Evening star., 1901-11-27
BOLD DASH OF AN OFFICER
LIEUT. VAN sCHNICk RIDES INTO AN
INsuRGENT FORCE.
Young officer Has Many Friends fn
Washington-Gallant I'm Sew
ing Drowning Soldier.

dispatch from Manila Monday says:
Second Lieut.. Louis ]. Van Schaick of the
4th Infantry, while scouting with few
men of that regiment met $50 insurgents
who had attacked and sacked the hamlet OF
Siaraba. near Cavite. Upon seeing the
Filipinos, Van Schaick ordered his men to
charge them. The command was obeyed
and Van Schaick, being mounted, reached
the insurgents sixty yards I'm advance OF
his men,, He killed three of them with his
revolver. An insurgent fired his rifle point
blank at Van Schaick at four PAGES, but
missed.
Lieut. Van Schaick was then Knocked
from his horse. He jumped to his feet and
engaged in a hand-to-hand conflict with
the enemy using the butt of his revolver
He sustained two severe wounds, one OF
which nearly severed his wrist. At this
point the lieutenant's men arrived, res
cued him, and put the insurgents 10
flight. Van Schaick is in the military hos
pital at Manila and is dong well. He has
already been recommended for a medal OF
honor for bravery in previous engage
ment.
Gen. Hughes. commander of the Depart
ment of the Nisayas. reports that negotia-
tions are about completed for the surren-
der of the insurgent leader Samson on Bo-
hol Island This surrender will doubtless
end the revolt against the American au-
thority in Bohol, as Samson is aeknowl-
edged to be the chief insurgent leader
there.
Lieut. Louis J. Van Schaick has a wide
circle of friends in Washington. He is a
brother of the Rev. John Van Schaick. ir..
pastor of the Church of Our Father OF this
city, and a son of ex-senator John Van
Schaick of New York. He was appointed
to the army from civil life by the late Pres
ident Mckinley, April TO- 1899. having had
two years prior training at West Point.
He has served since then in the Philip
pines, having commanded Company III OF
the 4th Infantry almost from the begin
ming. In this capacity he has participated
in many actions and rendered distinguished
service. On the 9Th of last September he
saved the life of one of the men of his COM
pany who was struggling in a swollen
river. The story, as related by Surgeon
James Z. Mead and Private Alexander ].
Hewison, both of the 4th Infantry, in pri-
vate letters, is as follows:
while returning from a reconnaissance
to Magallanes on September ). and when
within about three miles of Nasugbu, the
detachment under Lieut.. Van Schaick di-
vided the main part returning over this
same trail taken on the outgoing trip,
while the lieutenant. with three men, took
a shorter but more difficult route home, in
order to ascertain its practicability TO-
troops on future occasions. When within
about two miles of Nasugbu the Barac
river was reached, through which the He'll
tenant swan his horse. followed without
mshaps by Corp. Walker and Musician
Garner. Upon reaching the opposite bank,
and looking around, ii was seen that the
mule ridden by Private Hewison was be-
having very badly after getting into deep
water. When the lieutenant saw that the
man had lost hold of his mount and was
in danger of drowning he dismounted.
threw off his revolver and blouse and
jumped in after the struggling soldier, who
was being carried rapidly down the stream
by the swift current. Before il was possi
sible to overtake the drowning man he had
disappeared from view twice and was
about to go down again, when by su-
preme effort the lieutenant clutched the
mans shirt and at the same time grasped
with his other hand slender branch OF
bamboo which was providentially over
hanging the river at this point. The other
two soldiers. who had followed down. the
river along the bank, attempted to swim to
the rescue, but the fierce rush OF water
dashed them back against the bank. Hew-
ison was unconscious and vomiting and
could not help himself At last, after be-
ing in the water half an hour, bamboo
float was sent out. along which the lieuten-
ant. with Hewison, made his way to the
shore"
Upon recovering consciousness" writes
Hewison, Il said to the lieutenant, as I
looked at that swollen river. There is my
grave IL it had not been for you. for
could not swim a stroke He replied. It's
all right. Hewison. You were not ready TO
meet the Almighty, and the devil did not
want YOU
Upon reaching the shore" writes .he
surgeon. Lieut.. Van Schaick was utterly
exhausted"
His last exploit against the Filipinos. IN
consistent with this other brave rescue of
one Of his men, and makes a record OF which
all his friends may be justly proud. Lieut..
Van Schaick al unmarried, twenty-Eix
years of age, and his home is at Cobleskill.
n. Y.