The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-30


Perces and Piutes The first colonel
of the regiment, after its final organi-
zation, was Gen. Stoneman, famous as
a governor of California.
At the outbreak of the war with
Spain the Twenty-first was ordered to
Tampa, Fla, in April, 1893. 1t sailed
with Gen. Shafter to Cuba in the same
month. During the battle of San Juan.
it was the Twenty first that charged
up one of the best defended hills, sing
ing jauntily, as the men charged, The
Star Spangled Banner
Mckinley Admired 1t
With the rest of Skaters expedi-
ton the Twenty first returned to Mon
tauk Point, N. Y, and went thence
to Plattsburg barracks, N. Y. Here
the regiment had attracted the personal
attention of President Mckinley when
he was visiting Lake Champlain the
previous year. AS an old soldier he
awarded the Twenty-first the admira
ton it deserved. He went so far as to
present to it a beautiful stand of colors,
which was carried throughout the war
with Spain and the Philippine cam
paigns. This silken banner, now torn
and battle-stained, was one source of
Presidents own"
Commanded by Col Jacob Kline,
since retired as a brigadier general, the
Twenty-f1 first left Plattsburg barracks
April 10, 1899, arrived at San Francisco,
April II, and embarked for the Philip
pines next day on the transport Han
cock. The command reached Manila
bay May II.
Before it left the states the regiment
Il. 81 l.. ,<af-
fed, and that it would probably per-
form no heavier task than a few
months of garrison duty. But hardly
had the Hancock arrived at Manila
than the second battalion, Capt. f. E.
Eltonhead commanding, was hurried
ashore to the Luneta and thence to the
trenches north of the city. Next day
the remaining companies disembarked
to occupy other positions about the
capital.
Saw Service Soon
Early in June, 1899, the authorities
decided to break up the, insurgent
forces operating in the district south of
Manila.
On June Col. Jacob Kline, with the
first battalion under Capt. H. L. Bailey
and the second under Capt. F. E. Ell
tonhead Companies F, c; l., B and
D, H, I. K) joined Gen. Lawton's di-
vision of about $500 men at San Pedro
Macati. Col. Kline was arbitrarily re-
lieved of this command at this
point and assigned to command
of the north line about Manila,
Maj. w. H. Boyle, TwentY-frst
infantry, succeeding him in COM
mand. These battalions were = bril-
gaded with two battalions of the Ninth
infantry and two battalions of Idaho
volunteer infantry under Gen. Whea-
ton. After nights bivouac, enlivened
by tropical transforms, the march was
taken up at 5 a. m. June 10, towards
Guadalupe. The insurgents were en-
countered strongly intrenched on Qua
daloupe ridge and dislodged after a
lively skirmish; the regiments loss,
three men wounded; Corporal Casper
Cook and Private Andrew Mcfarland,
Company F, and Private Thomas
Mullins, Company G. The regiment
pushed on towards Paranaque and
Las Pinas; this day was one of
the most trying on large COM
mand experienced by the troops
in the Philippine islands; near
ly SO per cent of Gen. Lawton's COM
mand suffered from heat prostration.
Las Pinas was entered the following
ing evacuated the position during the
night. The command occupied Las
Pinas June II and II.
On June 13 Gen. Lawton took
Companies F, under Second Lieut..
P. A. Connolly, and 1, under First
Lieut.. w. H. Mullay, under COM
mand of First Lieut.. Joseph l..
| Donovan, to reconnoiter towards
| Bacoor He developed the flower of
the insurgent army strongly intrenched
! a short distance beyond Las Pinas, on
tho Loft han1x Of tho nofa river Two
companies were vigorously attacked by
an overwhelming force, WHICH was held
| in check until Gen. Lawton had sig
nailed to the United States warships for
lere- enforcement. They promptly landed
1 force Of marines and commenced
shelling the trenches, thus enabling the
1 two companies of the Twenty first in
i action was two men killed and two Of
1 ficers and eleven men wounded.
Defeat insurgents at Zapote
This reconnaissance brought on the
battle of Zapote river; the battle ragged
until late into the afternoon and ended
| in a disastrous defeat for the insur-
gents, who lost heavily.
Company L, Twenty-fir infantry,
under command of the first lieutenant,
now Capt. William NJ Morrow, was
| the first organized body to cross the
Zapote river bridge, which the in
surgents had attempted to destroy.
! They hastily constructed a roadway
and a squad of this company then
reconnoitered, by command Of Gen.
Wheaton, in the direction of Baeoor,
First Lieut.. c. R. Howland. Twentieth
infantry, aide-de- e-camp to Gen. Wheat
on, accompanying.
AS a result of this days fighting Gen.
Otis telegraphed Washington that the
backbone of the instruction was
broken.
The camps Of the several companies
were changed frequently until about
| the end of June. when the line occu-
pied by the regiment extended from
Deposito to Caloocan.
| The rainy season had we'll begun by
this time and the trenches were filled
with water.
On July the six companies &C, d
/ F, H, /. K) which were stationed be-
tween La Iona church and Calo0can
were withdrawn from that line. being
relieved by the Sixteenth infantry
under Lieut. Col. Spurgin, and sent or
cascoes from Manila to Morong, on