II. The Thirty-fourth regiment was
formed at Ft. Logan, Col, many of its
officers being Wisconsin men. The reg1-
ment left i-lere in July, 1899, and the
Wisconsin officers arrived in Manila
in September, 1899.
Immediately after arriving in Mani
la, portion of the regiment was sent
to Tarlac, then Aguinaldo's headquar-
ters. Three companies of the Thirty
fourth were in this party, companies
F. G and H. Aguinaldo and his army
wit from 40 A owl
can soldiers pursued him across
streams and through mountains until
the native army broke up into small
punches and it could not be ascer-
tanned in which bunch he was. While
the chase after Aguinaido was not
successful, the troops did succeed in
another undertaking in which they
were concerned. They resuced Lieut..
Gilmore of the navy and twenty-six
men. This took place December 10,
1899, in the mountains of northern
Luzon.
Lieut.. Gilmore was not able to walk
when we found him." said Capt.
French. ct was a serious question
for some time if he would live. We
were in remote part of the country,
where we could do little for weak and
suffering men. In order to get him to
Manila we had to build a bamboo raft.
Half of his men were as badly off as
he was-sick, barefooted AND ragged
For that matter we were ragged ouc-
selves and l had to pin my clothes to-
gether to keep them on"
Capts. French and ROLLS afterwards
served with the military commander
of the city of Laoag, province of Ilocos
Norte. They took part in fights every
day from Dec. 4 to IS, 1899. Some
days there was more than one fight
This was in the campaign leading up
to the capture of Lieut.. Gilmore. AT
forwards, in April 1900. just year
ago, these Wisconsin men were in
some hard fighting
Capt. ROLLS was placed in COM
mand of the jurisdiction of Batac. He
had thirty men with which to garrison
the city. There was a general upris-
ing in that district on April 16 and
Capt. ROLLS and his small party were
attacked by 900 insurgents. They
fought until dark with the result that
$50 Filipinos lay dead upon the field
and the American party lost five men
in killed and wounded. When rein
forcements arrived Capt. ROLLS me1
had left on an average five rounds Of
ammunition each. In half an hour
more it would hive been all up with
them. Capt French says this was the
hardest fighting he ever heard or read
of in all history.
Capt. ROLLS has succeeded in bring
ing home with him native Filipino
game cock. 1t has been two months
en- route in cage of the parrot size,
but seems to have stood the journey
quite well. these chickens are as
common in Luzon. the officers say, as
cartridges are in some parts of Wis
consin. The bird looks much like
small game cock.