Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-18
SOLDIER DEAD BROUGHT HOME.
Bodies of 302 Victims of Battle and
Disease in Philippines.

New York, Sept. 17.-Brought back
from the Philippines, where they
fell lighting or died of disease
in camp, the bodies of 302 soldiers
were unloaded from the army transport
Kilpatrick this week on the government
pier. No. u East River. Then began
the Journeys to their final resting place
in various parts of the country All
day Yesterday a long line of under
takers wagons carried away those of
the gallant dead who had been claimed
by parents or relatives. The unclaimed
bodies of many brave fellows were
sent by express companies to the Ma
tional Cemetery in Arlington, Va, or to
the Cvpress Hills Cemetery in Brook
lvn. AT nightfall only half the bodies
had been removed and another day will
be needed to finish the sad work.
At haIf-maSt waved the Flag above
the pier shed as the unloading of the
bodies began early in the morning. A
guard of honor, composed of six men
and u non commissioned officer of the
Eighth infantry from Governors
Island, was posted at the entrance to
the pier and nobody, even the relatives
of the dead men, was permitted to pass.
The bodies were piled in long rows the
entire length of the pier, regardless of
rank.
None of the noise usual on a pier was
heard. Except for the occasional
squeaking of the wheelbarrows III
which the boxes were moved not a
sound disturbed the solemnity. With
gestures, rather than by speech, Major
Bingham gave his orders.
The bodies had been placed in her
metically sealed metal collins. which in
| turn were inclOsed in strong wooden
| boxes On one end of each box was
| stencled the name and regiment of the
| dead soldier. Side by side, the pine
boxes were laid on the pier: side by
side lay the colonel, captain, lieutenant,
sergeant, corporal and private, with
equal honor paid to EACH
| BY far the greater number of the
dead We're slain in the massacre of the
Ninth infantry regiment in Balangiga,
f, on September 2S, 1901. The Ominous
words "bolo wounds" We're printed upon
a little wafer at the end of each coffin.
| Almost as rapidly as they could be TAX
en- from the hold of the transport the
| collins We're placed in wagons and
| borne away. For those who wereato be
buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery a
| firing squad and q chaplain We're to
have come over from Governors Island
This plan was abandoned, however,
when it was found impossible to sepa-
rate in one day the local dead from
| those who We're to be taken on a. jour
ney of many miles.
| ,,fo Ia,,f of
the pier, had had the sad task of meet
ing men and women who came to In
quire about relatives. With the un-
loading of the first coffin little groups of
| black-robed women and men gathered
about the entrance to the pier. Their
queries regarding the final disposition
4 Of the bodies of their dear ones were
answered by the superintendent. They
| We're not permitted however, to ap-
! proach the collins and many departed in
1 tears At least one look at the pine
| box might have been granted to them,
they thought but the rules had to be
obeyed. SO they departed in silent sor-
row to find, on arriving home, the
| cof1ins they had sought.
| Arriving at the pier at the moment
when the body of Captain Thomas w.
| Connell. Company c, Ninth regiment.
was being taken away from the pier, the
| father and two sons of the brave man
4 who was killed in the massacre of
! Ralansiga called q cab and followed
| the undertaker's wagon to their home.
| One coffin on the pier contained the
| body of Lieutenant Charles Mcclure
| Thirtieth infantry, killed in Oraquita
| November 10, 1901. Close by lay the
| body of a cavalry private, John r. Joe
| He, too. had been victim of the bolo.
Next to him lay Captain Richard S.
Grswold, Twenty-first regiment of
Volunteers. His home was in New
London. Others who had fought their
last fight for the Flag were Lieutenant
Colonel Henry w. SprOle, First
cavalry: Lieutenant Robert T. Craw-
ford, First infantry; Lieutenant Will
liam w. Fiscus, Nineteenth infantry:
Captain Benjamin M. TIartshorne.
Seventh infantry: Captain John C.
Orr, Nineteenth infantry; Captain John
NJ. Schelenburger, Tenth infantry, and
Lieutenant Thomas A. Wears.
Twenty infantry.