The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-03
"REDDYS" PLUCK.

miles OF Manila, the stories were most
~ OF days long gone by and had ac-
quired a certain unnatural lustre by
dint Of frequent usage. 1t Is curious
how men will crane their necks and
strain their eyes toward the past in
order to find proof of the hardness
which every day they pass by unnOticed
in the men around them. One man went
so far as to suggest. There isn't any
chance the way we fight nowadays for
a man to show any individual nerve;
he is simply a machine, and medals are
distinctly out of place"
Medals may be out of date old
man." said Capt Oldsborough, but the
sort of thing that won the medals is
happening all along the line. 1 had
young corporal in my company when
Province, who had the kind of sand
that one doesn't even read about often
He was a boy about twenty-one years
old from factory town in Connecticut
where I think he worked in a nat SHOP
There wasn't one bit of romance OF
dash about him: he had washed-out req
hair and freckles stood about nVe Ieet
four in his shoes. and weighed ap0ut
one hundred and twenty pounds ne
never had ANYTHING to say for hlmseH
md / shouldn't have poticed him except
for his sill l manner and the qulet, .no Oh
--,ugh way in which he attended to an
ais duties. / can't remember his nalne'
but the men all called him Reooy.
1--WE had been in the field about three
weeks, and the fighting had all Deen
with small bands Of guerrilias, VINO ken
us T1lstantly on the alert. Inc RAINY
season had come on. ana seNeidl VI ~
men were suffering from dysenteIy' tne
cholera made US very cautious OF what
we ate and even mangoes ana bananas
were forbidden fruit. We were tar from
comfortable and if a man had any vel
low in him. 1 promise you 1t showed
Well 'Reddy' was never known 10 KICK
about ANYTHING; several times ! knew
of his doing work for his bunkle
I'VE had been harassed for several
DAVIS bv small band of natives who
had been following us al a safe distance
and taking a chance shot at any VINO
happened to straggle. 1 decided that II
was best to detail a squad or rellaple
men to follow this party and once tor
all rid ourselves of their unwelcome
presence. Accordingly l selected sixteen
men under sergeant, placed Reody
second in command, and sent them OH
with a few hours provisions. They had
with them two native guides who soon
got on the track of the enemy, ana a
weary march Of five hours began: Farl
of the way the walking was through
very heavy underbrush and bamboo for-
ests. so dense in parts that the men had
to walk in single file, and an unexpected
'bolo rush would probably have nnlsn-
ed the whole party before Shot coulu
have been fired. Part of the way lay
through deserted rice paddles and to-
bacco fields where the tropical sun
burned fercely when the rain was not
pouring down in torrents. with the eX-
ception Of one small village, whose IN
habitants professed themselves Amigos
and a few stray 'carabao, they saw not
a living thing.
FINALLY, towards dusk, the party
came on a small creek whose hanks
were covered for some fifty yards on
both sides with a heavy dense growth
Of reeds and broad-leafed palms. No
looner was the middle of this creek
FlkaE
by the band they were in search OF.
Instead, however of finding twenty-five
or thirty guerrillas. as they had ex-
pected, the enemy numbered about one
hundred. Order was given to charge
for the open. A short, sharp fight fol-
lowed and my men found themselves
in the open, pumping away afor dear
life, with five of their number living
creek. About twenty-five yards further
on stood a single nepa shack, which
the Fihpinos had used as a sort of
arsenal. This shack was their only
brought them to it. On the way an
other man was killed and "Reddy'' was
shot through the intestines. By sheer
nerve he managed to get in the hut.
which was built on tiles about five feet
from the ground: the ten men remain
ing made opening in the bamboo walls
of the shack, and began long, steady
fight. Ready quietly told the sergeant
that he had been shot, but that he was
still strong enough to help the metz
load. So he and three men loaded
while the others kept IN a constant
fire for over an hour. After this time
the enemy's ardor was somewhat
cooled, though our party had to keep
constantly on the alert. Then 'R.eddy-
crawled noiselessly to a corner and laid
down on his back. The Filipino line
was so closely drawn that our men
could not possibly risk a dash for the
creek. Their water supply was soon
gone, and the poor little corporal must
have suffered the tortures of a damned
soul; but not once did he call for
drink or ask any one to turn him over
or try to ease his position. The rest
of the men were almost dead from ex>
haustton. and each man took his turn
walking about the shack and kicking
MS companions to keep them awake.
The next morning at daybreak the Fill
plnoS became more active again. and it
looked ror while as though the little fort
must be taken. Through all these sitting,
hellish hours, Reddy breathed on quietly.
The little room was filled with smoke and
splinters of bamboo the roof had Leaked
and the floor was soaking and the crashing
U rlnes ana singing of bullets never for an
instant abated. Finally at noon the shoot
ing subsidized, and one of the men discov-
cred small spring about 20 yards from
was effected, and the men returned with
some water. 'Reddy' was given his share
like the rest, and the men told me after
wards they never saw such look of graft
tude on a mans face before. Afternoon
mad drawn on and the party had been "a
hours on water and bareback. The men
then realized that the poor boys end was
near. and one of them was detailed to
care for him and ease his last hours as
much as possible. 'Reddy' protested that
he was all right. and insisted that the
fellow go back to what he called the firing
line. Never mind me. old man. he said
get back to the firing line and stay there
and for several hours longer the little chan
lay dying without murmur.
Towards in the evening 'Reddy' CALI
ed man to his SIDE he was so weak he
couldn't talk above whisper, and the man
saw he was dying. I guess it's all up now
said the little corporal, and l wish you
would say prayer for me, cause I was
always used to II at home The comrade
knelt down and with his head close to the
wounded mans (for the firing was still
sharp. he repeated the Lords Prayer. And
then Reddy' peacefully closed his eyes
ana let his head fall back without sound.
we found the party about twenty-eight
hours after thew had been ar,buebsd 90