The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-04
FUNSTON.
Now In Charge at Vera Cruz--Was a
Newspaper Reporter.


Newspaper Reporter.
Brieadier General Funston. In com :
mand of the Fighting Fifth" brigade
Rt Vera Cruz. Is an example OF ma
tural soldier who came te his profess
sion through love OF hghting and the
needs Of distressed nation.
Funston was born IN Carlisle, O.. In
1866. and moved to Kansas with the
rest Of the family when he was three
Years old. His father became con-
gresham from Kansas. giving pre-
cedent for services to the nation.
The boy. Fred Funston. was grad
uated from high schoc. and attended
the University of Kansas for two
years He left there and took job
on a railroad. hut the life was mo-
notonous. There was too much OF the
adventurer in the boy to remain at
nrosaic pursuitS lie went TO Kansas
City and became a reporter.
In 1893 the department of agricul-
ture sent ont the Death Valley ex-
pedition to Alaska to report on the
fora of that country. Fred Funston
accompanied the expedition rs botan-
igt. II was the start OF his adven-
turesome career.
In June, 1926. Fred Funston was a
wanderer In New York city, a news e
paper man and botanist. just back
from Alaska, out OF his element In
the big city and waiting for opp1r-
tunity to knock at the door.
A little later In the same year he
was with the Cuban Junta In New
York, learning the mechanism Of a
Hotehkiss twelve FOUNDER. breech-
loading rife in dark little room
over a saloon we'll up on Third ave-
nue..
II was strange the way he got hts
chance, He went To Mr.. Palma, ar
forwards president Of Cuba but then
In charge OF the Junta in New York.
He asked the Cuban patriotic give
him chance to lend his services TO
the suffering republic as filibuster.
The Cuban politely refused his offer.
He was afraid that Funston was a
spy.
General Funston went tn {. friend
and got letter OF recommendation 20
the old Cuban. MFR. Palma lotked him
over. told him to buy cannon and
learn the art OF handling It
Fred Funston made good He
learned every detail of the construc-
ton of the Hotchkfss He dem ,nstrat-
ed before the members of the 1unta.
few weeks later he embarked for
Cuba as flibuster. right under the
noses of Spanish spies and United
States secret service men He was
launched on his career as fighter
In Cuba he and five other Americans
made UP n large part of the artillery
OF the Comic Opera company OF Gu
ban patriots. He had charge OF the
same Hotchkiss gun. He saw action
tmrrl ediately on his landing under Cen
eral Gomez and later under General
Garcia Both these men were vet
Grams of Ten Year War. the hopeless
struggle for Cuban independence
which was finally closed by United
States Intervention. lie was given a
commission as captain. In the fall OF
Guaimoro Funston and his gun took
an important part opening the WHY III
the Notifications through which the
victorious Cubans took the town.
WINS Made Lieutenant Colonel.
| He, was made lieutenant colonel ir
| the Cuban army. Toward the end al
/ the struggle he was wounded, cap
/ tured by the Spaniards and, wrachet
by tropical fever his recovery vas
| considered doubtful
Through the courtesy OF his captor>
| he was sent home to the United states
with the 1aurels of a hero upon him
| when the army of occupation err
barked for the Philippines. Funston
accompanied the Twentieth Kansas
volunteers as colonel. AT Calumpit his
came into his own through a deed Of
daring Calumpit Is on the Crane
/ river.
| The brigade of which the Twentieth
Kansas was a part came upon fllip''
nos there. There were 5000 OF the en-
envy under Aguinaldo's own command
They were lodged across the liver anc
seemed impervious or sceessfu! auacF
and dslodgement
The Americans opened continues
! fire. covering The Filipino trenches
with a dead line" of lead go that nc
! Filipino dared lift his head to take
/ aim Protected by this dead line
| Funston, with few men, crossed tn
river on a fragile raft. carrying Coll
| repeating gun,
/ They landed at The head OF the Ftii'
pfno trenches, placed the gun 40 tha'
| il swept the trenches OF the enemT
and by its enfilading fire struck deatf
| to the enemy. distodging and sending
! them scurrying for shelter.
| This exploit, carried on his own III
/ itiatiye, brought Funston the rank q
brigadier- general of volunteers.
Following the murderous Euerriilf
warfare in which me Fiipinos hfighttnl
I for their freedom and the right 10 ZOO
! and slay. disregarded every rule OF
I civilized warfare, killing prisoners eh'
/ mutilating their bodies, using the SOFT
death for every man they hit,
/ In this campaign he was wounded
| shot through the hand as ne directed
his men in an attack on the enemies
| position.
The campaign swept through thu
| northern part of the islands 1t seemed
| to he an interminable struggle Your
Friendly native would be your enemy
| within an hour. drawing his gun iron
/ the underbrush and shooting you ir
/ the back
Emilio Aguinaldo. the Filipino pat
| riot, hid away In the mountain fast
nesses and melted the natives to con
/ tlnued rebellion, making the Ameri'
can occupation almost untenable ant
! laughing at the efforts OF the Unitee
States army TO capture him.
! But trusted man. bearing letters
southwark from Aguinaldo to his sub
ordinates. was Indicted to petray the
whereabouts Of his chief
Capture of AGuinHido.
| General Funston took charge OF the
! cores pondence, deciphered 1t with the
aid Of friendly native and laid plans
! for Aguinaldos capture.
An expedition of eighty-one Maca
bebs. little friendly fighting men who
| had transferred their allegiance from
! Spain to the Americans, left for thu
north, disguised as Philippine guer-
rillas. Accompanying them were five