The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-04-13
FIGHTING RECORD.
OF MONTANA MEN
CALL TO THE COLORS RECALLS
STIRRING DAYS OF WAR
WITH SPANIARD.

EhS0AASAA$o LA L AAAAAHpAAA0 SPA ASAAA6S
State Had -Four Troops With
Grigsby; Thousands of Montan-
ans Volunteered.
President Wilson has asked Mon
tana for 2,05S men for the Second
Montana Infantry, and recruiting Of
fees have ben opened in every Mon
tana town at which an infantry COM
pany has it's headquarters.
Recruiting is fairly good, but it is
nothing to what it will be a little
while later, when it is apparent that
there is real service for the soldier.
Montana's war record is one of which
any state may be proud.
| How many people are there in
| Montana who know that the First
Montana infantry of the national
guard, when President Mckinley is
sued his call for troops, was the first
guard regiment in the United States
to be mustered into the federal serv-
ice.
Sent to the Philippines.
That was at the beginning Of the
Spanish-American war for the free
dom of Cuba. About the same time
Dewey electrified the world by his
humiliation of the Spanish fleet in
Manila bay, and by which action the
whole of the Philippine islands fell
into the possession of the United
States. Immediately it became ap-
parent to the government that 1t
must send a strong overseas expedi-
ton to the Philippine islands to hold
what Dewey, by his signal victory,
had won.
The first Montana was ordered to
the Philippines. 1t was in command
of Harry G. Kessler, for whom it won
the star of the brigadier. With it
went as second in command Lieut..
Colonel Robert Bruce Wallace of
Helena, who had graduated from
West Point and was lieutenant in
the regular establishment. Young
Wallace was very popular in Mon
tana, particularly SO among the
guardsmen.
Wallace's Supreme Sacrifice.
The first Montana participated in
many engagements in the Philippines
with credit to the regiment and glory
to the state from which it came II
helped materially in the putting
down of the Aguinaldo insurrection
Colonel Wallace was in command Of
J the regiment at the battle of Calico
can. While leading charge he wal
| shot through the lung. He broke
hospital bounds too early, in order
to rejoin his regiment, and about thu
time promotion came to him, was or
dered home on account of hi
wounds. He never recovered from
this Caloocan bullet, dying shor
time after reaching the Unite'
States. A bronze tablet, attesting t
his yalor, emblazons the corridor O
: the state house.
Twenty-Five Montanans lost thei
lives in this campaign, and sleep Il
, insular graves. One hundred an
: fifty were wounded. The regimen
participated in every engagement o
consequence in the short but blood
!. Philippine war. And when the isl
ands were pacified and the regimen
ordered home, Major General Arthu
Macarthur, under whom the Mon
tanans had served, said of them:
'They have certainly earned
right to the gratitude of their
state and nation by their brill
liant and faithful services in the
Philippines"
In addition to this regiment Mon
e tana furnished four troops of cavalr
. for Grigsby's rough riders Captal
D'Gay Stivers commanded the Butt
+ troop, Captain Frank Higgins tn
Missoula troop; Captain Joseph I
Brown the Miles City troop, and Car
tain John G.. Bond the Billings trool
Charles F. Lloys of Butte, an oil
West Pointer, was lieutenant of thi
regiment, and James M. Monteitf
also of Butte, was major. The reg
ment was organized for service j
Cuba, and spent some time in cam
at Chickamaga. But the commissar
department of the army was so bac
ly disorganized that the Cuban wa
was at an end before Colonel Grigs
. by's regiment was equipped.
Thousands Volunteered.
In addition to the First Montan
and this squadron of cavalry thou
, sands of Montanans volunteered
the government. In numerous II
stances whole companies were organ
lied and rendered their services t
the secretary Of war, all to be dc
clined. If the United States had
desired 10000 volunteers could HAY
been raised for service in Montana
The First Montana was mustere
out of the service on it's return frol
the Philippines. Shortly afterward
: the Second Montana was organized
The Second Montana has a goo
record. 1t served in Butte, durin
the labor troubles of a couple c
years ago, and under Col. Dan Dor
ahue, restored order where chao
reigned. It's conduct in Butte at thi
trying time was such as to common
> it to all we'll thinking people.
Following the Columbus raid b
= Villa the Second Montana was Gale
into the federal service last year, an
sent to the border. Col. Domain
was in command and in fe'