New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-21
By W. o. McGEEHAN

The greatest military triumph Oh
Major General Frederick Funston IN
the light Of what is about to happen to
the United States, has come to be re-
earded as merely an episode IN his
eventful career. / refer to the making
Of the goth Kansas Regiment. 1t was
at this task that General Funston
showed that with Major General Leon
ard Wood he possessed a genius tof
turning out soldiers in a hurry. =,
The goth Kansas Infantry, L. ;. ",
was one OF those nondescript COM
mands shunted into San Francisco N
the spring Of 1898, to form part Of the
Stb Army Corps for the Philippine SER
vice. Like other volunteer regiments
of the CORPS, it was part militia, part
makeshift and wholly disorganized.
But il was blessed with a colonel, VINO.
as PrivateMulvaney observed, was a
imam of PARTS" That was Colonel
Frederick Funston, late of the CUBAN
Insurgent Army.
The goth Kansas was rushed TO the
Philippines in a partly reformed caL-
tle boat. with about fifteen ether yo.-
unteer regiments and about four IN
complete regular army regiments. They
were ONLY partly equipped and al
most imperceptibly drilled when they
sailed through the Golden Gate.
Returns After Valiant Service
In the winter of 1899 the Goth Kan
cas- Regiment returned, admittedly one
Of the most efficient units IN the United
States army. 1t had performed some
valiant service, both in the war Win
Spain and in the Philippine insurrec-
ton. especially in the latter. The
Kansans came up Market Street, san
Francisco, with the swing and seI-
confidence of veterans. That reg meAt
had been made thoroughly, II ever
regiment had been made.
How Funston, who was not west
Pointer, and who was not over tamlii2r
with administration in the regular
army. did il always will be a matter OF
wonder. One can only conclude that L
was because he had an instinct Tor the
work and the determination 10 carry
IL through. He bulled rations for has
mon from a commissary department
that had no rations, he wrung equip
ment from quartermaster' depart
ment that protested that II had no
eouipment, and that II was not pre-
nared He convinced youngsters VINO
started on the expedition with the idea
that IL was a lark that it was serious
work. and he made them like the WORK.
To appreciate his achievement fully
one must have seen the 2Otn Kansas
Regiment as il was shunted into san
Francisco-citizen soldiery unprepared
enough 10 satisfy William Jennings
prvan himself-and then the 2Oth
Kansas that Funston brought back with
him.
Whv Loss to United States Is treat
That is why the loss of Major Gen
oral Frederick Funston at this time
when regiments as ragged as the 10Th
Kansas was when il was first mustered
in NAV be called to the colors any day,
ia such a heavy one. Always there are
plenty Of leaders, but the combination
of ability to organize and to lead Is
rare. go,
81 recall Funston as little fighter
NJ the terrier type. with a bristly beard.
His favorite field uniform IN the Phll-
ippines was the one worn by his men,
a faded blue shirt, brown oyeralls and
the old-fashioned canvas legglngs. Inc
only thing that distinguished HIM
from a diminutive private IN the ZOth
Kansas was a silver eagle on the cola
OF the shirt, the eagle Of the colonel.
Funston's disregard for ranking dis
.inctions in the matter Of dress often
caused him TO be taken for very
ragged private soldier Once when a
British naval officer from Manila Bay
visited the field headquarters OF the
Doth Kansas this attitude caused an
embarrassing mistake. The British
naval officer went into the church which
was in the centre OF the Filipino town
in quest Of the commanding ofheer.
Colonel Funston happened 10 come In at
tbat moment from the trenches.
81 say, my good man." said the Brit
ish naval officer. would you kindly