Evening star., 1902-08-04
RECEIVES MILITARY BURIAL.
Game Rooster Which Died in the
Philippines Mourned by Regiment.


did you ever hear of a rooster being
buried with military honors?" Star re-
porter was askedothe other day
The questioner was serious, and when
assured that the rooster referred to was
real member in good standing Of the
feathery tribe called chicken the reporter
admitted he had never heard of such an
unusual occurrence.
well, can tell you a true story of an
actual burial of the kind l mentioned" said
the interrogation when the 1st Nebraska
Volunteers, to which l belonged, cached
San Francisco, bound for the PHILIPPINES
in 1898, Capt. ]. N. Killian, who is now
captain in the regular army, went back to
Nebraska to recruit some more men to fill
out regiment, while the rest of US went
across the water to the islands.
1.-The recruiting officer enrolled a large
number Of young men from near Columbus
Neb. OF course, at that time the papers
were full Of stories about the PHILIPPINES
the inhabitants and their customs, particu-
larly of their love of cock fighting. Some
Of these young fellows who enlisted had
been doing a little cock fighting on their
own hook near their home town, and thew
decided to take with them to Manila an
American game cock. You know the name
that was being given to all the male babies
horses, dogs, etc. at about that time Well,
this fighting rooster blossomed out under
the cognomen OF Dewey
And Dewey, like his namesake, was a
game fighter. He had a long string of vic
tories to his credit and bore his honors as
proudly as young lieutenant.
Dewey was mustered In, you might
say, and became one of the regiment On
the way to the Philippines while the re-
cruits were stopping at Honolulu, the boys,
plying 'Dewey's solitude, managed in some
way-they didn't buy ito secure a mate
for their rooster, and Mrs. Dewey also
became member of the 1st Nebraska.
tIa
the whole regiment moved out from the
city and formed what was called Camp
Santa Mesa. 1t will be remembered that
from this camp and this regiment, which
was commanded by the lamented Col. Stot-
zenburg who was killed while leading a
gallant charge, the first shot on the Ameri-
can side in the Filipino war was fired. And
to this camp went Dewey and Mrs
Dewey Nothing was too good for that
rooster, and a gamer fighter never wore
spurs. The sport we had fighting Dewey
against the Filipino game roosters was
never equaled, and in every battle the
American fowl demonstrated his superiori-
ty. Dewey strutted more than ever He
slept in q tent with the boys, and at mess
call he walked about on the mess table and
helped himself from the victuals of whom
soever he pleased and no one would think of
striking the COCK. He was ranking officer
in that company.
about this time the motherly instincts
Of Mrs. Dewey asserted themselves, and
in a few weeks Dewey's' head almost
touched his tail, so proudly did he strut at
the head of eight little chicks in comnanv
with his mate.
but 1t was not permitted him to live to
see the little ones grown. His luxurious
living habits, combined with the intense
heat finally began to tell on his constitu
ton, and one day this victor of many a
hard-fought battle laid down in a soldiers
tent and gasped his last, surrounded by the
boys, who were doqing an in their power to
revive him. a. -
ITO an outsider hDewey's' death seems
small matter, but to us young fellows far
from home 1t was lketbosing an old friend.
Every one of us ttn that regiment had be-
death was a source OF a feeling keener than
regret.
began. we fixed uPaa coffin for Dewey
out Of box; & wraRped t5 Sim MIN up In an Ameri
The band headed the Procession then came
all that remainedof the game cock. borne
by pallbearers, with military escort; then
came Mrs. Dewey ana the little ones in a
bamboo cage on az imRrovised sedan chair.
The members of Company K, with whom
Dewey stayed, came ,pext while the rest
of the regiment fell in in order
"At the grave yonng lawyer who had
enlisted as a volunteer delivered the funeral
Grafton He was fine speaker. and the
things he said over the grave Of Dewey
caused many a youth to wipe his ewes
They were nearly all boys fresh from school
and home, and when the speaker referred
to the motives that had led them to the
island and spoke of the fathers and mothers
and sweethearts left behind in the far-awav
land that all loved SO we'll it struck a chord
that met quick response in the breasts of
nearly every man there.
Three volleys were fired over the grave
as the dirt was thrown over the remains
of Dewey and the boys marched slowly
back to camp, thinking of home. and eacb
wondering when the regiment would march
behind his body to Its last resting pace.
About four days afterward the younp 10 NJ
yer who delivered the Grafton was Killed in
the first engagement with the enemy.
1.-THE widowed Mrs. Dewey and her fam