Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-25

First was at Bennett, the home of Colonel John P. Bratt, with band
in Omaha. Headquarters of the Second was at Nebraska City, home
of Colonel William Bischof, ir, with band at Hastings.
The officers of the Omaha companies we're: Captain, Wal
lace C. Taylor; first lieutenant. Lee Forby; second lieutenant, Will
liam E. stockham. Captain, Harry B. milford; first lieutenant
Charles H. Wilson; second lieutenant, Albert T. Cone.
Colonel Bischof failed to pass the physical examination and
Charles j. Bills, who had been brigadier of the Nebraska guard be-
came colonel of the Second.
Camp Alvin Saunders, at Lincoln, where the mastering was in
progress. was not without exciting incidents. Many of the guard
officers were rejected, and some asserted that this was done to make
vacancies in which Governor HoIccmb could place some of his
favortes. M company, from Grand Island, in the Second, refused to
be mustered when the men found both of their lieutenants were on
the rejected list. This culmirated in the resignation of Captain
George Roeder and the discharge of the company a then constituted.
Major Decker was given the command and proceeded to recruit a
new company.
1t was On Wednesday afternoon, April, 81, 1898, that the Thurs
ton Rifles IL company of the First) and the Omaha Guards &c COM
pany of the second) left Omaha for Lincoln. The Bee of April 20
said of the scene when they left:
There was never another scene in Omaha like that which at
saunders yesterday afternoon; The old spirit that has slumbered
in a burst of patriotic enthusiasm that obscured all other consid-
how blessings were showered on the Guards and Rifles by the older
people and cheers were Numbered in their ears by the younger ones
At several points panic was narrowly averted, and the troops found
it very difficult to maintain their lines, because of the tremendous
multitude in the streets.
front, I can say for myself that the pleasure of getting home was
about the best thing in my spell of soldering. But let me say also
that never in my life have 1 seen anything like the crowds and the
enthusiasm that filled Omaha eleven years ago when we left to be
mustered in at Lincoln. There was more exuberant' earnest, heart
throbbing patriotism on tap that day than l ever saw before, or ever
expect to e again"
The speaker was Major William E. Baehr of the money order
department at n postoInce, II ne WAS spedhih Vi ina uay heh
the Omaha companies left for Lincoln to be mustered in for the
Philippine campaign.
Like most other members of the First who went to the Islands
and lived to come back, Major Baehr dwells very lightly on the
actual service end of his military career. He tells with most gusto
how they pulled off a great swimming stunt at Wake island between
Honolulu and Guam.
I'VE had stopped long enough to allow General Greene to go
ashore from the Colon to raise an American flag and plant in a tin
box a claim to the island" said Baehr. 1T was a warm day, and
while we were basking in the sun on a CLASSY sea the idea came to
some of us that a swim would be just what we needed. So We
opened a portfolio OIL the Senator about thirteen feet and three inches
above the water. Then we threw out a rope and a few of us went in
Soon a whole battalion was doing the porpoise act, and soon, too,
Colonel Bratt, that was. began to get excited by the splashing. He
ordered Is to come on board. but some mischievous person had pulled
q in the rope; 10 how could We come abQardg We weren't flying fish,
even II We were swimming like fish that have lodged a net. And
besides. we couldn't hear the orders from the deck so far above our
heads. because of the noise like runaway sea horses that some fell
lows were making. Colonel Bratt lot real fretty over that bathing
battalion. and finally went to the length Of ordering a gangway