The Topeka state journal., 1902-03-14
LIST OFKANSAS HEROES
Out of SO Special Medals Kansans Got
Five.

It is a remarkable fact that five out
of the 33 special medals awarded for
special acts of heroism and bravery
during the entire Spanish-America-n
war, were awarded to Kansas boys. 1t
is another remarkable fact that four OF
the five were members of the Twentieth
Kansas regiment.
There were a great many brave deeds
performed during the war, in Cuba, in
the Philippines, and in China while the
allied forces were marching to the re-
lief of Pekin, although the latter was
not a part of the SpaniSh-American
mended by their commanders as de-
serving of special medals. But the mill
itary board that had charge of the
awarding, m ade an effort to keep down
the number awarded, because if great
number were given out. it would be
no great honor to be the recipient of one.
For this reason the entire number
granted by the board of awards was 3d.
This included all the soldiers, regular
and volunteer, who participated in any
of the troubles in China, the Philippines
or Cuba. Out of these 33, five We're
given to Kansas boys. Kansas therefore
secured Is per cent of the total num-
Der.
Captain Clad Hamilton makes spec
ialty of keeping tab on the military
prowess of Kansas, and he reioices as
greatly over a good showing made by
Kansas soldiers as Secretary Coburn
does over a good showing made by
Kansas crops. Captain Hamilton is per
sonally acquainted with three of the five
KanSanS.
The Kansas list is headed by Musi-
clan Calvin 2. Titus, of the Fourteenth
infantry, who was awarded a medal for
being the first man to scale the great
wall at Pekin when the international
relief column reached there. He was
probably the first foreigner who ever
accomplished that feat. He is a Kan
sas boy and enlisted at Wichita. He is
now a cadet at West Point as a presi-
Dental appointee.
Lieut.. Arthur Ferguson of the Thirty
sixth volunteer infantry was given
medal for charging alone on a body OF
the enemy and capturing a captain IN
the Philippines. He was given to brave
deeds, for he was given a lieutenancy
in the Thirty-sixth for gallantry in the
Twentieth Kansas. He started in as a
corporal in company G, Twentieth KAN
sas, and was afterwards a sergeant,
and was wounded five times while in
the Twentieth Kansas.
The history of. William B. Trembiy
and Edward White, two other Twen-
tieth Kansas boys, who are among the
list of medal winners, is well known
They were awarded medals for SWIM
ming the Bag Bag in the face of a
trench manned by the enemy and tying
rope to the trench to enable body
of Twentieth Kansas boys to cross
over. Trembly is now city clerk of
Kansas City, KaS.
Sergeant John A. Huntsman is cred
tied with medal for bravery while in
the Thirty-sixth volunteer infantry but
the specific act of gallantry is not given
He was constantly doing heroic things
however, while he was a corporal in
company II, Twentieth Kansas. 1t was
Huntsman who started the fashion of
swimming rivers. He swan the river
at Marilao in the face of the enemy
and secured boats on which squad of
ont fc4h II 1<%
and captured considerable number of
Filipinos. Captain Hamilton says that
at another time Huntsman crawled
across a bridge, passing directly be-
meath Filipino sentry on the bridge,
and reconnoitred the enemy.
Captain Hamilton thinks from his
personal knowledge of the men that
they were soldiers who were accus-
toned to doing brave things and it was
because of this, rather than a single act
of bravery, in many cases that they