THE UTAH BATTERIES:
A HISTORY.
THE UTAH BATTERIES:^
A HLSTOPY.
A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE MUSTER-IN, SEA VOY-
AGE, BATTLES, SKIRMISHES AND BARRACK LIFE '
OF THE UTAH BATTERIES, TOGETHER
WITH BIOGRAPHIES OF OFFICERS
AND MUSTER-OUT ROLLS.
. CHARLES R. MABEY,
1
LATE A SERGEANT OF LIGHT BATTERY A, UTAH VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
ILLUSTRATED.
SALT LAKE CITY,
1900.
COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR.
DAILY REPORTER CO., PKINTKHS, l.-js-lf.n S. West Temple sr
SALT LAKE CITT, I'TAH.
D5
^3
U5M11
TO THE UTAH BATTERYMEN
WHO BRAVELY FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY'S FLAG ON A FOREIGN
SOIL, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHOR.
1232261
PREFACE.
SOMETIME after the Utah Battalion left San Francisco for the
Philippines the author conceived the idea of writing a history of
that organization after its return from the war. With this purpose in
view he kept a diary during the entire campaign and also collected what
other material that could be utilized for such a work. Immediately
upon the arrival in Salt Lake City of the discharged volunteers he, with
others, set to work to bring about a completion of this plan. This little
volume represents the result of the labor expended at intervals between
that date and the present time. The author claims no more for it than
its title assumes a brief history of the Utah batteries. It is no more.
There may be some works in the future which will command, to a
greater extent, the attention of the reading public. This is not written
with the idea that it will become a standard work, but that while those
events which happened are yet green in the memories of the Utah
artillerymen, they may be recorded and not be consigned to oblivion.
The author trusts he may not be asserting too much when he affirms
that the book is written with a strict adherence to facts, as he has had
access both to public and private data in the compiling of the work, and
he has been scrupulously careful in guarding against errors of every
description. At this opportunity he takes pleasure in thanking those
officers and men who have helped him in bringing about an accom-
plishment of his plans, and furthermore, he wishes to extend his
thanks to Angus K. Nicholson for his contributions and a like com-
munication to those friends who have given him timely advice and
aid in disposing of difficulties which have arisen from time to time.
BOUNTIFUL, January 25, 1900.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE 7
INTRODUCTION 13
CHAPTER I. The Mustering 16
CHAPTER II. Barrack Life 24
CHAPTER III. The Insurrection 36
CHAPTER IV. The Gunboats 77
CHAPTER V. The Home Coming 90
MAJOR RICHARD W. YOUNG 102
MAJOR FRANK A. GRANT 1 03
CAPTAIN E. A. WEDGEWOOD 1 05
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW 1 06
LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. GIBBS 108
LIEUTENANT RAYMOND C. NAYLOR 109
LIEUTENANT ORRIN R. GROW 1 1
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM C. WEBB 112
LIEUTENANT GEORGE A. SEAMAN 113
LIEUTENANT FRANK T. MINES 114
LIEUTENANT JOHN A. ANDERSON 115
SERGEANT HARRY A. YOUNG 116
SERGEANT FORD FISHER 118
ROSTER Battery A 1 20
Battery B 1 25
LIST Or ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
A FAMILIAR SCENE 27
OLD GUARD FATIGUE AT THE CUARTEL 33
LIEUTENANT GIBBS' SECTION AT FT. MACARTHUR 47
GUN AT PUMPING STATION FIRING ON MARIOUINA 50
UTAH GUNS ON MANILA & DAGUPAN RY. EN ROUTE TO THE FRONT 53
FIRST PLATOON, BATTERY A, READY TO MOVE TO MALOLOS 59
UTAH GUNS IN PARK AT CONGRESSIONAL HALL, MALOLOS 65
PREPARING FOR AN ENGAGEMENT 74
MAJOR RICHARD W. YOUNG 102
MAJOR FRANK A. GRANT 1 04
CAPTAIN E. A. WEDGEWOOD 1 06
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW 1 07
LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. GIBBS 108
LIEUTENANT RAYMOND C. NAYLOR 110
LIEUTENANT ORRIN R. GROW Ill
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM C. WEBB 112
LIEUTENANT GEORGE A. SEAMAN 114
LIEUTENANT FRANK T. HINES 115
LIEUTENANT JOHN A. ANDERSON 116
SERGEANT HARRY A. YOUNG 117
SERGEANT FORD FISHER. . .119
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
INTRODUCTION.
n^IIK history of the Utah Batteries should he a plain
tale, for deeds of valor cannot be garnished by the
flower of rhetoric or the pomp of oratory. This is a sim-
ple story of brave deeds. The stern browed Heracles
standing unarmed in the midst of his countrymen was a
frank, common figure, but when he dashed like Ares upon
the Lerneaen hydra he became majestic, ana no mere pen
picture could augment his greatness. So we shall paint
a picture of the achievements of the cannoneers and gun-
ners of Utah while withstanding the onslaughts of the
dusky warriors of Aguimaldo, and no greater compliment
can be paid them than a clear true narrative of their ex-
ploits.
Utah was early distinguished in the furious fights of
Luzon. Even before the soldiers of "Uncle Sam" had felt
their way into the defenses of Manila, her guns had
awaked the long-sleeping sentries of the Dons and torn
holes into the bulwarks of Spanish oppression and tyran-
ny. Her later accomplishments against the fierce Taga-
lan braves have only served to increase the homage and
admiration of the world, yet, in the dark days of the con-
flict, as veterans know, are performed many daring acts
and feats of human strength, which are never recorded in
the chronicles of fame, or proclaimed by the bugle's blare.
There were those who knew what it was to feel the pangs
of hunger and the ravages of disease, those who experi-
enced the racking pains occasioned by fatiguing marches,
and long, weary tramps through the unbroken wilderness
of the tropics; and there were belated ones who hid in the
14 INTRODUCTION.
swamps anxiously watching for the iirst beams of dawn
to reveal the lurking foe.
An account of the actions of the men of Utah is not a
recital of the performances of one man; neither is it a de-
scription of the doings of a particular section of men. It
is the story of brave men fighting- under competent chiefs.
Their history is exceptional. In every engagement
against the insurrectionists, on land and river, the un-
ceasing fire of the guns of Utah was heard. While Major
Young, Major Grant, Captain Critchlow and Lieutenant
Seaman battered down the enemy's breastworks at Cal-
oocan and San Lazerus cemetery, the cannon under Cap-
tain Wedgewood hurled fiery wrath into the terrified foe
at Sampaloe, and Lieutenant Webb's death-dealing mon-
sters flung destruction into the ranks of the Filipino
hordes at Santa Mesa. While the Land batteries, with
the infantry, worked their way through the tropical for-
ests in that campaign which drove the natives out of Cal-
umpit and San Fernando and sent Aguinaldo flying into
the mountains beyond, Major Grant, Lieutenant Naylor
and Lieutenant Webb, with their fire-spitting dragons,
the river gunboats, bore down upon the insurgents at Mo-
rong and Santa Cruz and disturbed the silence of the
primitive woods at San Luiz and Candaba.
The country was not slow in recognizing Utah. Al-
most as soon as hostilities commenced Major Young was
elevated to a position on General MacArthur's staff, and
when the river gunboats were put into commission in
anticipation of a Tagalan outbreak Lieutenant K. C. Nay-
lor was placed second in command. Later when the river
fleet was enlarged Major Grant took command and Lieu-
tenant William C. Webb assumed control of the "Cova-
donga," positions which both held till Utah's fighting
days were over.
The Utah cannoneers w r ere not only exceptional as
fighters, but they did things before unheard of in artillery
annals. They pushed along in line with the infantry in
many a hard-fought encounter in the vanguard; during
the early days of the conflict, when the rival force first
iurned its weapons upon the walls of Manila, they hauled
their pieces after them in grim pursuit of the fleeing foe.
INTRODUCTION. 15
They stood coin parison with the well-drilled regulars, and
in many instances surpassed them; the bark of their iron-
tongued. guns never failed to strike terror into the hearts
of the dusky braves of Luzon, while it ever sounded as a
note of cheer to the infantrymen on the straggling skir-
mish line.
There is Santa Mesa, Malabon, Quingua, Bag Bag,
San Fernando words hollow sounding to the ordinary
ear; but when named to the stalwart veteran they touch a
chord which quickens the pulse and sets every nerve fiber
vibrating with emotion. To him each tells a tale of noble
achievements wrought beneath the broiling sun of the
tropics; to him each whispers an assurance that his duty
was bravely done in the blasting fires of the East.
The w r arriors of Utah have listened to their last re-
vielle and their last retreat. When they withdrew from
I he Orient they left the scenes of carnage behind and re-
turned to loved ones and to peace. May that peace be
lasting and happy.
CHAPTER I.
THE MUSTERIXCi.
W 1 1 ION the war trumpet's shrill notes disturbed the se-
ivnit v of this tranquil land early in '98 their echoes
\\ere not lost on the hills of Utah, but reverberating from
cliff to cliff and peak to peak they swelled into a martial
hymn whose chorus was sung in every home in the com
nionwealth. The dark stormy days preceding the dec-
laration of war in April had aroused the dormant ener-
gies of men, hitherto engaged in the peaceful pursuits of
life, and filled them with an eager desire to perform the
more exciting duties, of the camp, so that when the call
was issued by (Jovernor Wells on April 2~)th a host of
young men from every corner of the State applied for en-
listment in the volunteer army.
Out of the 500 men, Utah's original quota, 343 were
designated for the Light Artillery service. There are
reasons for this not altogether understood by those out-
side military circles. At the breaking out of hostilities
Avith Spain the National Guard of the various States
were deficient in this branch of the service. The guns
consisted mostly of obsolete and useless muzzle-loading
cannon, divided among the States at the close of the
(Mvil War. Some Avere smooth bores, others rifled. There
were Xapoleons and Parrots, brass cannon and tAventy-
four pounders. Very few of the Si ales had modern guns,
but Utah was especially favored in this line. During the
early organization of the guard she had been provided
with eight .'i.li-inch H. & L. rifles, together with limbers,
caisson, harnesses, etc. Thus it was apparent to all who
knew anything of the manner of procedure that the
youngest Stale in the Union Avonld be called upon to fur-
nish artillery, and so it proved, for, after having been
informed by Senator Frank J. Cannon that this State
could man the guns, the War Department made ar-
rangements for Utah to put two batteries in the field.
THE MUSTERING. 17
The day following the Governor's call recruiting of-
ficers were appointed to enlist men for the service, the
names of those designated to enroll batterymen being
Richard W. Young, Frank A. Grant, George W. Gibbs,
Ray 0. Naylor and Orrin R. Grow. These were assigned
to different portions of the State and the work began on
the day following. Ethan Allen, afterwards First Ser-
grjnit of Battery A, was the first man to enroll. Orders
were received from Washington naming Fort Douglas
as the rendezvous for the recruits, the message reaching
here the day enlistment began. Briant H. Wells, a Lieu-
tenant in the Second United States Infantry, who had
been stationed here on duty with the National Guard,
was assigned as mustering officer. The recruiting con-
tinued with varied success until May 1st, when the quota
was filled. Applications for enrollment were so plenti-
ful after the news of the call became generally known
that recruiting officers were frequently compelled to
have the men draw lots in order to determine the lucky
ones, for that is the term then used.
May 3rd, camps were pitched on the lower parade
ground at Fort Douglas. It was named Camp Kent in
honor of Colonel (now Major-General, retired) J. Ford
Kent, who had commanded the Twenty-fourth United
States Infantry stationed at the fort when hostilities
were declared, and which had marched away but a short
time before. As soon as the camp was established the
men began coming in. It was a strange gathering of
men which appeared at the surgeon's door for examina-
tion the following morning. Farmers fresh from the
plow, cowboys from the plain, miners from the moun-
tains, blacksmiths from the forge, students, teachers,
doctors, bookkeepers had assembled to be defenders in
common of the Nation's honor.
On May 4th the officers were selected. The appoint-
ments of the Governor were as follows:
Battery A Captain, R. W. Young; First Lieuten-
ant, George W. Gibbs; Second Lieutenants, Ray C. Nay-
lor and Thomas B. Braby. Lieutenant Braby declined
the honor and William C. Webb was selected in his
stead.
18 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Battery B Captain, Frajik A. Grant; First Lieu-
tenant, Edgar A. Wedgewood; Second Lieutenants, John
F. Critchlow and Orrin R. Grow.
These selections were regarded as very happy ones.
Captain Young is a graduate of West Point and was at
one time a Lieutenant in the Second United States Ar-
tillery; Lieutenant Gibbs was the Major commanding
the battalion of light artillery in the National Guard of
rtah; Lieutenant Naylor was one of the founders of the
National Guard and had worked his way up to a Lieu-
tenant-Colonelcy, while Lieutenant Webb had been for
some time the Captain of Company A, First Infantry N.
G. U.
All the officers of Battery B had been identified with
the National Guard. Captain Grant was Colonel of the
First Regiment; Lieutenant Wedgewood was formerly
Captain of a company stationed at Provo; Lieutenant
Critchlow was a member of the medical staff, while
Lieutenant Grow was Major of the first battalion of the
First Infantry.
No time was lost after the officers had been chosen,
as the work of disciplining the raw force immediately
began. Camp Kent was the scene of bustle and hurry.
It was drill, drill, drill, from morning until night, and
"Action Front," "Action Right," "Action Left,"
"Change Posts," "Section left front into line" kept the
men moving from reveille until retreat. All seemed anx-
ious to become proficient in the use of the guns, and even
guard duty that task ever despised by the soldier
was performed with a surprising willingness.
On May 9th Lieutenant Wells administered the oath
which transformed the body of citizens into a battalion
of soldiers. The work of preparing the roll was cheer-
fully done and was accelerated somewhat by the arrival
of a message from the War Department announcing that
the Utah Batteries would be sent to the Philippines.
The declaration was received with satisfaction by some,
but others were less enthusiastic as an opinion prevailed
that there would be no fighting in the East, but that
Cuba would furnish the battles of the war. Later de-
velopments proved this to be a mistake, for long after
THE MUSTERING. 19
the Spanish had felt the force of American war machin-
ery at San Juan and El Caney their lost subjects in the
Antipodes were fleeing in terror before the mighty thun-
der of the Utah guns at Santa Mesa and Bagbag.
The batteries left for San Francisco on May 20th.
It was an imposing sight to see the newly recruited
soldiers, commanded by Captain Young, as they marched
down the streets to the depot followed by thousands of
citizens who gathered to bid them farewell. Some part-
ings between relations were exceedingly touching and
sad. Perhaps mothers and sisters, fathers and brothers
read in the dim misty vista of the future the fate to
which some of the men were doomed in the furious
skirmishes of Luzon. Cheer after cheer rang out as the
train pulled away and the volunteers responded with
vigor, although there were some whose voices sounded
husky as the final greetings were given.
On their arrival at San Francisco the batteries re-
ceived a royal welcome, the Red Cross society taking
especial pains to make their visit a pleasant one. Sev-
eral weeks were consumed in perfecting the organiza-
tion and preparing it for foreign service. Lieutenant
Wedgewood and Sergeants Brown and Fehr returned to
Utah and recruited 104 men to complete the organiza-
tions to their full strength, leaving Salt Lake City with
them on June 29th. On June 15th the batteries sailed
away to the land across the seas where work of a far
more serious nature awaited them.
The voyage across was not altogether unlike a voy-
age on any ordinary vessel, save for the fact that the
men were crowded a little closer than on a first-class
passenger boat, and the food was not so elaborate in
character as one would expect to find in a first grade
hotel or a railway dining car. The men kicked in the
good natured American way and continued to eat what
was given them and slept as best they could.
A stop was made at Honolulu, where occurred a re-
ception to the Utah men which marked a bright day in
the life of the soldier. The transports arrived on the
night of the 23rd, and at 11 o'clock. The next morning
they went ashore amid the cheers of the Haw T aiians, who
20 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
gave them a greeting hearty and cordial. Flowers were
in profusion and pretty girls threw bouquets at the tired
pilgrims until they felt that they had indeed found the
"Paradise of the Pacific." Judge Kinney, a former resi-
dent of Salt Lake City, headed the reception committee,
and there were elaborate preparations to make the stay
one of gladness. The great sugar works and plantations
at Oahu were visited and the points of interest carefully
shown. Then under the shading palms, amid the fra-
grance of flowers, with hundreds of pretty girls to wait
on them the men sat down to the banquet. In an at-
mosphere which breathes poetry and pleasure; where
the soft tropical zephyr kisses the cheek as a mother
does a sleeping infant the choicest fruits were served
and substantial edibles tempted the appetite. Soldiers
made love to maidens with dusky cheeks; American blut
eyes told short stories of love to Kanaka brown, and the
Caucasian ladies were not forgotten, for it was a feast of
love. Everywhere was "Aloha, Aloha."
But all things end. The next day saw the ships sail
away. With the sweet fragrance of blossoms still ling-
ering in their nostrils and the long-to-be-remembered
clasp of friendship yet plainly felt they passed away
from the dreamy isle into the oblivion of the Pacific to
resume the diet of beef a la can and coal a la "Colon."
Once more was ship soup staple and tropical sea monot-
ony plentiful.
A few days later the fleet arrived at Wake Island,
which General Greene took possession of in the name of
the United States. Five days after this the Ladrone Isl-
ands were sighted and passed.
About the middle of the month the Philippines were
sighted and on the 17th the fleet of transports entered
the harbor of Manila escorted by the cruiser "Boston."
The landing was an exceedingly difficult undertak-
ing. The facilities for taking the guns from the trans-
ports were not perfect. The guns were put ashore in
about five feet of water and had to be hauled out by
hand, but the work was accomplished in the usual good
natured American fashion, and when this task was fin-
ished men dried their clothes as though nothing had
THE MUSTERING. 21
happened. In landing several amusing incidents oc-
curred. Many Filipinos, anxious to earn a few "cen-
tavos," flocked around the ships, and not a few of the
men hired a native as a sort of a pack horse to carry them
ashore. One two-hundred-pound soldier was unfortu-
ate in the selection of his human pack horse, for he sat
astride the shoulders of a ninety-pound native until the
little fellow broke down and buried himself and rider
in the sad sobbing sea waves to the great amusement of
his comrades and his own disgust. Other occurrences
were equally as ludicrous.
The several days following the landing of the bat-
teries were spent in giving the men the rest they had
earned and needed. No work worthy of mention was
done until the morning of the 29th, when came the first
scent of trouble of war. From the actions of the offi-
cers at early morning it was plain to be seen that some-
1hing was going to happen. Two guns of Battery A
were taken over to the trenches which had been built
by the insurgents near the Capuchin Monastery. During
the day the sharpshooters of the Twenty-third United
States Infantry and the Spanish had been doing some
desultory firing with little result on either side, save that
the men kept their heads closer to the breastworks,
while a battalion of the Colorado Infantry, under Colonel
McCoy, advanced beyond the old trenches to a point near
the monastery, where they threw up a new line of earth-
works. The two guns of Battery A moved to this point
the following morning and took possession of the em-
placements already constructed. On the following
morning two guns under Lieutenant Grow of Battery
B were brought over from Camp Dewey and placed in
position on the left. Men from both lines were engaged
in erecting gun pits all along the front. The guns were
located about 1000 yards from Fort San Antonio de
Abad, which formed the extreme right of the Spanish
line. The enemy's left and center was protected by a
line of intrenchments. Outpost duty was being per-
formed by a company of the Eighteenth United States
Infantry. The firing, which had been kept up with more
or less vigor, came from the right of the Utah position,
22 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
which was entirely unprotected owing to a failure on
the part of the insurgents to maintain their lines be-
tween Calle Heal and the Pasig road.
During the night of July 30th-31st the excitement
began. Heavy small arm firing was indulged in by the
enemy and from his lines came shells at irregular inter-
vals, none of which did any damage. At this time Lieu-
tenant Naylor was in the trenches with the two guns of
Battery A. At 8 o'clock next morning Lieutenant Gibbs
relieved him of the command with two-gun detachments
of fresh men. All day everything was quiet. The enemy
was planning a night attack, as he had no desire to mix
with the American forces in a fair open fight in the
broad light of day, but rather trusted to darkness to
accomplish his designs. Everything was quiet until
11:30 that evening, when the Mausers began singing
venomously from the Spanish lines. Then came the
boom of his artillery and the men in the trenches knew
that the time for action had come. The Tenth Pennsyl-
vania troops replied with their Springfields and the whiz
of the "45's" mingled with the keen "twang" of the
Mausers, while the Third Artillerymen, equipped as
regular infantry, took a part in the altercation. The in-
structions of the Utah men were not to fire until it was
evident the enemy was making an advance. The can
noneers stood by their guns awaiting the orders which
should make them a part of the fight. Finally it came.
Major Cuthberton of the First California, the senior
officer present, gave the word and then Utah's voice was
heard for the first time during the war. The gunners
worked like Trojans and with shrapnel punched at zero
they sent shell after shell into the Castilian lines. Cor-
poral Charles Varian, with no clothing on save a pair
of trousers, sweating like a man who was working for
his life, yet cool withal, managed his piece like a veteran.
Sergeant J. O. Nystrom gave orders in a collected way
that instilled fresh courage into the hearts of his men.
W. W. Riter wore a seraphic smile as he sighted his gun
at the spits of flame on the other side, while Billy Kneass
worked his cannon with the sang froid of a man in a
blind waiting for ducks. It was a warm time and when
THE MUSTERING. 23
morning dawned it was ascertained that several (Jas-
tilian voices bad been added to Choral Society in that
land beyond the river. Utah's men were standing their
baptism of fire and proved themselves soldiers. All the
terrible passion of war had supplanted the first feelings
of timidity, and they manipulated their guns with as
much composure as they would have handled the
pigskins on the gridiron. But the ammunition was
running short. Fifty-seven shrapnel had been dis-
charged and the battle was still on. The Penn-
sylvania men had fired away nearly all their am-
munition, and affairs began to look serious, when
a body of men from Camp Dewey hauling a limber
chest after them dashed from out the gloom. Once more
across the intervening space the shells shrieked and
broke the Spanish lines, causing havoc and terror. The
attempt of the u Dons" had proved futile, and after hav-
ing fought for two and a half hours they withdrew.
Although other commands had lost men the Utah
boys were fortunate in this that not one of their number
was killed and only one slightly wounded in this en-
gagement.
For several days but little was done by the Utah
troops. The men constructed emplacements for the
guns, cut down timber which might have interfered with
good work and awaited orders. In the meantime the
Lieutenants of the batteries were relieving each other
from day to day. The fire from the Spanish lines was
kept up in a desultory manner and was replied to by the
infantry in the American lines.
The final engagement on the 13th was short, but the
guns of the Utah men did wonderful execution. In con-
junction with Dewey's fleet they tore holes in the Span-
ish fort at Malate and helped in forcing the enemy out
of his position on the extreme left.
CHAPTER II.
BAH RACK LIFE.
LIKE all the other organizations which had taken part
in the capturing of Manila, the Utah batteries were
without a home when they first entered the city. Bat-
tery A found temporary quarters in a spacious nipa hut
in the Malate district, while Battery B went into bar-
racks in the Oduiinistracion de Hacienda. Several days
later 'Major Young secured the Cuartel de Meisic, for-
merly occupied by a Spanish engineer regiment, and
Battery A was stationed there August 18th. Some days
following Battery B moved into the same building. The
Third Artillery occupied the south half of the Cuartel,
and the batteries were domiciled in the east and west
wings of the north half. The Cuartel was a large and
stalwart structure located in the most picturesque part
of Manila. South of it lay the business portion of Ma-
nila, with its Escolta, its Plaza de Cervantes, and its
Hotel de Oriente; to the w r est was the Marcadero teem-
ing with rustic Filipino maids and redolent with its
Oriental odors; stretching away to the north were the
broad rice fields and forests of bamboo, with the moun-
tains in the distance forming a background. It was a
pleasant home and one which the men appreciated.
During the first few weeks of barrack life the men
settled down serene in the thought that they would
soon be speeding homeward. Their duty had been done
and they felt that they were now entitled to the happier
pleasures of Utah. But days passed, and were length-
ened into weeks, weeks passed and were lengthened into
months, and still they remained in the tropics with less
hope of returning home than they had at first enter-
tained. The novelty of their surroundings began to wear
off and everything which the Philippines could afford
became decidedly commonplace. Unable, therefore, to
find other entertainments when off duty, as a pastime
BARRACK LIFE. 25
the men exchanged reminiscent fairy tales about their
late combat. Wearying of these occupations they often
sauntered out of the Cuartel in bodies in quest of what
little mirth they could get out of the passive and inex-
plicable natives.
Of course, there were drills and everybody liked
them, as they produced such an excellent opportunity
for one to give vent to his feelings after the drills were
over with. Those were happy hours which the men spent
in sweltering under the genial warmth of the southern
sun, and learning with a bitter vengeance the tactics of
"dismounted drill." And ''double' time," too, was al-
v ays a pleasant innovation as it generated a bodily heat
to correspond with mental feelings and external influ-
ences. Then there was always an appreciative audience
of gaping nut-brown maids and matrons who took de-
light in watching the "soldado" go through his ever-
changing evolutions. Yes, those were days which the
veteran will always look back upon with rapture.
At first some trouble was occasioned over the inade-
quate food supply; but that difficulty was soon obliter-
ated. The then acting commissary sergeant was re-
moved and A. L. Williams, familiarly known among his
admirers in the battalion by the euphonious prefixes of
''Dad" and "Judge," was elevated to this position.
Under the judicious management of the Judge a revolu-
tion was made in the department and the men waxed
fet from the overflowing cornucopia of the commissary.
In those murky days of Manila were other things
which served to offset the oppressive blazonry of the
tropic sun. In order to make the attire of the soldiers
harmonize as much as possible with the requirements of
the climate, light shirts and trousers were provided by
the quartermaster's department. Every week occurred
a general inspection, to which the men were expected to
appear housed in this startling white with polished
shoes and flaming brass buckles. A very imposing ap-
pearance they made when lined up on these occasions.
The advent of the soldier vastly accelerated the
trade of the native fruit venders in the vicinity of the
Cuartel, and as time wore on this peculiar product of
26 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the Orient increased his sales by the addition of the
deadly "vino," sometimes with rather disastrous results
to the imbiber. That wondrous monument of human in-
genuity commonly known as "army hardtack" formed
the standard medium of exchange between the indus-
trious fruit dealer and his overworked customer. The
barred windows of the Cuartel became the market
ground for all the products of Luzon, and through them
many a luscious mango was exchanged for an adaman-
tine biscuit upon which the soldier had vainly expended
all his dental energy. The natives had full access to the
barracks at this time, and the native washerwoman
made the bianco trousers shine iridescently for inspec-
tion by beating them against the sunny side of a boulder
and afterwards pressing them with a fearfully and won-
derfully made flatiron.
Hard by the Cuartel were a number of "tiendas,"
widely known among the soldiers as "vino stands." The
presiding spirit over one of these establishments was
generally a pretty "mestiza," who, in addition to her
natural charms, was blessed with a high-sounding Cas-
tilian name. There were four shops run on the plan,
which held pre-eminence both for the character of the
"vino" which they supplied and the bewitching charms
of their owners. The returned volunteer will remember
with keen enjoyment "Juanita," "Juaquina," "Vic-
toriana," and above all "Isabella," the saintly and vir-
tuous, who was equally as skillful in obtaining the
nimble sixpence as in raising a brood of mestiza chil-
dren. There was also "Madre," withered and anti-
quated, but a born dictator, and through her superior
management she came to be known as the top-sergeant.
Finally there was Ysabel, with a gentle smile upon her
pleasant brunette face, and Estepania, brown-eyed and
plump, most beautiful among all the mestiza belles.
Isabella's casa was the place to which the eyes of the
weary soldier turned after a long and fatiguing drill;
afterwards it was the point to which his footsteps inevi-
tably led when he was able to rush in for a few days
from the firing line. The house was large and spacious,
with polished ebony floors and wide windows through
BARRACK LIFE.
27
which the balmy zephyrs blew and kissed the heated
brow of the tired fighter. Beautiful creepers twisted
their way up the wall and stole in at the extensive bal-
cony to catch a taste of the pleasures within; the broad-
leafed banana palm surrounded the casa and broke the
power of the blazing tropic sun. It was, indeed, the one
spot in all the East which made the home-loving Utahns
feel at home. When away all his secret longings were
centered upon that place and its attractions, and his
mouth yearned for a renewed acquaintance with the
delicate omelets fashioned by the dainty fingers of Pania
A FAMILIAR SCENE.
and the crab brought from the bay by the ubiquitous
Peek-a-boo. His mind reverted with gratitude to the
anxious solicitations of "Madre" when she learned that
he was suffering from a headache and he acutely re-
membered the healing balm which she applied to his
fevered brow. He knew, too, that should he be struck
down in death by the bullet of the enemy, what tears
of sympathy would be shed at the news of his misfor-
tune.
The one source of worriment about the Isabella man-
sion was the fact that the thirsty soldiers were frequently
28 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
given an over supply of the deadly vino. Such an occur-
rence was attended with dire results; but as the mother-
ly "Madre" was blessed with an abundant store of reme-
dies, under her care the victim was soon restored to his
mental equilibrium. All soldiers seem gifted with
special powers to spend money and as a consequence
few of them could command the attention of a penny
bootblack twenty-four hours after being paid, but this
weakness had no weight with the kindly old dame who
carried a large credit roll and could refuse nothing to
a Utah sold ado. So Isabella's mansion forms a part of
the war history of the Utah batteries; and it must be
remembered with other and more Stirling scenes; for
when the thoughts of the Utah soldier stray to the domi-
cile of the Isabella family they are mingled with happy
reminiscenses and strange memories and tragic sights.
One hundred and four weary and footsore re-
cruits arrived in the Cuartel on the 28th of August and
deposited their blankets and all other portable property
on the greensward. They had been waiting out in the
bay four days and had finally reached the Cuartel after
having made a complete circuit of the city. Sergeant
Arthur W. Brown piloted the new batch of volunteers
to their home, and ever since the redoubtable Sergeant
has borne a reputation, as a file leader, which would
make a Mexican burro grew green-eyed with envy.
Here it might be stated that after watching the
fleet of transports, which conveyed the Utah batteries,
sail out of the rugged Golden Gate into the broad Pa-
cific, Lieutenant E. A. Wedgewood and Sergeants Ar-
thur W. Brown and L. N. Fehr turned toward Utah bent
on the mission of securing 104 recruits, which would give
each battery its full quota of 173. Volunteers were nu-
merous but the work of enlisting covered a period of
nine days. Kecruits were obtained from all points in the
State but the majority came from Salt Lake City. On
the 28th of June the full number had been enrolled and
the following day the small body of men left for San
Francisco, after being accorded a warm demonstration
at the depot. At Oakland they remained all night of the
BARRACK LIFE. 29
30th and the following morning they marched to Camp
Merritt, from which place they were removed to the
Presidio two days later.
Late in June Lieutenant Wedgewood was ta-
ken ill with typhoid fever but remained with the men
until July 6th, when he was taken to the Lane hospital
and Lieutenant Diss of the Calif orna Heavy Artillery
was placed temporarily in charge of the recruits. Or-
ders were for the Utah contingent to sail on the trans-
port "Rio de Janeiro," and as the South Dakota Infantry
was the only organization on the vessel Lieutenant Fos-
ter of that regiment was given command of the men.
The voyage was uneventful save that the soldiers
were ill-treated by Lieutenant Foster, who succeeded in
gaining for himself the eternal hatred of the men under
his charge. As the recruits were then unacquainted
with military practices, many expressions of disgust be-
ing made in an unguarded Vay, reached the ears of the
worthy Lieutenant, wha heaped still greater indignities
upon the men by way of retaliation.
At Honolulu TV. A. Kinney, the large plantation
owner, entertained the Utahns during their brief stay
in that city.
The "Bio de Janeiro" arrived in Manila Bay on the
24th of August, but it was four days later before the re-
cruits set foot on the soil of Luzon and made their phe-
nomenal march up the streets of Manila to Plaza de
Felipe II, where they greeted their comrades.
Lieutenant Wedgewood, having recovered from his
fever, arrived October 4th on the "Scandia," which left
San Francisco on August 27th.
During the long dreary days following the arrival of
the recruits their life was not entirely joyous. From
sunrise to sunset they were forced to listen to the blood-
curdling tales which their companions told of the late
conflict with the "Dons." At first they hearkened to
them with respectful attention. They never doubted the
truth of these glowing fairy stories. They revered these
self-lauding heroes as a species of immortal beings. In
return for this tributary deference they were treated
with contempt. The veteran called them "rookies," and
30 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
whenever one of them attempted to soar he was prompt-
ly and sternly reminded of his inferiority ;md kindly in-
vited to get off the pedestal upon which he had so un-
wittingly placed himself while one of his superiors pro-
ceeded to relate a harrowing tale of blood and thunder
and rain down in the trenches. Every bit of rainy
weather or glorious sunset reminded the Malate hero
of something he had seen in the trenches and at once he
began to dilate upon it with great attention to details
and a lofty air of his own importance.
So it went on. The recruits vainly sought for re-
lief. He tried to stem the tide of persecution by relating
stories of his own. But as soon as he made such an at-
tempt he was immediately ''bawled out" and his tor-
mentors proceeded with a fresh tirade. Finally one of
the groaning victims hit upon a happy plan, and after it
was carried out it effectually stopped the torture. When
in the future the mendacious veteran essayed to array
himself in a cloud of glory by narrating legends of per-
sonal prowess, he was unceremoniously suppressed by the
rookies, who sang:
It may be so; I do not know,
But it sounds to me like a lie.
Instantly upon the starting of this little hymn it
was taken up by every soldier in the barracks and the
unlucky veteran, crestfallen and beaten, was onty too
glad to retire into seclusion.
During those five months in which the soldier was
learning the peculiarities of Oriental life and sweltering
under the raj-s of the Southern sun, he adopted any
means of causing the speedy destruction of time. After
the singularities of his new surroundings had ceased to
be uncommon he began to look about himself in search
of other amusement. Naturally a person who adapts
himself easily to his environments, he took up with the
games of the Filipinos, and, as a consequense, soon after
the appearance of the American as a prominent figure on
the streets of Manila, it was no unusual occurrence to
behold the huge, good-natured Yankee engaged in friend-
ly sport with the diminutive and fiery Tagalan.
BARRACK LIFE. 31
As cock-fighting is the national game of the native
the soldier seized upon this diversion with an enthus-
iasm that was truly remarkable. The slender and wiry
Bailie cock was in great demand. The feathered pugilist
became the hero of the hour. The price of "polios"
jumped above par two or three times over. On the shady
side of every street could be seen little knots of men
eagerly awaiting the outcome of a battle in which these
kings among all the fowl tribe were engaged. And the
victory was not decided without great loss, for frequent-
ly the champion proclaimed himself conqueror by
mounting the gory body of his late enemy and crowing
with great vigor. Men bet on their favorites with as
much fervor as an ardent proselyte of Mohammed ut-
ters praises to his Maker from the housetop at sunrise.
But even this pastime was too tame for the restless
nature which constantly pined for the more exciting fun
of America. So the chicken stock suddenly declined in
value, and that of the swine took a corresponding rise,
when there was talk of organizing a football association.
This plan, however, lost its popularity after several prac-
tices on the "Gridiron" the climate of Luzon had its
drawbacks when it came to punting the pigskin. Thft re-
quirements for a good football game are a temperature
of 6 degrees below zero, and a field covered with a four-
inch layer of snow and a corresponding thickness of soft
mud underneath. As the Philippines t<re sadly deficient
in the first two articles, it was decided to drop "Rugby"
in favor of baseball.
Throughout the Eighth Army Corps this proposi-
tion \vas received with great warmth. Every organiza-
tion had its team. Some influential men of Manila of-
fered inducements to the winning nine; the American
Commercial Company agreed to present a silver cup to
the team which could score the most points. Arrange-
ments were made for matches, and rival teams soon met
on the diamond at the Lunetta. Utah was not to be out-
done even in baseball; any man who had ever played
ball or looked at a diamond was invited to join the team,
and after this liberal request, it took no great time for
the battalion to put a pretty good organization into the
32 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
field. Soon the husky farmers from Utah were pitted
against the powerful "pumpkin rollers" from Nebraska,
and the sturdy Pennsylvanians fought for honors with
the Wyoming cowboys.
Those were pleasant hours when the sons of Amer-
ica met under the tropic sky on a foreign soil and ex-
changed friendly greeting in their national game. Not
a follower of the "Stars and Stripes" was there but felt
happier and prouder after such a day. Home seemed
nearer by half than it ever had before. And the natives,
too, came in for a share of the rejoicing; they liked to
see the "Grande Americano" perform his antics with the
ball; they, too, gathered in knots and talked and ges-
ticulated and laughed and cheered. The irrepressible
small boy was everywhere present, with his sarsaparilla,
his peanuts and his slabs of cocoanut candy. There were
those who made his trade profitable and those who pre-
ferred something of a more fiery nature. That also could
be obtained for the asking.
So the games went on by the side of the great swell-
ing sea, and the roll of the surf mingled with the merry
tones of the players. Battles were fought and fields
were won on the diamond and Utah carried the trophy
away to America.
While there were some things which excited the
curiosity, others which aroused the attention, and still
others which seemed to rivet men's minds for a short
time on certain subjects, yet they all paled into insignfi-
cance before the magic of that one word "Mail !"
On a quiet sultry day, when all nature except the
sun seemed to be taking a rest and when nothing but
the bugle call for dinner could prove that a spark of life
remained in the barracks, the announcement that mail
had arrived would transform that peaceful quiet build-
ing into an Eastern bazar, with all of its accessions. At
the mention of that word the stolid sentry, pacing his
beat with languid steps, instantly quickened into life;
the motionless somnolent forms lying on the canvas
cots sprang from their recumbent positions, strangely
wide awake; the groups of men engaged in a social game
BARRACK LIFE.
33
of cards, instantly scattered for that new field of inter-
est. The First Sergeant's office became a scene of the
greatest activity. An eager, excited crowd gathered
around; cheeks and noses were pressed against the iron
grating, while the ear listened intently for familiar
names. Happy was he who received a goodly supply.
There were those who turned away crestfallen and
disappointed, there were others who remained behind
and hungrily eyed their more fortunate comrades, as
they knew they had no loved ones to write to them.
When the mail had been distributed the barracks again
relapsed into silence, but it was a wide awake silence,
not a sultry, oppressive one. Then was reading of let-
"OLD GUARD FATIGUE" AT THE CUARTEL.
ters which told of love and friendship and hope; then
were familiar scenes brought before the imagination to
renew acquaintances which had begun to grow dim;
then were sighs heard for dear home and mother. News-
papers and magazines w r ere not unpopular. The letters
read, then the papers were devoured. Long articles,
short articles, advertisements and pictures were con-
sumed with equal eagerness, and when every visable
portion had been absorbed they were held up to the light
to see if they contained anything on the inside. Such
was mail day in Manila, and the story proceeds,
34 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
In the early days of barrack life, men talked of re-
turning home to celebrate Thanksgiving, but after Oc-
tober had begun to decline it became evident that these
fond hopes were not to be realized.
Then the inventive Yankee proceeded to devise
means to give thanks in the good old fashioned way in
spite of climate and strange country. The Luzon turkey
in all respects does not compare favorably with his
American cousin, yet he is "turkey," and that goes a
great way when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving.
It was upon this peculiar species of the feathered
race that the batterymen fastened their attentions. Tur-
keys were secured, and they served as a nucleus about
which all preparations centered. Several weeks prior to
the gala day most elaborate arrangements were made.
The soldiers gathered in knots and discussed the com
ing event. It had a particular interest with them as they
anticipated something more palatable than the ordinary
"hardtack and slum-gullion." Nor were their expecta-
tions disappointed, for, when the day came in all its
glory, the commissary had proved itself equal to the
occasion. All the powers of the culinary art had been
brought to bear upon the leathery tendons of this turkey
of the East. It had been fried and flayed until the very
air of the barracks became aromatic with its savor. Even
the hungry natives scented the perfumed air and gath-
ered at the entrances to inspect the delicacies more
closely.
At length the tables were prepared and the raven-
ous warriors seated themselves. Then were the victuals
attacked with vigor; the enemy brought forth all his
fighting force; he assaulted the front with deadly effect;
simultaneously he attacked the flank and the rear; he
cut, he hacked, he slashed, he dissected and tore, until
there was nothing left of his victim but the skeleton,
and even this he eyed ravenously. Of course there were
pies and cakes and cranberries and fruits and greens and
vegetables, and they, too, suffered. Of the squash fam-
ily there were not a few, the favorite pumpkin was want-
ing, but then the lack of it had been long since supplied
by the desiccated potato, and the consumer felt no secret
BARRACK LIFE. 35
pangs at its absence. Tims Thanksgiving passed on and
Christmas came with its bevy of holiday boxes, and its
"Peace on earth good will to men;" but while the Amer-
ican was still thinking of the light of peace, there came
the low rumbling of impending gloom; his ears were
startled by the distant thunder of -the voice of war; he
knew it to be the opening peal of the awakening insur-
rection and his attention turned to the more serious mat-
ter of the imminent conflict. A more powerful enemy
than his late foe menaced him from all sides.
CHAPTER III.
THE INSURRECTION.
HTHE report of a rifle rang down the quiet Santa Mesa
Mil on the night of February 4th. As the flash of
the gun died away in the gloom a dusky warrior fell in
death and the spark of an insurrection kindled into
flame. Almost instantly the belligerent Tagalans rushed
down upon the American outposts; the United States
forces from Caloocan to Malate swung into line, and the
sturdy Anglo-Saxon and the fiery Malay were matched
in combat.
The violent clash caused no look of surprise to flut-
ter across the faces of the American soldiers; all knew
that the outbreak was coming, all had waited with ex-
pectant excitement for the impending conflict. To the
intoxicated native victory against the Spanish seemed
too certain to be wrested from him by the conquering
American; he had long smarted under the goading re-
flection that "the wreath of the conquerer" had been
snatched away at the moment when it seemed almost
within his grasp. This bitter knowledge irritated and
maddened him, until he only awaited an opportunity to
spring at the throat of his imaginary foe and wrench
from him what he considered his own. He remembered
the long years of wretchedness under Spanish tyranny
and opppression. He suspected that his new masters
would prove even more overbearing than his late perse-
cutors. He had not forgotten the daring rush for liberty
which his ancestors had made. Their blood coursed
through his veins and he determined that he would not
relinquish the struggle without one last bold dash for
the coveted goal.
It was not alone a love for liberty which spurred
onward the dark horde which followed the red banner
of Aguinaldo. Since 1896 they had striven with their
ancient enemy, with the hope that they might tear from
THE INSURRECTION. 37
him all his wealth. Their leader had with subtle diplo-
macy urged on his wary braves with the thought that
when they battered down the walls of Manila all that it
contained would be theirs to loot and ravage. They
loved liberty, but they loved the gold which it would
bring still more. So they looked with hungry eyes when
they saw the Americano enter the city of their dreams
and close the gate against the black hosts who sought
entrance to plunder and steal.
During the few months preceding the outbreak the
Filipinos had become less friendly to their late allies.
"La Independencia," the official organ of the insurgents,
frequently came out with loud denunciations against
the Americans and called the sullen natives to action
against the hated usurpers. It was not an uncommon
occurrence to see the walls of public buildings patched
over with "proclamos," signed by Aguinaldo, almost
openly declaring war against the Americans and assert-
ing the rights of the Tagalans to their independence.
The fourteen blockhouses which had been the
Spanish line of defense had been allowed to 'fall into the
hands of the Filipinos, who converted them into a strong
offensive and defensive work. When by chance an
American strayed beyond these fortifications, the atti-
tude of the native sentries w r as often violent and abusive.
Eventually no soldiers were permitted to go outside of
the territory bounded by our outposts, and the Malay
line of muskets tightened around the city like the arm
of a colossal dragon. Repeatedly there were war alarms,
and for several days the men not on duty were kept in
barracks. At times the Tagalans at the pumping station
shut off the water supply merely as an insolent challenge
and an indication of w'hat they were able to do. On cer-
tain parts of the line the Filipinos were seen building
new intrenchments and reinforcing the old ones.
For several weeks natives had been concentrating
around the Santa Mesa, and Lieutenant Webb was sent
out to the Nebraska camp with the left platoon of Bat-
tery A to strengthen the Nebraska position. The Santa
Mesa road was looked upon by the multitude of Aguin-
aldo as the natural gateway to Manila. It was at the
38 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
San Juan Del Monte bridge that they had sought in vain
to pound their way into the Spanish lines on many a
desperate battle night. One of the Utah guns occupied
the very gun pit which had been used by the Castilians
as a defense from which their cannon barked back de-
fiance to the onru&hing fanatical hordes.
Often there were wrangles between Colonel Stotsen-
berg and the Tagalan officers regarding the line of out-
posts which the native forces should occupy. Several
times the Colonel averted hostilities by a judicious
yielding to minor points. Ultimately at the San Juan
bridge a stalwart American sentry and a diminutive
Tagalan paced in parallel lines. The Filipinos seemed
anxious to aggravate the Americans into an act of hos-
tility, and rigorous orders were issued to prevent such
an occurrence. Night after night the native warriors
clustered about one end of the bridge and uttered curses
at the silent Nebraskan outpost. Before the outbreak
actually took place several times our sentries were
forced back by a howling mob of drunken Malays.
One native officer was particularly violent. Not a
night passed but that he gathered a crowd of inebriated
Tagalans and tramped down to the bridge for the pur-
pose of scoffing and hurling vile epithets at the taciturn
American posted there. They were encouraged by the
lenient and apparently submissive attitude of the
Americans whom they had begun to look upon as arrant
cowards, Who could be wheedled and whipped about as
they chose.
On the night when the signal shot sang out in the
darkness and the battle came, the same haughty officer
was coming down towards the American line to repeat
his abusive conduct, when the sharp voice of the sentry
rang out as a warning to halt. He persistently advanced
and at the same time launched some vehement Tagalan
curses at the outpost. The next instant he lay dead with
a bullet through his heart; the report startled the still
night air and an insurrection was born.
All that night the thunders of the united American
forces in action were wafted to the Cuartel. The natives
were so close that some of the bullets pattered against
THE INSURRECTION. 39
the walls of the building and some even struck the Hotel
DC Oriente, nearer town. When the commissary wagons
probed their way out to the belligerent front they were
fired upon from the houses lining the streets. Every nipa
hut in which a private family lived became an arsenal.
The trouble had been anticipated and every officer
knew what portion he was expected to defend. Ten
minutes after the news arrived in the Cuartel, the heavy
guns of rtah rumbled over the streets to different parts
of the field.
Those under Major Grant rushed out into the night
and were instantly under a vigorous fire near the woods
of Caloocan. Captain Wedgewood disappeared in the
1> lack ness and took up the appointed position on the
Balic Balic road near Samaploe cemetery. The guns un-
der Lieutenant Seaman dashed out of the barracks and a
few moments later their deep bass was added to the Sa-
tanic roar. On McLeod's hill surrounded by the Ne-
braskans two guns under Lieutenant Webb menaced the
plain below.
At Santa Mesa the fight began. Three minutes after
the opening flash the Nebraskan camp was deserted.
As the outposts slowly returned the regiment swept on-
\v;ml to the fray, and soon the angry rattle of the "Long
Toms" answered back the viperous "ping" of the Mau-
ser.
The sound of the first shot had hardly ceased echo-
ing upon the hill when the Tagalans, jubilant, confident,
flew for the bridge; their onrush was met with a volley
from the Nebraskans. Then from Caloocan and Sampaloi
the din of multudunious musketry fired in unison, wavefl
over the hill; then the awful thunder of the guns of the
fleet pulverized the enemy's bulwarks at Malate
swelled over the plain. Occasionally a lull came in the
fight and then as if gathering strength by inaction the
tumult broke forth with increased fury. In the dark-
ness it was impossible for the Utah guns to accomplish
anything, as the location of the infantry could not be
exactly distinguished. So all night the men tugged and
toiled to get the pieces in position, that they might take
part in the encounter at dawn. The fifth section gun
40 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
held a commanding position on the right and the sixth
section was stationed directly in front of McLeod's
house, from which point it could sweep the cm-my's line
from Blockhouse No. 7 on the north to the Catholic con
vent on the south.
Just as the first streaks of dawn dappled the east,
the two big guns belched over the plain and the tight
began. During the night the relative positions of the
opposing forces had not been changed. The maddened
Filipinos made a renewed attempt to cross the bridge
and penetrate the Nebraska line, that they might gain
tlieir coveteu goal the city of their dreams. The aim of
the two guns was concentrated upon this point. Twice
the Tagalans with frenzied courage charged up the
bridge, only to be torn to pieces by the shrieking shell!-.
and the deadly bullets. With desperate energy they
hauled an artillery piece into position on the bridge, but
this was demolished by a single shell from one of our
guns.
The position of the artillery became perilous; the in-
surgents centered a galling fire upon the big guns, with
the hope of ridding themselves of this new terror. The
leaden missiles rained from three points, Blockhouse No.
7, the bridge and the convent. Every time one of the
cannon roared over the hill, she raised a vicious hail of
bullets from the enemy. Three minutes after the con-
flict began Corporal John G. Young received a fatal
wound in the lungs. Almost immediately after Private
Wilhelm I. Goodman fell dead with a bullet through his
bj ain.
Instantly men rushed in to fill their places, but the
position of the gun had become so dangerous that Lieu-
tenant Webb ordered it removed to a more sheltered
point, at the north of the house. In the face of a heav\
tire the men lifted the piece out of the pit and rolled it
to the station designated. This ended the casualty list
of the artillery for that day. Both guns now r shelled thr
enemy at Blockhouse No. 7 and the San Juan Del Moti'c
Church, until the two guns under Lieutenant Gibbs
came up. The skilled aim of the two gunners and the
Trit INSURRECTION. 41
superb courage of Lieutenant Webb and Sergeants
Fisher and Kobinsou were greatly commended.
{Shortly before 11 o'clock two Nordenfelt guns under
Lieutenant Gibbs arrived at the hill and under the
orders of Colonel Smith of the Tennesseeans advanced
up the Santa Mesa road. The Tagalans were still in
strong force in the woods to the right of the road, and,
as the two guns moved forward, they received a pelting
lire from this locality.
The guns dashed up the road and swung into action
on the bridge. The forces then began an advance up the
road, running twenty and thirty yards at a time, sup-
p< rted by the infantry from Tennessee. After a half
hour of sharp lighting the Tagalans fled before the can-
nister and shrapnel of the big guns and the bullets of
the Tennesseeans, and thus the hills as far as the Depos-
ito were won. Meanwhile, a battalion of Tenuesseeans
had deployed out to the left and taken the Deposito, and
the two guns were moved to this point.
The Tennesseans left the Nebraskans in charge of
the Deposito and disappeared off to the right. Late
that night Lieutenant Webb and the fatigued warriors
of Santa Mesa joined Lieutenant Gibbs at the Deposito,
w r here they bivoaced with the prospect on the morrow
of an advance upon the pumping station, four miles be-
yond.
The movement upon the pumping station was not
easily accomplished; there were several sharp skir-
mishes on the way. Though the power of the insurgents
seemed to have been broken on the previous day, there
were some in whom the spirit of resistance was not en-
tirely extinguished and they contested the march of the
Americans with vigor. When the move was made on
the morning of the 6th the artillery was under the per-
sonal command of Major Young. A straggling line of
infantry deployed on either side of the road and with
the artillery in the rear the forward movement began.
Scarcely half a mile from the Deposito the moving col-
umn encountered a small body of Tagalans, who opened
lire. Once more the angry guns pealed forth in menac-
ing thunder and the terror-stricken natives retreated for
42 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the kind shelter of the bamboo thickets beyond. Two
similar skirmishes happened farther up the road.
About a mile and a half from the Deposito the mutilated
body of Dr. Harry A. Young was found lying by the side
of a ventilator. Some distance back the body of his
horse had been discovered. Major Young was the first
to locate this gory evidence, which mutely told the tragic
story of the end of Dr. Young. All the clothing had
been rent from the body, a bullet hole was in his fore-
head, and a bolo wound from the elbow of the left arm
to the waist told the tragic story of how he died. The
supposition is that the Doctor was surprised on his way
to the Deposito, where he had an appointment with
Major Young, and took the wrong road, which led him
to a grim death in the Tagalan territory. A few min-
utes later, while the body was being conveyed to Manila,
the Major calmly commanded his men in a rush with the
enemy, in which eighty of them were killed. This exhi-
bition of splendid courage was ever after an inspiration
to the Utahn when he felt like being disheartened.
Gradually the uncoiled infantry line pushed back
the recalcitrant natives, and late in the morning the
heights above the beautiful Mariquina valley were
reached. Here the artillery was placed in position,
and, with the Mariquina Church steeple as a targel,
the town was bombarded. Now and then a shuddering
shrapnel was sent shrieking after fugitive bands of
Tagalans, who made all haste for the protecting shelter
of the mountain on the opposite side of the valley.
From that place they were content to look with dis-
may upon the death-dealing monsters which frowned
from the hill above the bulwarks.
When the first platoon of Batte^ A, under Captain
Wedgewood, sped out into the gloom on the night of the
4th it took up a position in the Balic Balic road near the
Oemetario de Sampaloc. All night long the two guns
were under a straggling fire from the Filipinos, who at
this place held Blockhouse No. 5, about 300 yards to our
front, and a diminutive stone church which was located
off to the right of our position. The section two gun
was placed inside the Cemetario, but that of section one
THE INSURRECTION. 43
remained outside, where it was exposed to the enemy's
fire.
At 3 a. m. from two points the Malays centered a
vicious fusilade upon the artillery, which remained inac-
tive owing to the obscurity of the Tagalan line of de-
fense. No. 1 gun was moved back about 100 yards to a
more sheltered station by the cemetery. Just as the
first streaks of dawn appeared in the east the two guns
bla/ed toward the blockhouse and the small church, in
which were a large number of natives. Simultaneously
the Colorado infantry swung into position and with a
w i t hering fire slowly advanced upon the enemy. Several 7
well-directed shells sent the Filipinos flying from the
blockhouse and a few more accurately trained shots an- \
uihilated the little church. As the Tagalans moved Jj
from their cover they fell many deep before the blasting^
volleys of the invincible Coloradoans.
As the natives fled from the church, the artillery
turned its attention to Blockhouse No. 4, 1700 yards dis-
tant, and while the South Dakotans made a wonderful
charge they demolished this wooden bulwark. Next the
big guns were ordered to shatter Blockhouse No. 0, but
before they could be brought into play against this point
rhe insurgents had disappeared into the woods with the
swift-moving ('(dorado infantrymen hard on their track.
On the 6th the platoon was moved to a position left of
Blockhouse No. 7. On this part of the line it remained
until March 23rd, when it was ordered to Caloocan to
take part in the fierce engagement at that point when
the whole line charged the enemy's works on March
25th.
The damage inflicted on the natives of Sampaloe
was very considerable. Over a hundred bodies were
buried there and in many a battered form could be seen
that ripping course of a shrapnel. General Hale per-
sonally praised the work of Sergeants Emil Johnson and
\Y. E. Kneass, who were in immediate charge of the two
rifles.
The guns of Battery B took a position on the left
of the line to the south of Caloocan on the night of the
war alarm. Second Lieutenant Seaman went out on
44 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the Caloocan road with one 3.2 guii. Major Grant left
the Cuartel with three 3.2-inch guns, and after leaving
one at Bilibid Prison took the remaining two up the
rugged Bulum Bugan road as far as Lazuro Hospital.
Emplacements were made under a spattering fire from
the enemy at this point, facing the Chinese Hospital and
the Binondo Cemetery, in both of which places the Ta ga-
la ns were strongly lodged. Only an occasional shot
blazed towards the enemy during the night, but from a
commanding position the artillery fire began iat dawn
with destructive and terrifying results. Besides driving
the sturdily-intrenched Tagalans back, the Utah attack
entirely covered the simultaneous advance of the Tenth
Pennsylvania and South South Dakota infantry.
The advance of the slowly-moving regiment was ir-
resistable and the natives fell back from their position
after a stubborn fight. All that day the Malay resisted
the American advance with fanatical frenzy. The artil-
lery moved forward at the same moment, but many
times was delayed by burning huts. After an advance
of about 400 yards they again joined the infantry line,
but they had arrived at a conspicuous and dangerous
position on the road, where for thirty minutes they
fought desperately in the open under a heavy fire from
the Filipino iutrenchinents. It was here that Major
Bell of General McArthur's staff rode up and requested
Major Grant to move up beyond the Chinese Hospital,
where the Tagalans in a fierce engagement were inflict-
ing heavy damage on the infantry. Almost at the same
moment Colonel Wallace sent word that a company of
the Tenth Pennsylvaniaiis had teen cut off to the left,
and Lieutenant Critchlow was sent with one gun up the
Leco road to its assistance. The remaining guns tore
the woods in front of the advancing infantry and cleared
the way for the Pennsylvanians and South Dakotans, so
that the right wing advanced at this point almost with-
out a casualty. Mill towards Caloocan the artillery ad-
vanced with the musketeers, and beyond the Cemetery
Church the big guns shelled the woods to the left of La
Loma in front of the advancing Third United States Ar-
tillery (infantry) and Twentieth Kansas. Just when the
THZ INSURRECTION. 45
Tagalans were fleeing:, bleak with terror, from the artil-
lery shells; when Colonel Funston, like a young Jove,
was pounding his way irresistibly up from the left, ami
when everything looked auspicious for an easy dash into
ralooran, word came from General MacArthur that the
firing should cease. The spires of Caloocan were then
almost in view, and there is an opinion that had Gen-
eral Ma<- Arthur not feared that the line would grow too
thin by a further advance Funston would have taken
Caloocan that night, with many railway cars and many
supplies, and with the saving of many lives which went
out on the next advance when the Filipinos had had time
to bulwark themselves behind their wonderful intrench-
ments.
On the same day the guns were moved to a position
dose to La Loma Church. Later two Nordenfelt guns
arrived, one of Battery A, and were stationed first at
Blockhouse Xo. 3 and afterwards east of La Loma
Church and in front of the left battalion of the South
Dakota infantry. These were commanded by Lieuten-
ant Critchlow.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Seaman withstood a destruc-
tive fire on the Caloocan road. Early in the fight he was
reinforced at the suggestion of the division commander
by the addition of another gun. Major Young took per-
sonal command of the Xordenfelt which arrived there
late that night. Frequently in the encounter the na-
tives rushed up to within 150 yards of our position, from
which they went reeling back before the awful thunder
of the big guns. At times the powder-begrimed
Ftiahns were in advance of the main line, carrying death
into the very teeth of the foe. So fierce was the conflict
that Major Young had the gun manipulated in short re-
liefs, and this shortened the casualty list of our organi-
zation. Corporal Wardlaw and Private Peter Anderson
sustained wounds while serving their pieces in this man-
ner. The natives trained two big guns on our position
in mi fired fifteen ineffective shots from them. Next day
the two guns supported the Kansas troops in their ad-
vance upon the Filipino intrenchments and Blockhouse
Xo. 1. As the swift-moving column charged the enemy's
46 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
line the two rifles tore great gaps into this wooden
structure and plowed furrows into the wonderfully-
constructed earthworks. When the insurgents had fled
before the deadly volleys of the Kansans one gun was
stationed at the blockhouse and the other at the Binondo
Cemetery. Here they remained until February 10th,
\\ hen they took part in the demonstration against Cal-
oocan.
The next three days Major Grant's three guns did
nothing except to fire occasionally at some enthusiastic
Filipino sharpshooters. On the llth a general advance
was made by the Montana and the Kansas infantry and
the Third United States Artillery. The artillery force
consisted of two guns under Lieutenant Seaman on the
hill to the left, two guns under Lieutenant Fleming of
the Sixth United States Artillery on the railroad, Lieu-
tenant CYitchlow with two Xordenfelts at Blockhouse
No. 2, and Grant with three 3.2-inch B. and L. rifles at
La Loma Church. The prearranged signal for the at-
tack was to be a bombardment by the navy accompanied
by a similar action by Major Young's artillery force.
The big guns pounded shell against the native defenses,
and sent shrapnel singing into the woods surrounding
the town, and under the somewhat ineffectual, but loud-
ly-thundering labors of the fleet the infantry column
hurried forward, and the Tagalans gradually swayed
back. As the enemy retreated the aim of the guns was
directed higher and several of these iron messengers
went crashing into the town. Some remarkably good
work was performed by our gunners on this day. It is
said that a small body of Filipinos could be seen rein-
forcing the intrenchments at the gate of the Caloocan
Cemetery. A Utah gunner saw this, and turned his
piece on the gate and shortly after a shell shuddered
through the air on its 2600-yard journey. When the
smoke cleared away, gate, Filipinos and war weapons
strewed the ground for many yards.
Major Bell with a flanking column of Montana de-
ployed through a ravine on the right. Suddenly a lonu,
rope-like column of natives whipped out of the fringe of
the woods and quickly coiled around the company.
THE INSURRECTION.
47
Major Young saw the predicament in which the Ameri-
cans were placed, and soon the murderous shells fell in
the midst of the column, which broke into fragments
and disappeared the way it had come. The next day
Major Bell was lavish in his praise of the batteries, and
several British officers who were watching the progress
of the fight complimented the gunners on their expert
and effective gunnery.
During the attack on Caloocan Lieutenant Seaman
followed with the infantry as far as the flames from the
burning houses would permit and pulled the gun
through Caloocan to a position on the Kansas line. On
the llth guns were moved to a position on a hillside near
the residence of Mr. Higgins near Caloooan at a place
where he commanded the causeway between Caloocan
and Malabon. At this point the two guns were joined
by a platoon of the Sixth Artillery and a 3.6 mortar un-
der Corporal Boshard of Battery B.
LIEUT. GIBBS' SECTION AT FT. MACARTHUR.
At this time Utah soldiers on different parts of the
line manned thirty-two pieces of artillery, including 3.2-
inch B. L. rifles, Hotchkiss revolving cannon, Hotchkiss
mountain guns, Maxim Nordenfelts captured from the
Spanish, Mortars, Colt's rapid-fire (Browning's) gun, a
48 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
navy field piece, navy six-pounder and Gatling guns of
various calibers.
After Caloocan was taken possession of by the
troops scarcely any fighting was indulged in until March
25th, when an advance was made. Except for occa-
sional incursions into the enemy's territory for the pur-
pose of driving back harassing sharpshooters there was
a practical cessation of hostilities at the waterworks.
At this time the line over which our guns were stationed
extended from Malabon to Mariquina. At Caloocan a
^severe engagement occurred on the 23rd of February. A
large force of insurgents came rushing down from the
hill towards our outposts and finally established them-
selves within 150 yards of the American lines. It was
during this period that some of them were able to pene-
trate the American position and steal their way into
Manila to take part in the burning of the Tondo district.
This band was under the leadership of a bold and gal-
lant chief named Zandico. While Tondo was disappear-
ing in flames and sharp hand-to-hand skirmishes were
taking place between these Filipino desperadoes and the
American police a furious altercation was going on be-
tween the darkly-outlined bulwarks of the two armies.
During this attack sixty men of the Kansas and Mon-
tana regiments alone were killed and wounded.
The work of the sharpshooters show r ed the watchful
alertness of the enemy. Whenever one of these riflemen
espied a piece of American anatomy there was a report
and a still messenger of death went skimming through
the air. Frequently one of the large guns had to be em-
ployed to repress the zeal of one of these ubiquitous Ma-
lays. While repairing a breach in the gun pit Lieuten-
ant Seaman received a wound in the leg, Corporal
Southers was shot in the hip and Private Hill sustained
a serious wound in the back.
About this time existed as remarkable a truce as
was ever patched up between belligerent forces. Some
Filipino statesmen came down from Malabon to see
Aguinaldo, and as they carried a flag of truce firing from
our side ceased. The natives signified their desire to
talk and Colonel Funston and Major Young went half
THE INSURRECTION. 49
way to meet them. The Tagalans then made known
their proposition, which was that there should be no fir-
ing between the two forces at that point for a period of
ten days. Colonel Funston assented. This was directly
in front of the Kansas line. The insurgents rigidly ad-
hered to their promise, and while the Springfields and
Mausers were angrily barking in the -vicinity of the rail-
road track no messenger of war sped across the space in
front of the Kansans.
The four guns under Lieutenant Gibbs and Webb
lifted to a commanding position on the hill above the
waterworks, menaced the valley below. Frequently
they boomed from the mountains as a warning to the
curious natives down on the wide plain of the San Mateo.
The encounters which took place between the Ameri-
cans and the Tagals at this place are illustrative of the
peculiar mode of warfare carried on by the natives. Not
a few times our forces made invasions in the enemy's
country at Mariquina under the protection of the guns
and drove his army into the foothills on the opposite side
of the valley, only to find him back in his old position
before nightfall with his camp fires piercing the gloom
of the valley as darkness settled in.
These successive defeats seemed to have no power in
dampening the ardor of the ducky warriors of the plains.
They continued to make invasions on the American ter-
ritory, and frequently waylaid belated American troops.
Up to March 25th the infantry force was not sufficiently
large to hold the country which had been taken. Four
times the town of Mariquina was captured in this style.
Finally, by some peculiar decision of fate, a battalion of
Ooloradoans descended into the valley and after dislodg-
ing the enemy set fire to the hideous nipa huts. There-
after fewer skirmishes occurred in this locality. The
white and shining church steeple arose above the black-
ened ruins as a ghostly monument of the work of war.
About four days after the occupancy of the water-
works by the American troops Colonel Stotsenberg with
a small body of the infantry scoured the Mariquina
plain, but though he met with some heated skirmishes
50 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
and drove the enemy back, there was no visible results
from his excursion. The artillery was first used in an
advance on February 17th, when the two Nordenfelt
guns were taken down the Mariquina road by Lieuten-
ant Gibbs. None of the Utah men were hurt on this oc-
casion, although the natives fought stubbornly at short
range and several men and officers of the Nebraska regi-
ment were wounded. Meanwhile General Montenegro,
known as one of the fiercest Filipino chiefs, had con-
gregated his forces in the woods southwest of the pump-
ing station towards Pasig Lake and Gainta. A plan
was formed for surrounding the insurgents and the Ne-
GUN AT PUMPING STATION FIRING ON MARIQUINA.
braska and Washington infantry and the two Maxim
Nordenfelts took part in the engagement. The artillery
worked with the Nebraskans and shelled the woods.
Then there was a simultaneous advance from two sides
by the regiments. The Washingtons did their work
well and the shells from the guns were effective, but for
once the Nebraskans failed in their usual dash and came
up too late to cut off the retreat of the enemy and pre-
vent his escape.
Again on the 24th the two Nordenfeldts under Lieu-
tenant Webb moved down the Mariquina road, and did
THE INSURRECTION. 51
excellent work in aiding the Nebraskans to drive the
natives back towards San Mateo. The B. and L. rifles
from the hill fired into bodies of natives to the left of
Mariquina Church on this occasion, and the death roster
of the insurgents for that day was very great. A re-
volving Hotchkiss under Corporal Hesburg, located
close to the Deposito, also inflicted severe damage on
the natives. Still the enemy at this point was alert and
aggressive. The next day Major Mulford went scouting
with a small force to the right of Miariquina. Soon after
he reached the valley he was completely surrounded by
the insurgents. Then the big guns on the hill sent
bursting shells fast into the Filipino ranks and soon they
retired stubbornly into the woods. Several of Major
Mul ford's men were killed or wounded, and he stated
afterwards that the Utah guns had saved himself and
party. This skirmish proved that the natives were gath-
ering there in a larger and more formidable force, and
this circumstances led to the burning of Mariquina. All
night the flames from the bamboo huts and old Spanish
mansions illumined the valley, and when the troops de-
scended the next morning they found that all the south
and the greater part o f the north end of the city were
entirely destroyed.
There was comparative quietude after that until
March 6th, when the natives began to resume the
annoying fire on the infantry, and an artillery demon-
stration became imperative. As the insurgent attack
came about daylight, the guns under Lieutenant Gibbs
bombarded the valley from the hill, driving the enemy
northward. Another large force of the Tagalans swept
down upon the Nebraskan outposts on the left and a
deadly affray commenced. Reinforcements were rushed
to the aid of the stricken sentries, who were gradually
forced back by the superior numbers of the assaulting
jxarty. Sergeant Ford Fisher with the fifth section gun
dashed out of the camp to the front. For three-quarters
of a mile the diminutive Filipinos horses with which the
ji;nns had lately been equipped sped down the ridges
under a galling fire. On the brow of the hill the gun
whirled into action long enough to drive the enemy back
52 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
a few hundred yards. Again the piece limbered up and
rattled over the hard lava road for a new position. The
Tagalans soon centered a murderous fire from three
points upon the big gun as a desperate measure to anni-
hilate this new terror. A horse ridden by Private Eng-
ler was shot down, but was able to recover himself suf-
ficiently to gain the shelter of a small gulch a few yards
farther on. From its shelter the big gun pounded over
the road to another gulch which had been deserted just
a few minutes previously by a company of Nebraskans.
The heavy limber chest was left at the foot of the hill
and on their hands and knees the men pushed the piece
forward until the bore of the gun gleamed down the
slope. A heavy volley answered from the plain below.
Ford Fisher said afterwards that he saw a Filipino
sharpshooter behind a rock fire six times point blank at
the gunner as he was sighting the piece. Suddenly the
roar of a cannon tore down the hill. The Tagalans an-
swered it with a fiendish yell and came steadily onward.
The men on the gun worked like Trojans, but they could
not force the Malays back. Just as it seemed as if the
gun would have to retire the tall white figure of Colonel
Stotsenberg could be seen with galloping steed coming
up the hill. Instantly the wavering infantry line tight-
ened. The Colonel's pistol flashed in the sunlight, and
the whole column swung up the eminence to victory.
The voice of the big gun bellowed back its notes of de-
fiance and the haughty foe fled in terror.
During the encounter Corporal McDonald with a
revolving Hotchkiss cannon performed some excellent
service on the right in aiding the Oregon infantry. Most
of the fighting had been done at from 100 to 150 yards
range. The casualty list of the Nebraskans was heavy,
and an immense number of Filipinos was killed. The
infantry followed the retreating natives for three miles.
On the 7th, in conjunction with the river fleet, the
guns aided the Nebraska, Wyoming and Washington
infantry in forcing the enemy through the woods towards
Guadaloupe and Pasig Lake. The guns under Captain
Wedgewood shelled tho insurgents to the south of San
Junn del Monte and aided the infantry very materially
THE INSURRECTION. 53
in its advance. The gunboats hammered the natives on
the left bank of the river and sent them scurrying into
the woods beyond Guadaloupe.
It was decided to take the town of Mariquina on the
30th of March, and Major Young with the left platoon of
Battery A shelled the woods to the north and west of
the town so effectively that when the infantry forces
entered the place they found it deserted.
This ended the fighting in that vicinity until the
general advance of March 25th.
UTAH GUNS ON MANILA <fe DAGUPAN RAILWAY EX ROUTE FOR THE FRONT.
On March 25th began that remarkable advance
which never ended until the native forces were driven
beyond Calumpit and San Fernando into the hills north
of San Isidro and Tarlac. The American forces had
long been inactive gathering strength for the difficulties
before them, and now that this strength had been mus-
tered they were eager for the fray. The plan was for
the commands of Generals H. Q. Otis and Hale to swing
around to the right and cut off the retreat of the enemy
from that quarter, while General Wheaton's brigade
was to strike the foe in front and not move forward until
the other forces had had sufficient time to straighten out
the line. A large body of the insurgents had assembled
54 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
at Malabon. The entire preparation had been made for
the capture of this force.
Otis's brigade on the left consisted in the order
given of the Kansas, the Third Artillery (infantry), and
the Montana regiment; in the center was the divisional
artillery under Major Young and then troops of the
Fourth United States Cavalry, and on the right was
Male's command, containing the Tenth Pennsylvania,
South Dakota and Nebraska regiments. The Nebras-
ka ns were on the extreme right, while the Kansans
formed the pivotal regiment.
The artillery designated to take part in the forward
movement were two B. and L. rifles, under command oi
Lieutenant Critchlow; two B. L. rifles of the Sixth
United States Artillery, under Lieutenant Fleming, and
an automatic gun under command of Ensign Davis of
the navy. On the evening of the 24th Lieutenant Flem-
ing's guns were removed from the old intrenchment in
front of Fort MacArthur, and were replaced by two B.
and L. rifles under Lieutenant Gibbs of Battery A,
who had formerly been stationed in front of the Colorado
line at Sampaloc. Major Grant at this period was no
longer in immediate command of Battery B, as he had
been detailed as commander of the river gunboats on
February 17th. During the period of waiting the Gov-
ernment mules had arrived and the rifles under Lieuten-
ants Critchlow and Fleming w r ere now equipped for the
journey into the jungle.
Few artillery exploits can compare in dash and dar-
ing with that performed by Lieutenant Naylor out on
the right of the line early in the morning of the 25th.
Many brave and reckless deeds with guns at close range
were done by artillery forces on other occasions in the
Filipino campaign, but it is hardly probable that any
lield pieces have been rushed so far beyond infantry sup-
port as they were on this day before the enemy at San
Francisco del Monte.
Lieutenant Naylor's position lay in a sunken road at
a point where the lines of the Tenth Pennsylvania and
South Dakota regiments joined. For a distance of about
800 yards the road, which had been constructed by the
THE INSURRECTION. 55
Spanish, extended toward the Tagalan earthworks. At
the point the road abruptly ends, and there is a plat of
hard ground. Fifty yards farther on a rude barricade
had been erected as a shelter for the native outposts, and
a hundred yards in advance of this the enemy's strong
line of earthworks widened out across the top of a gently
rising eminence. This position had been accurately lo-
cated several days previously by a reconnoitering party.
Early in the morning the guns moved to the end of
the sunken road and began the perilous journey up this
D arrow defile. With Lieutenant Naylor were Captain
Crainbuhl and Lieutenant Perry of General Hale's staff
and a detachment of eight men of the Tenth Pennsyl-
vania Regiment under charge of a sergeant. Every one
krew the danger that accompanied an expedition of this
character, and there was silence as perfect as that of a
tomb, save w f hen one of the wheels of the heavy guns
rumbled in a rut. A few hundred yards from the camp
they crossed a small stream and, as the road broadened
at this place, there was ample room to unlimber the
pieces. This was done so that there would be no delay
when the time for action should come. The pieces were
placed in front and the two limbers followed. At the
end of the road the squad of infantry deployed as skir-
mishers to drive back the Filipino sentries. Then the
guns were rushed up on the flat; two shells shrieked
through the air towards the insurgent intrenchments,
which loomed up darkly on the hill, and the bombard-
ment began. At the first bark of the big guns the na-
tive outposts fled precipitately for the protection of the
heavier works on the summit of the knoll. The roaring
monsters now hurled a perfect stream of iron into the
place, and after responding feebly for a few minutes the
foe retired in haste across the San Juan river towards
San Francisco del Monte. The artillery advanced to the
stream and sent shells flying after them until it became
too hazardous to continue the bombardment, owing to
the approach of our troops. Down the causeway over
which the Tagalans fled in their mad desire to escape
whole squads of Filipinos lay. As the guns had made
the advance almost entirely unaided by the infantry it
56 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
was purely an artillery charge, and to the artillery be-
longed the victory. General Hale rode up a few min-
utes later and personally complimented Lieutenant Nay-
lor upon the ability with which he had handled his men
in this successful maneuver.
As the guns were unprovided with mules they were
unable to proceed and retired to their former position.
The engagement opened up by Lieutenant Naylor's
men on the right found an echoing response from the
guns of Lieutenants Critchlow and Fleming. As they
were to continue the advance their general course lay
along the railroad track, which stretches entirely across
Luzon Island from Manila to Dagupan. Just after
dawn on the 25th the infantry moved forward about TOO
yards ahead of the artillery, which followed the Nova-
liches road. A strong force of the enemy was encoun-
tered heavily intrenched in a position -commanding the
Novaliches and Malinta roads. The infantry swung into
line and attempted to force back the Tagalans, who stub-
bornly resisted the attack of our column. Two large
guns were soon brought into play and the natives grad-
ually retired. An examination later showed that the
defenses of the insurgents were remarkably constructed;
in some cases the main breastworks were twenty feet
thick. The first day's fighting had taught them a lesson
by which they had profited.
General MacArthur gave orders for the artillery to
remain with him during the advance, as it was impossi-
ble to move over the ridges. A troop of the Fourth Cav-
alry, under Major Rucker, also remained with the Gen-
eral. In the afternoon the artillery had turned down a
small valley toward the bed of the Pulilan river. The
infantry had entirely disappeared from the division com-
mander's view, owing to a mountain which lay between
our forces and the artillery position. The general
whereabouts of our troops could be ascertained by the
battle-sound, but occasionally this died away as the
moving column advanced. The General sent forward
one of his aids with a view of re-establishing our lines;
but he was fired upon and compelled to retire. The
THE INSURRECTION. 57
troops of cavalry then dismounted and deploying as SKII--
misliers soon dislodged the enemy. Soon heavy firing
was heard and an orderly rushed back asking for rein-
forcements. The General sent word back that he had
no reinforcements to give. Just then Major Bell rode up
iiid said he wished one of the Utah guns and the Gen-
eral authorized Major Young to take one of the big rifles
a i>d a Browning gun under Ensign Davis.
Majors Bell and Young went forward to locate a
position for the pieces. They discovered that where the
road crosses the river the banks of the Pulilan rise to an
almost perpendicular height of nearly fifteen feet. A
road ia little distance above, so small that it could only
be utilized for carometas, crosses the river a short dis-
tance beyond the dismantled bridge. On the right abut-
ment of the bridge the Filipinos had constructed a very
formidable breastwork of earth and stone, and the heavy
steel beam of the bridge was arranged above this so as
to leave a long slot for the rifles the whole length of the
work. This menaced the surrounding approaches. A
short distance below this was a boiler and engine-house
and on the other side of the river and lower down was a
remarkable field work. It extended along the river a
distance of two hundred feet, and was constructed with
the same wonderful skill as the smaller one at the bridge
abutment. It had the same long slot flaring outward
about eighteen inches and the upper part of the work
was substantially held by bamboo flooring.
The two Majors left the artillery piece and went
forward to discover a good site for the big gun. Major
Young selected a place just under the brow of the hill.
The enemy was only 100 yards beyond, but our exact
location was screened from his view by a thick under-
growth of bamboo. A heavy stone wall was used as a
shelter for the men. Meanwhile the cavalry stood a ter-
rific fire. Out of less than forty men who took part in
the encounter nine were killed and wounded, a casualty
list of almost one-fourth of their number. The guns
rushed into action. Major Young directed that the
Colt's automatic be turned on the slots to protect the big
gun. At the first boom of the rifle all the attention of
58 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the insurgents was turned upon the crews working the
piece, but the bamboo screen kept them from taking ac-
curate aim. Of the three shells fired by Corporal Don
Johnson, two struck immediately in the slot holes and
burst in the interior, doing considerable damage to the
bamboo shed and above all terrifying the dusky war-
riors, who turned and fled. The spitting Colts and
breaking sharpnel followed them with deadly effect.
The artillery then lumbered up and dashed to a position
on the hill, from which the boiler-house could be bom-
barded with annihilating effect. The cavalry had stood
a heavy lire during all this time at a range of seventy-
five yards, and when the beam had been examined after
the enemy had been driven out it showed the marks of
eighty-nine cavalry bullets.
That night the weary troops rested on the banks of
the river. The next morning, March 26th, an early ad-
vance was made upon the insurgents' position at Malin-
ta and Polo. It was here the moving column met the
advancing lines of General Wheaton, and then it was
learned that he had marched forward simultaneously
with Bale's flying command, and that the wily native
had had ample time to flee out of Malabon and his old
position at Caloocan. So the projected coup had failed.
Lieuenant Gibbs with the right platoon of Battery A
and one gun of Battery B and a mortar bombarded
Malabon and the surrounding country. When the shell-
ing ceased the Oregon regiment charged over the open
and assaulted the enemy's works, which were taken
after a stubborn fight. The routed Tagalans fled along
the railroad track towards Malinta.
One gun under Lieutenant Seaman accompanied
Wheaton on this march as far as the foot of the hill lead-
ing to Malinta, and was unloaded from the car under a
shower of Mauser bullets. Private Parker J. Hall of
Battery B was wounded at this point while standing
on the track. A few shells were fired into distant in-
trenched position on the hill, but when Wheaton re-
sumed his advance early in the morning the B. and L.
rifle was returned to its position at Fort MacArthur. It
was during the advance up the hill a few moments later
THE INSURRECTION.
59
that the gallant, white-haired General Egbert, veteran
of many battles, was fatally shot through the stomach.
In the meantime the artillery with General Mac-
Arthurs division continued the march up the road close
by the railway line. While the artillery was sending
shell fast into the Filipino position at Malinta and Mey-
cayauan, and occupying their attention, General Hale
executed a rather brilliant flank movement and forced
the enemy to retreat with considerable loss. When the
march was resumed on the 27th, the artillery was moved
up to a position just behind the first battalion of the
Kansas regiment, while all the rest Of Otis's brigade re-
mained in the rear.
FIRST PLATOON. BATTERY A, READY TO MOVE TO MALOLOS.?
When General Mac Arthur's division moved forward
on March 25th, General Hall, with the Colorado and
Minnesota regiments, moved down the Mariquina valley
towards the San Francisco del Monte, where the bullets
of the South Dakotas and Lieutenant Naylor's shells
were battering against the walls. General Hall's ad-
vance was so warmly contested that it became necessary
for the guns on the hill to bombard the city and sur-
rounding woods to the north and west. The infantry
was then able to press forward and drive the natives
back from the valley toward San Mateo.
60 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
On the 31st of March General Hall essayed a more
extended advance, and on this occasion his forces con-
sisted of the Fourth and Twenty-third regular infantry,
the Minnesota and Colorado regiments and two Utah B.
and L. rifles, commanded by Captain Wedgewood. The
movement began at dawn. The regulars came from the
South and the Minnesotas and Coloradoans around the
north of Mariqulna. The town was entered before the
enemy had begun to fire. The attack was sudden and
effective, and as the natives began to retreat a gun under
Sergeant Nystrom and another close by the Mariquina
Church commanded by Captain Wedgewood played vig-
orously on their ranks. The infantry followed the na-
tives six miles, and from the hills overlooking the city
San Mateo was bombarded by the two guns.
The natives were again in retreat when a telegram
arrived from Otis, which showed that he feared the na-
tives might be preparing to make another entrance into
Manila. It read: "Wheaton has engaged enemy at
Malolos and taken that place. A very small force of the
enemy was there. Withdraw all your forces which are
moving towards San Mateo and bring them back to La
Loma Church." It was a wearisome march to La Loma
after the fatigue of the day's campaign, and when the
men arrived there with the guns they were forced to
sleep among the graves of the churchyard without blan-
kets and in a pelting rain. The next day the guns were
ordered back to their old position above Mariquina,
where they remained until relieved by the Sixth United
States Infantry, when they joined the rest of the com-
mand at San Fernando.
On April 27th our forces met the Filipinos on the
banks of the Manias river, on which occasion the noses
of the big guns were pushed to within fifty yards of the
native earthworks. The guns employed were two under
Lieutenant Critchlow, a platoon of Dyer's light battery
and Colt's automatic under Ensign Davis. The Kan-
sans under Major Metcalf had deployed on the left and
approached the river, but they were forced back by the
heavy fire of the insurgents, who had cut away the inter-
vening trees to give a clear sweep for their rifles. The
THE INSURRECTION. 61
whole north side of the river had been cleverly and com-
pletely intrenched so that it formed an almost impreg-
nable fortification when attacked from the front. The
r;ms'way up which the artillery had to advance was
commanded by the insurgent infantry. Across the river
where the infantry first engaged the enemy, the natives
were about 800 yards distant. Major Young went for-
v. a i-d with Ensign Davis to locate a good position for the
^iiiis. While there General Funston came up and stated
he had seen quite a number of cascoes further down the
river, and that if Major Young would protect his men
with an artillery fire he would be able to cross the river
and flank the enemy. This was agreed to, and a com-
pany of Kansans accompanied the guns as a support.
Lieutenant Oitchlow's guns were quickly turned upon
the earthworks. As the big rifles roared across the
>i ivam the small arms and the Colt's automatic centered
a withering fire on the intrenchments to keep the ene-
my's fire inaccurrate. This vigorous demonstration ter-
rified the Tagalans and soon several white flags ap-
peared fluttering above the trenches. The firing ceased
;;n<1 the Filipinos were ordered to stand up. Some few
of them reluctantly showed themselves, but the greater
number ran through the get-away ditch and vanished in
the dark fringe of the bamboo forest. Lieutenant Coul-
ter of the Tenth Pennsylvania regiment with an enlisted
man stripped and sw r am the river and walked directly
into the enemy's trenches. The two naked men took as
many rifles as they could hold from the defeated Malays.
By this time Colonel Funston, who had crossed the river,
came up and took some thirty natives prisoners.
As the bridge crossing a branch of the Marilao river
at this point had been destroyed by the insurgents, the
artillery moved to a new position by the railroad track
until a new bridge could be constructed by the engineers.
Just as night came on the natives were seen to emerge
in a large force from the woods and move towards our
lines. Soon the entire American host was sturdily en-
gaged in repelling the attack. In the dark it was im-
possible to exactly locate our infantry, but Major Young,
at a venture, directed several shots over our column at a
62 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
range of from 2000 to 2500 yards. The Filipinos soon
retreated. It was afterwards learned that these shells
had fallen in the midst of the attacking force.
This spirited encounter was the subject of a special
report of the chief of artillery to the division commander
in which Lieutenant Critchlow and the cannoneers re-
ceived special mention for their gallantry.
That night a pontoon bridge was built across the
river and on the morning of the 28th the artillery moved
across and encamped during the succeeding day and
night in the suburbs of Malolos. An advance of only a
short distance had been made the next morning when a
body of the enemy was encountered at Bocaue. Here it
\vas necessary to cross the Santa Mone river. This was
attempted with some difficulty, as only the guns could be
taken over on the bridge and the mules had to be swum
across. The pieces and accoutrements across, the artil-
lery immediately went into action against the long lines
of Filipinos. A railroad train in the hands of the in-
surgents could be seen in the distance and some natives
\vere busily engaged in applying torches to the engine-
house. A few shells were sent screaming in that direc-
tion and the engineer needed no further orders to speed
\vith all dispatch toward the north country. Again the
guns were limbered up and the force advanced to the
Bagoa river, where it was again necessary to drag the
guns across the shaky bridge and force the reluctant
mules to swim.
By this time the infantry had pushed some distance
dhead, and suddenly there was heavy firing near another
lismantled bridge close to the Guiguinta. Both the town
and the bridge had been burned by the insurgents, and
as soon as the infantry force crossed the railway track it
was greeted with such a heavy fire that there were thirty
casualties within a few minutes. The artillery came
forward, as it had done before in many desperate fights,
at the critical moment. The mules were unhitched and
the cannoneers dashed with two of the guns across the
shattered bridge and began firing from the top of the
track. The insurgent fire came directly down the rail-
road grade. Private Fender was shot through the hip
THE INSURRECTION. 63
\vhile working at the gun. In a few moments the shrap- .
nel had torn the Filipino earthworks and in the semi-
darkness the dusky figures of the Filipinos could be seen
in retreat. The river which barred the way was crossed
the next day.
When evening fell on the 30th, the towers of Malo-
los, the insurgent capital, where a few months before
Don Emilio Aguinaldo had been crowned president of
the Filipino republic, were almost within view. A long
line of Filipino intrenchments defended the approaches
to the city. All eyes had been turned from the begin-
ning of the insurrection toward Malolos, and here it was
expected that on the morrow Aguinaldo, with a host of
his black warriors around him, would make a desperate
effort to resist the aggression of the American troops.
The four big rifles and the Colt's automatic were moved
into <a position at dusk close to a deserted line of in-
trenchments south of Malolos. Majors Bell and Young,
later in the evening, went forward to locate -a position
for constructing emplacements for the guns. Suddenly
there was a long flash from a low line of Filipino in-
trenchments 1000 yards to the front. They saw the
flash in time to guard themselves by the shelter of a rice
stack from the pattering bullets. Their mission by this
time was accomplished, for they had discovered a strong
position for the rifles just within a circle of bamboo trees
from which there was an easy view of the enemy's works.
Late that night, in the tropic darkness of the over-
hanging trees, a line of men, carrying picks and spades,
trudged out slowly from the encampment. They were
guided by First Sergeant John Anderson of Battery
B. Soon the rice stack where the emplacements were
to be made could be seen through the gloom. The
work was begun quietly, for the Filipinos in the distance
were known to be on the alert. An axe struck sharply
against a bamboo and a pick dinned resoundingly in the
hard earth. Every one looked searchingly into the dis-
tance, where a response was looked for from a hundred
guns. Major Young stiated that he had posted a look-
out near by so that when he called '"flash" the men could
take care of themselves as they saw fit before the winged
64 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
bullets arrived. So the work went on. When the earth
had been reared about one foot, the look-out suddenly
called "flash" and twenty men dropped to the ground.
But there was no report and no bullets came. The look-
out had seen some restless Filipino lighting a cigarette.
The intrenchments were ready shortly after midnight,
and before dawn on the morning of the 31st the guns
were moved into position. The insurgents formed a
beligerent half-circle around the city, and were prepared
to advance from three sides when the roar of one of the
big guns gave the signal to move. When the light came
it brought into bright relief the heavy earthworks of the
enemy, and a body of soldiers was observed standing idly
on the railroad track about ten hundred yards away.
Suddenly the yawning big guns roared over the plain
and a shell burst over the Filipino intrenchments. There
was a brief response. The vigorous click-click of the
automatic joined in with the roar of the big guns.
Within an hour the infantrymen were advancing upon
the outer works of the city from three sides, and the Fili-
pinos could be seen fleeing down the railroad grade.
They were followed by bullets from rapid-fire guns and
several shells were sent into the insurgents city at a
range of four kilometers. Afterwards it was learned
that the natives had been driven from their two lines of
intrenchments, which were 1000 yards apart, a fact
which clearly indicated the accuracy of the firing. As
soon as the enemy was dispersed the pieces were lim-
bered and while one section took the winding course of
the Malolos road into the city the other went by way of
the railroad. For several thousands yards in front of
Malolos the track had been torn up by the insurgents
and the gun which went up the track had great difficulty
in passing. At one place where the bridge had been de-
stroyed it was necessary to replace a large number of
ties which had been hurriedly throw r n into a body of
water near by.
All morning a long curling line of smoke could be
seen from the distance arising from the heart of the city.
When the artillery swept into the city side by side with
the rigid column of infantry they found half the place in
THE INSURRECTION.
65
ruins; the great church which had been used as a con-
gressional hall was fading in the flaine. The Ameri-
can had found the city a burning Moscow and the people,
like the patriotic Russians, had applied the torch to the
capital upon which they had centered their fondest
dreams. The soldiers trooped into city, mud-bespattered
and weary, and commented in loud tones of surprise on
their peaceful entry into a city where they had looked
for the bloodiest strife of the insurrection. The artil-
lery made a striking appearance as the big mules gal-
loped over the evacuated town. The guns were parked
UTAH GUXS IX PARK, AT COXGRESSIOXAL HALL. MALOLOS.
in the plaza before the Hall of Congress of the insurgent
capital, and Major MacArthur accorded to Major Young
the honor of raising the first American flag over the
walls of the rebel capital. It may be added here that
several weeks later the Utah band played patriotic airs
in the hall where but a short time ago Aguinaldo was
declared president of the Philippines.
The troops remained for several days inactive at
Malolos to recuperate after the rigors of the long march.
During this time the two guns commanded by Lieuten-
ant Gibbs at Caloocan were brought to Malolos by rail,
and Captain Wedgewood took charge of them, while
66 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Lieutenant Gibbs returned to the two platoons stationed
at the waterworks.
On April 7th a reconnoitering expedition went
out to investigate the enemy's position to the east of
Quingua in the vicinity of Bag Bag. Major Bell com-
manded the party, which consisted of a troop of the
Fourth Cavalry, a Hotchkiss revolving cannon and one
llotchkiss mountain gun, in charge of John A. Ander-
son. They found a place where the river could be forded
and discovered that the insurgents were strongly in-
trenched on the banks of the Bag Bag river. The coun-
try at this time was heavily timbered and the party was
able to return unnoticed by the enemy.
A severe battle occurred on April 23rd as the forces
closed in on Quingua. A reconnoitering party of cav-
alry encountered a large body of insurgents and the fire
was so withering that Major Bell was forced to retire.
Reinforcements of infantry were promptly called for and
soon the Nebraskans moved forward to the fray. The
fight lasted several hours, and the infantry and cavalry
were forced to endure a heavy fire out in the open from a
long line of Filipinos intrenchments hidden in a line of
underbrush and trees. It was during this engagement
that the gttllant Stotsenberg was killed while rallying
his men for the charge over the open. The artillery did
not arrive until 11 o'clock, when two rifles, one from
each battery under Captain Wedgewood and Lieutenant
Critchlow came to the front and as usual soon ended the
argument. Private D. J. Davis of Battery A was shot
through the fleshy part of the leg, and while standing
twenty yards behind the piece Captain Wedgewood was
wounded in the hand and stomach by a flying piece of
copper from the defective gun breech. The artillery oc-
cupied a position at one hundred yards range during this
stubbornly fought engagement. The guns were par-
tially sheltered by the foliage of a clump of trees to the
left of the Pulilan road and the Nebraska infantry.
Firing from the artillery was plainly effective, and after
forty-five minutes of continual bombardment the insur-
gents retired over the Pulilan road toward Bag Bag.
THE INSURRECTION. 67
During this engagement Lieutenant Fleming of the
Sixth United States Artillery arrived from Malolos with
one of his own and a Battery B gun, manned by a Utah
detachment, and did valuable service at a one-thousand-
yard range. As the natives retreated in columns they af-
forded a conspicuous target and bursting shrapnel tore
large holes in the retiring lines. Private Abplanalp of
Battery B, one of the drivers, was shot through the
hand and arm while in the rear of the firing line.
This was considered to be as fierce a fight as that in
which the rough riders won their way to glory at Las
Guasimas. At that point three regiments were engaged
and there were seventy casualities. At Quingua there
were only five hundred Americans against a large body
of insurgents and sixty of these were killed or wounded.
General Gregoria del Pilar, the dashing young Filipino
leader, who had previously visited General Otis for the
purpose of arranging terms of peace, commanded the
dusky warriors at this place. Though he was forced to
retreat he took upon himself the credit of killing Colonel
Stotsenberg, and afterwards boasted that he had slain
one thousand Americans in the engagement.
The next morning Lieutenant Fleming with two big
rifles and a TTotchkiss revolving cannon, in charge of
Gunner Corporal M. C. Jensen, forded the Quingua river,
a tributary of the Rio Chico, which in turn draws its
waters from the Rio Grande de Pampanga, at Calum-
pit. The remainder of the artillery, consisting of a pla-
toon of Battery A, under Lieutenant Naylor, and one
gun under Lieutenant Critchlow, went on down the Puli-
tan road toward Bag Bag. There was a sharp encoun-
ter on this road, during which a body of the enemy about
a thousand yards to the right attempted a flank move-
ment, but a few shots from the big guns and the TTotch-
kiss forced them to change their course. The guns di-
rectly under Major Young on the other side of the river
became involved about three hundred vards south of the
enemy's Ions: low line of earthworks at Bag Bag. ^heir
intrenchments occupied the strip of land at the junction
(if the Rio Chico and the Bag Bag rivers. When a re-
connoitering party visited this place on April 7th the
68 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
plain surrounding the Bag Bag was covered with bam-
boo and underbrush, but now all the plain was ias clean
and level as if it had been swept by a cyclone. Thus the
intrenched Malays had cleared a spot which commanded
the plains for miles around.
Infantry and artillery advanced from both sides of
the Quingua Hale with Fleming on the other side and
Wheaton with Utah to the south. Soon the artillery
was engaged on the Pulilan road, 225 yards from the
enemy. At this time the infantry force was fifty yards
in the rear, where it was masked from the enemy but
could render no important assistance. The fire from the
Tagalan intrenchments was murderous. While the ar-
tillery fire was as rapid as possible at least two respon-
sive volleys came from the intrenchments after each
shot. Private Miax Madison fell, killed instantly, early
in the action; Private Frederick Bumiller received a
fatal wound through the hips. Two other cannoneers
were hit in their attire by glance balls and all three of
the big guns were cut with Mausers. In Lieutenant
Critchlow's single detachment of eight men five were
struck two killed and one seriously wounded. Whea-
ton's line meanwhile bore in from the left and the artil-
lery swung forward with the line until they were almost
on the opposite bank from the enemy. The armored
train, equipped with Catlings revolving cannon, pulled
up at this point and turned loose its armament upon the
enemy at a 200-yard range. The insurgents stubbornly
fell back under the terrific fire.
On the opposite bank Corporal Jensen and his crew,
sixty yards from the enemy's position, were ripping the
low intrenchments with the revolving cannon. His po-
sition was perilous <and his gallant fight soon ended. He
was pierced through the stomach with a bullet and on
the next day died from the wound. Lieutenant Flem-
ing, in his report to the chief of artillery, says of him:
"T desire especially to mention Corporal M. C. Jensen for
gallantry in this action. His fearlessness undoubtedly
cost him his life." He also recommends in this report
that Corporal Jensen be awarded a certificate of merit.
THE INSURRECTION. 69
Calunipit is a city which the insurgents looked upon
as invulnerable. Its huts and stone bridges are on both
sides of the I\io Grande de Pampanga the broadest and
longest river in Luzon. It was here a few months before
that the insurgents captured many thousand Spanish
prisoners with all their anus, and they were prepared
to vigorously contest the advance of the American
troops.
The guns of Utah and the two big rifles of Lieuten-
ant Fleming were on the south side of the Bag Bag, and
it is only a mile from here to the Filipino stronghold.
The advance began early on the morning of the 27th. A
pLatoon under Lieutenant Naylor, w r ho had been in
charge of Battery A pieces since the wounding of Cap-
lain Wedgewood, one gun under Lieutenant Critchlow,
Fleming's two guns and a Hotchkiss in charge of Cor-
poral Bjarnson were pushed by hand over a bridge
hastily constructed over the waters of the Bag Bag. The
clattering din of the infantry could soon be heard in
altercation with the insurgents at the front. The insur-
gents, behind intrenchments, were sending volleys fast
into the Americans from the north bank of the Pam-
panga. It was observed that the long bridge had been
partially destroyed and the rails torn from the track for
several hundred yards. The heavy iron beams of the
1 ridge were placed above the two lines of intrenchments.
Iron rails supported the ponderous beams, and between
them was formed a long slot for Filipino rifles.
The three big Utah guns were rushed to a position
on the right of the station, about 100 yards from the
enemy, and where there was partial protection from a
nipa hut. Earthworks were quickly thrown up and to
divert the enemy's attention while this was going on, a
squad of Montana men kept up a constant fire from a
position immediately in front of the artillery. Bullets
came in sheets from the Filipino position. A Montana
sharpshooter, shot through the head, fell dead at the
foot of the half-made emplacement. Fleming's guns
pointed through an aperture broken through the solid
brick walls of the station facing the half-demolished
bridge. Further off to the left Corporal Bjarnson with
70 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the revolving Hotchkiss was with the line of Kansas
infantry under Colonel Funston. Out on the left Colo-
nel 1- unston was performing the famed and intepid feat
by which he was able to cross the river. Protected by
the swift tire of the revolving Hotchkiss, a Kansas man
with a rope swam the swift moving waters of the Pani-
panga and fastened one end to the base of a bamboo tree.
Then Funstou with about forty of his men crossed the
river on hastily constructed rafts, guided by the long-
ropes. Suddenly this small body of warriors charged
and attacked the insurgents on the left flank. The in-
surgents who had valiantly and stubbornly held their
position, were terrorized by the unexpected onslaught,
and the whole line in the east side of the bridge sprang
from the intrenchinent and fled northward along the
railroad embankment. Natives were strewn thick upon
the banks of the river as they ran. A mounted Filipino
officer was shot through the heart as he stood with flash-
ing sword vainly trying to rally his confused and fleeing
troops'. The Tagalans to the right were touched with
consternation and fled from their bulwarks. And so
during this one hour Colonel Funston performed the
most dashing deed of the war and the Malay hosts were
driven from their strongest defense. Fifteen hundred
American soldiers in this battle contested with 12,000
intrenched warriors of Luzon, and won by their prowess
and the strategy of a gallant leader.
The two brigades were allowed to rest for several
days on the sunny banks of the Panipanga. On May
14th the troops began the march toward San Fernando,
which lies green and low at the base of Mt. Arayat,
which can be seen for many miles around. The artillery,
with the mules, crossed the river on rafts. \Vheaton
advanced up the railroad track while Rale's brigade
strung out over the Apalit road.
A revolving Hotchkiss cannon and one (latling gun,
manned b;v Battery B detachments, were mounted on
trucks. This moving battery was commanded by Lieu-
teant Naylor. As the troops approached Santo Tomas
the insurgents were discovered, intrenched on both sides
of the railroaVl. As the infantry engaged them on the
THE INSURRECTION. 71
right, Lieutenant Baylor's machine guns played on the
thin line of snioke curling above the Filipino intrench-
meiit. As the iniautrv pressed them on the right they
retreated over the railroad towards a long line of in-
treuchuients, and the bullets from the Gatling fell
among them here taster than autumn leaves. Colonel
Funston, at the head of his troops, took the tire line of
imreuchinents on the left of the track and moved down
on the Tagalaus, who had constructed a long line of in-
treuchments parallel with the railway. They were
beaten back by the Kansas men, but in this charge Col-
onel Funston fell, having sustained a slight wound in
the arm. During this engagement General Luna, most
renowned of the Filipino chiefs, was wounded in the
arm, and as there was only a light infantry fire, the opin-
ion prevailed that this was inflicted by Lieutenant Bay-
lor's fast-clicking Gatling gun. General Wheaton per-
sonally praised Lieutenant Naylor for his work in the
Santo Tomas battle, and afterwards in his report recom-
mended him for meritorious service.
Over on the right up the Apalit road Captain W edge-
wood and Lieutenant Oitchlow were encountering diffi-
culties. The insurgents had constructed pitfalls in the
road. They were thinly covered with a layer of leaves
and earth and the wayward feet of mule and soldier
were menaced beneath witli sharp pointed wedges of
bamboo. These were discovered early in the march and
no accidents resulted from them. There was some brisk
fighting on this end of the line and the big guns shelled
the insurgents on the opposite side of the river. The
whole of the next day was consumed in transporting the
artillery and equipage across the river on a raft con-
structed by the engineers, and on May 6th they entered
San Fernando.
This fair city was half destroyed by flames, and
when the troops entered no lingering black warriors
could be found. They had all retreated farther north,
following in the general direction of the railway. Major-
General Mac Arthur's headquarters were established
near the center of that part of the city which was un-
touched by the flames, and close by the Utah guns were
72 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
parked. Later one of the big guns was utilized for out-
post duty, a rather remarkable use for artillery. Every
night after the Filipinos had begun to gather again near
the city one of the pieces with a gun crew would go
down a sunken road and watch all night with the far-
thest outposts of the infantry.
During this period Major-General Otis had issued
an order offering thirty pesos to every Filipino warrior
who would return his rifle to the American authorities.
On May 23rd Major Bell went on an expedition up the
railway track for the purpose of posting up the order,
and took with him two troops of the Fourth Cavalry
and a revolving Hotchkiss gun, manned by Sergeant
Emil Johnson and Corporal Hesburg of Battery A and
Private Martin of Battery B. All the men were mount-
ed and the cannon equipped with a small Filipino horse,
so that if necessary a hasty retreat could be made. They
proceeded up the railway track, and notices were duly
and conspicuously left at Bacalor and Quiuag. Just as
the forces reached the outskirts of Santa Rita they were
fired on by a large body of insurgents, who were heavily
intrenched around the city. The revolving cannon was
used effectively and Major Bell and his men went into
<action five times, but the insurgent attack was too fierce
for the small force and it was obliged to retreat. With
a whoop of joy the Filipinos rose from their trenches
in pursuit, cheering loudly as they came. They followed
for five miles through Bacalar, and as far back as their
old intrenchments surrounding San Fernando. The
rather meagre encouragement of having been able to
chase a small troop of cavalry seemed to give the Taga-
lans at this time an idea that they had the whole Ameri-
can force in retreat.
During the night word was brought to General Mac-
Arthur that the Filipinos were preparing to make an at-
tack early the next morning. At dawn the Montana and
Kansas regiments and a platoon under Lieutenant Nay-
lor went out to meet them. The Filipinos were in force
in their old position to the northwest. The Kansas went
through some cornfields on the left and the Montana s
through a sunken road to the right. The artillery re-
THE INSURRECTION. 73
maiiied in a concealed position in the center and waited
until the two regiments had moved up on the startled
natives from both tianks. As the insurgents retreated
iu contusion the big guns played on the scattered ranks.
A large number of the natives were killed during this
clever maneuver and thirty of their rifles were captured.
The Tagalans when on the warpath are persistent.
The next day they occupied intrenchmeuts farther to the
north. They were again driven back and this time they
took up a position towards Mexico and in front of the
Iowa troops.
During the next few days the Malay hordes came to-
ward San Fernando from all sides. Eventually their
forces completely surrounded the city. General Mac-
Arthur watched their plans, saw them tearing up the
earth for intrenchments and waited. It was apparent
that they were preparing to march with crushing force
The cloud burst on June 16th. Just at that time,
when the Americans were not looking for them, the
Tagalans descended on the town. Captain Fred Wheeler
was out on a plain drilling a troop of the Fourth United
States Cavalry. It was in the morning and there was a
heavy mist. One of Captain Wheeler's men informed
upon the American troops.
him that he could see the "niggers" coming. The Cap-
tain could see nothing and sent for his glasses, but be-
fore they arrived the long skirmish line of the Tagalans
could be seen emerging like spectres from the mist. Then
there was a remarkable spectacle the Fourth Cavalry
and the Tagalan warriors racing for the same intrench-
ments. The cavalrymen arrived first and there the bat-
tle began.
The natives came in from four sides. The outposts
v.aited in the old Filipino intrenchments and on some
larts of the line the attacked Tagalans were allowed to
approach within 200 yards. Most of the guns, w r hen the
fight began were located close to MacArthur's head-
quarters, but they were soon on all parts of the line.
When the attack by the Filipinos began the gun under
command of Lieutenant Naylor was on its way to the
outposts. It had been the custom to take the gun there
74 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
just before dawn and bring it back immediately after
darkness came. The advancing Filipinos began firing
before the gun was in position. Corporal Hanson was
in charge at the time, and the rifle was at once rushed to
the emplacement. Word came at the same hour to Lieu-
tenant Naylor, who was officer of the outpost, and he
went through a heavy fire down the road leading to the
intrenchment. When he arrived there the Filipinos
were within three hundred and fifty yards and were ad-
vancing over the rice ridges at a rapid gait. The Lieu-
tenant had a shell sent into the approaching insurgents,
PREPARING FOR AX ENGAGEMENT.
who seemed astounded to find that the artillery occupied
such an advanced position. When nine shells had been
sent into their line, the Filipinos gradually drew back
and were not seen any more on this part of the line dur-
ing the fight.
The Seventeenth and Twenty-second Infantry were
the support on this end of the line, which faced to the
north.
On the west, east and part of the north line were
the Kansas and Montana infantry. It was to this point
that the two guns of Lieutenant Gibbs were moved when
the firing began, and here the guns inflicted severe dam-
age on the islanders. Another gun of Battery B wa
THE INSURRECTION. 75
also placed near this part of the line under Lieutenant
Hines, but it was unnecessary from this position to use
the artillery.
This tight was the first time the American soldiers
during the whole campaign had repulsed an attack
from behind intrenchments, and they laid back and
smiled as the black men approached and then passed
out some volleys that made the whole advancing line
reel. When the Tagalaus began to retreat under the
awakened storm, the Americans followed, and as the
Filipinos recoiled from one regiment they were broken
against another. A company of the Twentieth Infantry
located near Santo Tomas was almost cut off by the ad-
vancing column of the enemy, and a company of the
Montana men was sent to its assistance. The fight
lasted nearly two hours and the Filipino loss amounted
to several hundred. The only casualty on the American
side was a slight wound received by a Montana man,
which shows clearly what the Americans could do in a
contest with a black man under conditions more or less
equal. Colonel Funston stated afterwards that a shell
from one of Lieutenant Gibbs's guns had killed fifteen
Filipinos.
The burying of dead Filipinos the next day was a
tragic sight. Sixty-four were engulfed in one trench.
They w r ere brought up in caribou carts, and the American
pulled them off w r ith ropes and deposited them in the
common grave.
There was another fight on the 22nd, but the Fili-
pinos seemed to have lost their dash and courage of a
few days before, and on this occasion the artillery was
not called out.
A few days later word came that the Utah battalion
was ordered home, and on the 24th day of June the Utah
men boarded the train for Manila and were carried away
from the smoke of war and the darkly fought battlefields
of the East.
Sergeant John A. Anderson with one gun of Battery
B and a rifle of the Sixth Artillery was in the flying col-
umn of General Lawton, who left a path of ashes around
76 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the Pampauga province and finally drove the insurgents
from San Isidro with his detachment on the 21st of March
and arrived on the same day at Boeaue. The order to
march came on the 23rd and the Sergeant was given a po-
sition on the left of the Thirteenth Minnesotas. From the
brow of the hill above Norzagaray the guns began shell-
ing at 1500 yards. The front line was silenced but at
this point the natives made an effort to turn the right
flank, and it was necessary to throw many shrapnel into
the advancing insurgents column before it turned. The
next day Norzagaray was entered after the place had
been shelled, and during this slight advance the artillery
was in action five times. Colonel Sommers personally
commended the detachment on the accuracy of its gun-
nery and its promptness. On the 25th Ongaut was burned
and on the 26th there was an engagement which lasted
for some time below Baliuag. San Maguel was taken on
the 4th, and on the 13th a few shells were thrown into
San Isidro, but the insurgents, after repeated defeats,
showed small resistance here and soon retreated.
On the 24th the artillery arrived with the infantry at
Candaba, and the detachment remained quartered here
until the order arrived for the Utah men to return to
Manila. The plan of Lawton's campaign was for his
troops to drive the insurgents towards Candaba, where
they could be met by the advancing forces under Major
Kobbe and the river gunboats. But when General Law-
ton came down to Candaba there were none but American
soldiers there as the insurgents forces had disappeared in
the interior.
Shortly after the arrival in Malolos the Utah men
were joined by Corporal Dusenbury and two other men
of Battery B. They with a revolving Hotchkiss cannon
were picked up by General Wheaton early in his advance
from Caloocan, and were highly praised by the General
for the skill and efficiency they had shown in many dan-
gerous places. General Wheaton showed his apprecia-
tion of the work of the guns by attaching several regular
and Oregon infantrymen to the pieces, in order that they
could be carried over rough places with the greatest pos-
sible dispatch.
CHAPTER IV.
THE GUNBOATS.
NO history of the Utah batteries will be complete with-
out a narrative of the exploits of the gunboats.
While the land forces performed their duties with great
honor and are to be commended in every way possible,
it must be remembered that a portion of the men were
lighting on the water and did work of such a character
that they won especial mention from those in charge
when the big guns were hurling death and the Gatlings
were barking fire at the opposing army.
At first the proposition of building gunboats was
not at all popular with the authorities. Some opposed
the scheme on the grounds that it could not be success-
fully accomplished with the limited means at hand and
the rivers of Luzon to contend with. However, later de-
velopments attested that those who were the originators
of the plan showed greater wisdom than their opponents.
Sometime prior to the breaking out of hostilities be-
tween the American forces and the natives General Otis
conceived the idea of employing gunboats on the rivers
and lakes for the purpose of opening up lines of com-
munication between difficult portions of our own lines.
The fact that the rivers were shallow was the one serious
objection to the project, but this difficulty was eliminated
by the adoption of light draught boats. The nature of
the country in the vicinity of Manila and the other towns
where the heaviest fighting took place is such that it
was apparent to those who w r ere aware of these condi-
tions that this craft might be engaged in protecting the
advance of the infantry and artillery; could hold the hos-
tile bands in check until favorable positions could be
taken, and be of wonderful service in the campaign.
The first vessel to engage in this kind of work w;i><
the "Laguna de Bay," which has made a reputation never
to be forgotten so long as the history of the war in the
78 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Philippines remains familiar to the American mind. This
vessel is doubtless as well known as the "Olympia," the
flagship of gallant Admiral Dewey, and while there are
those who fail to recall the fact that the "Boston" or the
"Kaleigh" took part in the attack on the Spanish in the
bay of Manila, it is safe to assert that the operation of the
"Laguna de Bay" and her sister craft will ever be fresh
in the minds of those who have made even a casual study
of the events which took place during the campaign car-
ried on by the brave men from the youngest State in the
Republic.
The "Laguna de Bay," the first converted gunboat,
was placed in commission on January, 1899. She was
formerly used by the Spanish as an excursion boat on tht
body of water from which she derived her name and prio.
to the fall of Manila had been captured by the Filipinos
and turned over to the United States. She was by no
means a small craft considering her environments -shal-
low rivers and muddy bayous. She was 140 feet in
length, 40-foot beam with a draught of four feet. When
she was fitted out it was decided to give her some pro-
tection for the men, so her main deck, the upper deck, the
pilot house and the Gatling battery, were protected by a
double sheeting of steel. The many bullet marks on this
light armor demonstrated afterwards the wisdom of this
policy. At this point it may not be out of order to inter-
polate the fact that her companion gunboats were sim-
ilarly protected, which accounts for the small list of cas-
ualties.
The armament of the gunboat consisted of two three-
inch marine guns, two 1.65 Hotchkiss revolving cannon
and four Gatlings. At first Lieutenant "R. C. Naylor was
in charge of the guns, while Captain Randolph of the
Third United States Artillery commanded the vessel. In
.addition to the men from the Utah batteries, several were
detailed from the various regiments to act as sailors, rifle-
men and cannoneers.
The boats which were added to the fleet were the
"Oeste," the "Napindan" and the "Oavadonga." The last
went into commission on May 6th and was commanded by
Lieutenant William C. Webb. The crews of the vessel
THE GUNBOATS. 79
were made up of members of the Utah batteries and men
from the Twenty-third United States Infantry, the First
South Dakota Infantry and the Third United States Bat-
tery.
On the morning of February 5th the "Laguna de
Bay" steamed up the Pasig to the town of Santa Ana
while the Nebraska, California and Washington troops
assaulted the enemy from the land. Twenty minutes after
the boat turned her guns upon the town the principal
buildings were in flames and the stricken garrison made
all haste toward San Pedro Macati and Guadaloupe.
Next she turned her attention to those portions of the
enemy stationed in Bacoor and Mandaloya. Her forward
guns tore great gaps in the enemy's earthworks and her
Gatlings raked the trenches with so galling a fire that
the foe was sent flying towards the woods in the region
of Pasig with the Nebraska Infantry in speedy pursuit.
The following morning the boat passed Santa Ana, where
two three-inch Krupp guns had been captured by the
Idaho troops, and reconnoitered the native position in the
woods be3 r ond. Late that afternoon she returned to Ma-
nila and replenished her coal bunkers, when she resumed
her old position at the Nebraska landing.
March 7th the gunboat again passed Santa Ana
and went up as far as Guadaloupe, where the First Cali-
fornia was quartered. General Anderson came up the
river in a launch and a consultation was held as to fu-
ture operatic us. Nothing of moment happened that day,
but on the morrow General King arrived on his way to
Pasig for the purpose of demanding the surrender of the
town. He desired the "Luguna de Bay" to await his re-
turn. A vigilant patrol was kept up that evening and
during the niulit three shots were fired by sentries from
the boat. The day following was uneventful, but on the
10th the "Oeste/' which was towing a casco, came along-
side and stated that Colonel Stotsenberg had sent word
that the insurgents were massing west of the camp of
the Nebraska regiment.
It was on the 14th that word was received from
Colonel PuBois of the Idaho regiment to hurry up stream
at all speed. This was done and an effort made to anchor
80 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
off the mouth of the Pateros, where the infantry fire was
very brisk. Here it was that Lieutenant Harting met his
death. Harting with four men got aboard and the line
was dropped when the boat sank, being swept almost im-
mediately under the gunwale of the "Luguna de Bay."
The three men forward grasped the gunwale and were
saved, but the officer and the fourth man went down
stream. Though the Lieutenant was a good swimmer,
no sign of him could be seen. He was heavily laden with
revolver, belt and ammunition. Lieutenant Larson
jumped overboard to rescue him, but was unable to get
even a glimpse of him. His body was found two days
later near General Otis's headquarters. The fourth man
escaped by swimming ashore.
By order of the Commanding General February 16th,
Major Grant took command of the river force and Captain
Randolph rejoined his regiment. The next day an as-
siduous fire was directed against San Pedro Macati with
telling effect.
The commanders now decided that in case the forces
stationed at Guadaloupe should be too strongly pressed
by the enemy they should fall back to San Pedro Macati,
setting fire to the convent and other principal buildings
as they returned. In this instance the gunboat was to
steam up above Guadaloupe. On Sunday, February 19th,
this very thing was done though the insurgents as yet
had made no advance. The soldiers left the convent after
firing it. As the gunboat moved up the stream she met
with a determined resistance. The opposing force repeat-
edly assailed her, but her Gatlings finally compelled them
to withdraw. An unsuccessful effort was made to ex-
plode a quantity of nitro-glycerine in the convent by the
use of percussion shell. The boat then advanced nearer
the town where it engaged the insurgents on both sides
of the river. Every gun now played upon the enemy's
lines. In the course of twenty minutes twenty-five throe-
inch shells, 4200 Gatling, 1500 Krag-.Torgenson and 800
Springfields were expended. This spirited defense caused
the prudent native to withdraw to a country less subject
to leaden bullets, and the boat dropped down stream. In
the afternoon Admiral Dewey visited the "Laguna de
THE GUNBOATS. 81
I5;iy'' in quest of information, and while he was secur-
ing what he came after a Filipino sharpshooter began
taking pot shots at the Admiral, who, being unprotected,
decided he was far enough inside the enemy's lines and
turned back.
At San Felipe Lieutenant Xaylor was sent ashore
on the following day to cut down some trees and burn
some huts so the view of the boats' gunners would not be
obstructed, which duty was performed under a strag-
gling fire.
Admiral Dewey visited the gunboats on the 21st,
st;iting lie would send two rapid-fire guns for the "Laguna
de Bay." That was the object of his visit, which was
short. The same day General King and his staff came
aboard and were taken up the stream. Word was soon
afterward received that the Wyoming battalion was go-
ing to advance on the enemy near Guadaloupe on the left
of the river early the following morning but as the gun-
boat was not in a position to aid in the expedition she re-
mained inactive when the firing began the next mornimr.
On the day following Lieutenant Naylor again landed
with a small force of men at San Felipe, where he set
fire to the buildings and cut down trees which would have
obstructed the view. Nothing occurred until the night of
the 25th, when desultory firing was heard at San Felipe,
and following this matters were unusually quiet until
the niji'ht of March 1st. That day the insurgents were en-
countered at San Pedro Macati and the Gatlin-is, th*
three-inch and the l.fio-inch guns were brought into ac-
tion. During the firing Sergeant Shea received a slight
wound in the hand. A three-inch ffun was disabled in this
engagement. Two days later another conflict took place
at the same point resulting in the complete defeat of the
enemy, who was forced from his position after a severe
bombardment.
The morning of March 4th opened cloudy with "La-
guna de Bay" at San Pedro. A sharp skirmish soon be-
gan. The natives held their position for some time but
were finally compelled to give way before the superior
strength of the Americans. Under orders from General
Wheaton the smnboat followed them and directed a dead-
82 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
ly fire into the woods on both sides of the river. During
the fight, which lasted several hours, the boat was fre-
quently struck by the bullets of the enemy. It was dur-
ing this encounter that Private John Toiza of the Third
Artillery laid down his life. He was shot in the left
breast, the bullet passing downward through his heari,
killing him instantly. A shell also lodged in the 1.65-inch
gun, disabling it for the time.
On March 5th Admiral Dewey again came alongside
and stated that General Otis had declared he believed he
would keep the gunboats down the stream if they did not
cease fighting so much. Then the Admiral added with
emphasis, "We ought to have three such boats."
Two days later w r hen Hale's brigade made an ad-
vance upon the insurgents on the left, and the natives
were hurried with great speed toward Mariquina and the
San Mateo river, the "Laguna de Bay" again performed
excellent service in flanking them and turning their left
wing against our right.
Very early on the morning of March 13th the battle
of Guadaloupe and Pasig opened, the attention of the
guns on the boat being centered on Guadaloupe. Mean-
while Wheaton advanced his troops on the right to Pat-
teros and along the Pasi-. The advance to Guadaloupe
began along the river with the gunboat in the vanguard.
Two insurgents partially concealed in the bushes on the
banks were taken prisoners and turned over to the Twen-
ty-third Infantry. Sunken cascos, loaded with rock, were
frequently encountered, but the boat avoided them with
only a little delay. Generals Anderson and Wheaton
moved up from the right and the gunboat stai'ted up the
stream. Near the Maraquina river they met with a fierce
fire from both sides of the stream but no one on the boat
was injured. Two Filipino launches were noticed but
they got away. A casco was found in which were the
clothing of some Filipino officer and men. The wearers
had escaped.
On the day following there was a brisk engageinent
at Pasig in which the town was bombarded with good
effect, some thirty of the enemy being killed, while the
remainder were sent flying in all directions.
THE GUNBOATS. 83
Nothing of interest occurred until Wednesday, March
15th, when a casco manned by natives was chased down
the river. She was overhauled but not until her crew
had jumped overboard and swam ashore. The "Laguna
de Bay'' raised a white flag for the purpose of investigat-
ing, but the insurgents instead of recognizing it pivoted
a sharp small rim fire upon the boat which answered
with a heavy rain of shell and shrapnel.
Two days later an expedition, led by the gunboats,
headed for Morong on the opposite side of the lake. Lieu-
tenant Webb with a Gatling and twenty-four men went
ashore to make a reconnoissance. This small detachment
was followed by three infantrymen under Captain Pratt.
Upon the advance of the Americans the enemy retreated
quickly across the plain and disappeared in the shades
of the mountains beyond. One thousand bushels of rice
and three cascos were captured at this place and a letter
from General Pilar directing a general advance on Pasig
was also found. But few inhabitants remained in the
town and upon questioning them it w r as learned that the
Filipinos had several large launches on the Pagsanyan
river.
Major Grant had long been working to interest Gen-
eral Lawton in favor of an expedition against Santa
Cruz. Santa Ouz is situated on the eastern shores of
the lake just behind the point of a mountain which juts
out. into the water. She is the agricultural center of all
the rich land on the eastern side of the island of Luzon.
-Ml the smaller towns of the surrounding country look
up to her. She is the emporium to which all the farmers
and travelers and merchants resort and from which they
reap a bounteous harvest.
The insurgents had long since seized upon this im-
portant place as it furnished an inexhaustible supply
of food for their armies. Besides being far out of the
Avav and difficult of approach, she became the military
station to which the famished and fatigued insurgents
looked for support iand rest. Major Grant early noticed
1he importance of the town and thereafter he labored
incessantly to bring about its capture by the Americans.
Finally, on the 18th, he succeeded in getting a fleet of
84 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
gunboats, launches and cascos headed that way. Cap-
tain Pratt and Lieutenant Franklin attempted to make
a landing on the shore in front of the town, but they
failed as the water was too shallow. Five miles far-
ther up the beach they made a profitable landing at the
mouth of the Pagsanyan river. However, as this was
blocked with obstructions of bamboo and rock, no effort
was made to sail up the stream until three days had
elapsed. Then the impediment was removed.
During the time which intervened between the 21st
and the 28th little was done with the exception of at-
tending to some needed repairs on the boat. On the 28th
the gunboat advanced to the south of the Balucan river,
where another delay was caused by the obstructions
placed there by the natives. The country skirting this
place was thickly covered with brush and low trees, very
much like bayou. When about a mile and a half up the
stream the enemy opened fire at a nange of about 500
yards, which was returned by the guns on the boat. The
fire was heavy and the insurgents evidently concluded
that they were too close for comfort, for their fire slack-
ened materially in a very short time. The "Laguna de
Bay" and the "Napindan" then came down the stream.
As the latter started to follow the larger boat the pilot
was hit in the hand by a bullet and before he could re-
cover himself the little craft had run aground. When
the "Laguna de Bay" went to her assistance she ialso
struck a bar and was held fast. The boats were com-
pelled to remain here under fire until the tide came in
and floated them off.
The work of the gunboats was without extraordi-
nary interest until April 8th. On that day the fleet
steamed up Pasig with twenty cascos and seven launches
in tow. One thousand five hundred men, with two days'
rations, two light artillery guns and necessary horses,
composed the expedition, which was commanded by
General Lawton. Among the troops were detachments
from the Fourth United States Cavalry, the Fourteenth
United States Infantry, the North Dakota, Idaho and
Washington voluntoers, the Sixth Artillery and the
Signal Corps. This force reached Jalajala on the 9th
THE GUNBOATS. 85
and then awaited the arrival of the entire fleet. The
place of advancement and attack Santa Cruz was
mapped out and then the fleet steamed ahead. About
live miles from Santa Cruz the "JSapindan" ran into a
point close to the shore and opened fire. Here the works
were silenced, after which the troops landed. Under
cover of the guns of the "Oeste" other men also disem-
barked. With Lawton aboard, the "Laguna de Bay"
advanced toward the town approaching to within 300
yards of the shore. Some troops in cascos were put
ashore. After a survey of the situation the boats went
out into deep water and advanced from the right, while
the troops encamped to the west of the town.
The next day a general advance began at daylight.
The American forces came up to the enemy's position
and opened fire. This w r as a signal for action on the
part of the boats and after moving in closer they opened
a heavy fire on the insurgent works. The troops placed
south and west under General Lawton drove the natives
northward while those posted along the shore of the
river, aided by the guns on the boats, did considerable
damage. Large bodies of the natives broke for a place
of safety and while attempting to escape through a
marshy open field many of them were killed. Shells
actually mowed them down in heaps. By this time the
lines of the infantry had been completely formed for an
advance and the gunboats ceased their work. Shortly
afterward our forces took possession of the town, and a
message was received from Lawton saying he had estab-
lished his headquarters in the church.
On the llth the boats steamed up the lake and ran
close to the shore near the mouth of the Pagsanyan
river, where they opened fire on the town of Lumbaog,
toward which the land forces were advancing. This
fire was kept up until the infantry reached the place and
took it. A message was received from General Lawton
to the effect that he had captured the town of Pagsan-
yan; also that six launches had been captured there and
were at the town. The "Cavadonga" at this time sailed
up and relieved the "Oeste." The guns were on the hills
north of Orani and after a time the infantry took posses-
86 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
sion, for a flag from the church tower called for a boat
to be sent to that place. The "Laguna de Bay" re-
sponded, went up the river and shelled Paite and Sini-
laon until darkness ended her usefulness for that day.
The troops had in the meantime checked the native ad-
vance and camped at Paite.
From this time until May 7th little was done by the
boats. A greater part of the time was spent in making
necessary repairs. On the last mentioned date a Maca-
bebe named Soteros Gatdula reported for duty as pilot,
and under his direction the fleet steamed across the bay
to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Passing up this stream
the boats shelled the towns of Guagua and Sexmoan.
At the former place a fire had been started and a launch
in the river was observed to be in flames. A party was
sent out to try to save this craft, but she proved to be of
little value and the attempt was abandoned. Two Span-
iards claiming to have been held as prisoners by the na-
tives, and a Filipino suspect were taken aboard.
It was decided early in Maj r to make an effort to
pierce the waters of the Rio Grande de Pampanga,
which leads to Calumpit and beyond far into the heart
of the enemy's country. The first efforts to search out
the channel were made by the "Cavadonga" on May 9th.
Soteros Gatdula, a Macabebe pilot, was directed by
General Otis to undertake the task and the "Cavadonga"
started on the cruise into the unknown waters early in
the morning. Near the mouth of the river the boat sud-
denly went aground, and when the tide rose, and early
in the day the boat was joined by the "Laguna de Bay.''
The channel was then located by the Macabebe and tin-re
was no further difficulty in forcing a passage up the wide
waters of the river, the largest on Luzon Island. For a
long distance up the river the territory is occupied by
the Macabebes, the ancient and traditional enemies of
the Tagalan race. A large crowd of these friendly natives
was on the shores of the river as the boats passed up and
they filled the air with cheers and cries of "Viva los
Americanos," which the soldiers replied to in variegated
and wonderfully woven Filipino phrases. One obstruc-
tion was met in the river consisting of cocoanut poles,
THE GUNBOATS. 87
but the Macabebes assisted in removing these from the
path of the boats. Without having fired a shot, early in
the afternoon the boats arrived at Calumpit, where
troops of the infantry were stationed.
On May 14th the "Cavadonga" was sent out on a
reconnoitering expedition up the river. On the way up
Sexinoan and Apilit were passed, and it was observed
that all the natives fled from the river as soon as the
gunboat approached. The country is heavily timbered
on both sides of the river, and there was no evidence of
a hostile attitude on the part of the natives until the
boat swung round the curve leading to San Luiz. Al-
most through the entire distance the shores were lined
with Filipino intrenchments, but it was discovered that
these were unoccupied. Lieutenant Webb was out on
the bow capstan, entirely unsheltered by the meagre
3-16-inch armor with which the craft was encased. Just
as a curve was rounded in front of San Luiz a long line
of straw hats and the bores of fifty rifles were seen facing
the boat from the port side, no more than fifty yards
away. Lieutenant Webb was scanning the opposite
shore with his glasses, when the lookout discov-
ered the enemy on the port side. Sergeant Ford
Fisher called out a sudden warning to the Lieu-
tenant and reached out towards him. Just then
the volley came. Fisher reeled backward with a
bullet piercing his brain. Instantly the bow one-
pounder and the Gatling gun on the port side tore the
Filipino intrenchments. Bullets pelted fast against the
slight armor of the cruiser. Fred Mitchell, one of the
men at the Gatling gun, was wounded in the hand. The
"Cavadonga" turned round almost where it stood and
slowly moved back, and during a wonderful skirmish in
which the native and American frequently fired in each
other's faces at a range of twenty yards, raked the Fili-
pino works with the fast-firing machine guns. The fight-
ing only lasted thirty minutes.
When it was over Ford Fisher, who was still breath-
ing, was placed on board the "Oceania," which had re-
mained about two hundred yards in the rear during the
fighting, and almost at the moment he was laid on the
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
craft he expired. The "Oceania" sped quickly down the
river with the dead body of the Sergeant, but frequently
the "Oavadonga" stopped to suppress the desultory tire
from the natives who had fled during the early part of
the action. It was learned afterwards from the "padre''
at San Luiz that fifty insurgents had been killed during
the engagement, and when the Utah men arrived there
a few days later a long line of new graves in the walled
cemetery told a tragic story of the ending of the fight.
On the evening of this day the Seventeenth Regular
Infantry and a battalion of the Ninth Infantry advanced
up the Rio Grande from Calumpit over the old Apilit
road under the leadership of Major Kobbe of the Third
United States Artillery. Early the next morning the
"Laguna de Bay" and "Cavadonga" started up the river
and most of the way kept within view of the troops on
the shore. Occasionally the gunboats moved ahead and
daring scouts could be seen calmly looking into vacated
Filipino intrenchrnents. The enemy was encountered
several times along the shore as far as San Luiz and all
intrenchments were bombarded by the "Laguna de Bay"
some distance to prevent a repetition of the disastrous
surprise of the day before. When San Luiz was neared
white flags could be seen floating everywhere, and on
arriving there it was discovered that the whole body of
insurgents had disappeared into the interior. The boats
remained at this position during the night, and early the
next morning resumed the advance ahead of the infan-
try up the waters of the Pampanga. During this journey
large numbers of Filipinos were met in cascos with their
families and all their earthly possessions, making their
way down the stream. About noon the boats reached
Candaba without a hostile shot having been fired during
the whole day. Here Major Grant was met by the Mayor
of the city, who stated that he had forced the soldiers
to evacuate in order to prevent the bombardment of the
town and the subsequent loss of life among the people
of whom he was guardian. An evidence of the hasty
departure of the natives was found upon entering the
town, far a guard list giving the names of the officers and
THE GUNBOATS. 89
enlisted men of the guard w;>s found posted on the walls
of the town hall.
This ended the fighting record of the gunboats
under a rtah commander. From this period until June
24th the boats were utilized in carrying supplies and
towing soldiers, laden cascos and wounded men up and
down the 1'ainpanga. On May 24th the rebel commis-
sioners, General Gregoria del Pilar and Colonal Actia,
who had gone to Manila to negotiate peace with General
Otis after the crushing defeat of the insurgents at Cal-
umpit, were taken on the gunboats and conveyed as far
as Candaba. They had expressed a wish to go by way
of the gunboats, as they had no desire to cross the in-
surgents' lines at San Fernando because General Luna
was in command at that place and there was strife be-
tween the two Generals. Pilar showed great interest
in the armament of the "Laguna" and said he would
give all his wealth for one of the three-inch guns. The
"Oceania" was sent ahead with instructions to all the
commanding officers to make as large a display as possi-
ble. At San Luiz the instructions were not complied
with and as the "Laguna" passed one officer and four
men were falling in for guard. General Gregoria smiled.
Farther up the river the case was different. Where they
were in the habit of posting but one guard there was an
officer and twenty men. This was repeated at all the
other stations until Candaba was reached. General
Gregory's smile had faded, and he remarked that the
Americans kept the country better patrolled than he had
imagined. The General and Colonel were landed at
Candaba and under an escort of Americans disappeared
in the distant green line of woods.
On May 24th it was known among all the Utah men
that their days of fighting were over, and on this date
Major Grant was relieved of his command of the river
boat fleet. And so ended, for Utah, the career of these
wonderful ironclad river machines.
CHAPTEEV.
THE HOME COMING.
WHILE the fighting Utah batterymen were still living
in the nipa huts at San Fernando and Baliaug and
repelling the attacks of the dusky Tagalan braves at ( 'an-
daba and Morong from General Otis an order came to the
Cuartel. It had an unpretentious look that slip of pa-
per; but it carried a message of great importance to the
belligerent Utahn than any he had received since the
thunders of war shook the earth on the night of Februarv
o /
4th. It told the artilleryman to gather all his portable
utensils and board the United States transport "Ilaii-
cock," which lay idly in he bay waiting orders to weigh
anchor and steam for America.
Almost a week passed before the scattered batteries
were assembled within the familiar walls of the Cuartel.
The main body at San Fernando turned over its guns to
the famous Third Artillery and arrived safely at the quar-
ters over the Manila and Dagupan railroad; Lieutenant
Seaman's detachment at Baliaug dropped its war machin-
ery and made all possible speed to Manila; Lieutenant
Webb's detail on the "Cavadonga" for the first time
turned its back on the enemy and fled for the protecting
walls of the barracks. When these battle-begrimed vet-
erans reached the quarters there was such a demonstra-
tion as the old walls had never seen before. The old
scenes of order disappeared, the rigors of discipline were
relaxed, and chaos reigned. Everything was made sub-
servient to the one all-absorbing topic, "Home." The
sturdy soldier doffed his war attire and donned his peace-
ful garb. The renowned Utah band paraded the streets
in holiday dress and, w r ith the blare of brass, proclaimed
the happy news to the nut-brown maid. The stalwart
warriors danced and sang to the music of that soul-lifting
song, "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight." The jubil-
ant battle hero collected his ordnance and other war trap-
THE HOME COMING. 91
pings and handed them over to the ordnance officer while
he exchanged looks of mutual doubt and suspicion with
that important personage. The weary and worn Utahn
bade adieu to the dreamy-eyed damsel of the East with
many expressions of fond attachment and love; then mus-
tered his heterogeneous troop of relics and curiosities and
joined the Nebraska regiment on the "Hancock." Two
days later the officers steamed over from the gay apart-
ments of the "Baltimore" in a brightly decorated launch
and walked aboard the big boat. Finally a goodly sup-
ply of canned beef and antiquated swine were hoisted on
the vessel and the Captain gave orders for the sailing flag
to be put to the breeze. This was on July 1st.
When the official contingent was safely housed in
spacious staterooms it was learned that quite a change
had taken place in the roster of that worthy body. The
shoulders of Captain Grant were adorned with the gold
leaf of a Major; Lieutenant Critchlow had been elevated
to a Captaincy; Lieutenant Naylor wore the single bar of
a First Lieutenant, and First Sergeant John A. Anderson
of Battery B shone in the glowing uniform of a Second
Lieutenant. Major Young sent a letter bidding farewell
to the Utahns and expressing his disappointment at not
being able to accompany the batteries home.
The batteryman entertained no high opinion of the
Government transport. He had become acquainted with
the luxuries which Uncle Sam provides the defenders of
his broad acres. He had already learned how elaborately
the American Government furnishes apartments for its
soldiers and food for its larder. So, after he had landed
safely on the main deck and deposited his knapsack and
monkeys, he was not surprised when the order came for
him to take his goods and chattels and repair to the for-
ward hold. He entered the gangway and descended four
nights of stairs without any misgiving or hesitation. He
threaded his way through the labyrinthian passage of his
subaqueous home with a skill equal to that displayed by
the blind fish of the Mammoth Cave. He beheld the won-
derfully constructed bunks which glowed specter-like in
the semi-darkness without evincing the least disappoint-
ment. Later when one of these had been assigned as his
92 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
sole property during the voyage he accepted it and its
dimiimitive proportions without a murmur and philo-
sophically concluded that the Government either thought
he had diminished in stature while on the islands or in-
tended to reduce his dimensions on the way home. Thus
the Utah warrior was quartered. The celerity with which
he adapted himself to his environments clearly exhibited
his excellent training. He quickly disposed of the prob-
lem of how to shorten his linear measurements to four
feet eight inches by placing himself diagonally across
his bed. The posture thus assumed was not unlike that
of a "Skeleton in Armor." When his joints became
cramped he straightened himself out by throwing his
soles against the head of his neighbor, who instantly de-
veloped a remarkable vocabulary of explosives anent
Hades, Paradise, Satan, etc.
Mess time on the "Hancock" was not an occasion of
the greatest felicity to the returning volunteers. Their
epicurean tastes could not totally harmonize with bogus
coffee and cows that had a flavor strangely akin to that
of horse flesh. When the bugle shrilly proclaimed the
dinner hour the men formed in a long serpentine line and
displayed their skill in keeping their equilibrium and at
the same time holding their place in the procession. The
rattle of Government tinware, upon which the .soldier
had inscribed many strange hieroglyphics descriptive of
his adventures, served as a musical entertainment in lieu
of the melody furnished at all other times by the com-
bined efforts of the Utah and Nebraska bands. They
facetiously derided the commissary sergeant who had
long since become calloused to all sneering remarks made
by the ordinary defender of the flag; for in case of any ex-
ceedingly hostile demonstration he w r as armed with a
long cleaver and several carefully concealed bolos. They
made comments, too, not at all flattering to the bill of
fare, about "gold fish" and "slum-gullion" and ancient
swine, but they "wasted their venom on a file." The
cooks, also, came in for a share of the complimentary
criticisms, for they were not blessed with a superabund-
ance of skill in the culinary art. Occasionally the voice
of a volunteer was raised in loud-mouthed protest over
THE HOME COMING. 93
the meagerness of his own supply of food and the appar-
ant excess! veness which adorned the plate of his associ-
ate. This always ended in a peculiar panegyric on the
merits of a person who had a "stand in" or a "pull" with
the officers. When the ravenous Utahn was handed his
cheer the bestower very kindly warned him not to taste
or smell the victuals, as such an act would be attendant
with serious injury to his appetite; so he merely devoured
the contents of his plate with his eyes and passed them
on to his ^astronomical organs with no further ceremony.
A small portion of the forward deck was allotted to
the batteries to be used as a messhall, lounging apart-
ment, etc. It was here the battle-scarred veterans col-
lected at meal times and dispatched their slender store.
As the Pacific is not always so peaceful as its name, this
pleasing task was not at all times accomplished with ease.
When on a boat tipped to an angle of 60 degrees, a Japa-
nese juggler would find some difficulty in conjuring his
body to remain in an upright position and simultaneously
inducing a seething plate of soup to abide in a placid
state; yet the uninitiated volunteers contrived to perform
this daring feat three times a day. The many strange
figures which they described in their endeavors to exe-
cute these occult tricks would have done justice to the
most skillful acrobat. Frequently, as the vessel gave an
extra lurch, the insecure warrior proceeded with all pos-
sible speed to the side of the boat and deposited his food
and eating utensils on the surface of the sad sea waves
amid the execrations of those whom he had the good for-
tune to come in contact with on his hasty trip and the
jibes of his appreciative audience. At this same place
the mendacious batterymen gathered in the warm after-
noons to tell sea serpent legends and fairy stories about
some great event which had never happened in the
trenches. When this supply had been exhausted they be-
gan forthwith to dilate upon the virtues of the most fa-
mous officers until those worthies would have been un-
able to recognize their own characters had they been con-
fronted with them in their garnished garb. Once in a
very great while an officer strolled down from the aris-
tocratic atmosphere of the saloon dining hall and watched
94 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
the feeding of the enlisted drove with a superior grace.
To convince the famished soldiers that they were getting
a redundant quantity of food, he sometimes called for a
There was always a good heap of hash left to show the
astonished men that they were merely chronic kickers.
Then the well-fed comedian adjourned to his spacious sa-
loon and offered an apology to his offended stomach by
supplying it with an abundance of all that the steamer
carried.
The one great comfort to the filling spirits of the
Utahn was the battery fund. Through the darkest days
of war his dying hopes were revived by visions of what
the future held in store for him by the aid of this phan-
tom. It was to the despairing volunteer what is mirage is
to the thirsty traveler of he desert. The fund represented
the combined contributions of the soldiers, benevolent
persons and charitable institutions. Besides this a fabu-
lous sum was added by the artillery canteen which ex-
changed beer for the Utes' money and, in addition to
what it contributed towards the battery fund, provided
turkeys and succotash for the Thanksgiving and Christ-
mas banquets. When it was announced that this enor-
mous sum was to be expended for dainties on the way
home the joy of the batteryman knew no limits. Spectre
dinners of mutton, cakes and pies arose in his mind with
a suddenness that would have startled the most ardent
disbeliever in ghosts. Without the aid of Pluto he called
up all the spirits of meals long dead and fed on them till
the marvelous distribution should take place. And it
was not long in coming. One morning, accompanied by
the stentorian voice of the bugle Judge Williams, heavily
laden with a huge cargo of jam, hove in sight. Then were
many whispered comments made about the quantity
which each man was to receive. The Judge soon stopped
this and shortly after there was a hum of satisfaction all
along the deck as the men made way with this delicacy.
Now the gastronomy of the warrior lived and flourished
under the rigors of army hardtack and navy beans, but
it collapsed at once when introduced to Jamesson's jam.
There was a sudden epidemic of cramps throughout the
entire organization, but the ever victorious commissary
THE HOME COMING. 95
sergeant soon stamped this out by the judicious applica-
tion of some French mustard, which had been purchased
by the battery fund. And thus the men of Utah were fed.
Meanwhile the swift "Hancock" steamed out of Ma-
nila bay and speeded toward Japan. Two days out she
passed the beautiful Island of Formosa, and in three days
more the vessel came in sight of Nagasaki, the leading
coa ling station of the Flowery Kingdom. Just at dusk the
pilot boarded the vessel and directed her safely through
the narrow channel into the land-locked harbor. Next
morning all the soldiers were given shore leave for the
day and San-pans the native craft were provided to
take the men ashore. Here the Utahn explored the country
in the jin-rickisha a two-wheeled vehicle which is drawn
by the cabby himself, who as soon as he has settled to his
satisfaction the price to be paid, ambles off at a gentle
speed. If the Island of Kiusiu appeared beautiful as the
boat approached it in the waning twilight it seemed doub-
ly so in the glory of the morning sun. It is a land where
poetry breathes as freely as the gentle zephyrs blow from
the summit of Mount Olympus; it is a land where women
are as fair as the daughters of Niobe. The pretty ter-
raced hills adorned with Pagan temples are rich in the
odor of the spice and pine; the pellucid lakes and bays
gather a silver purity from the very crest of the moun-
tain; and as one gazes upon this beauty and simple grand-
uer he imagines that it was just such influences as these
that stirred the soul of Hellas when she pictured Aphro-
dite springing out of the sea or Neptune riding in his
chariot of shells with a gay company of Tritons and
Nymphs. Three days, owing to a raging typhoon, the ves-
sel was delayed in coaling, but after the storm had spent
its force the coaling was resumed and the transport put
to sea. On the llth the ships arrived at Muji, the key
to the southern end of the inland sea. Here Japan's mili-
tary power is fully shown. Huge guns bristle from every
hill, dark warships stud the clear waters of the ocean and
soldiers deck the peaks. The sharp green cliffs in the in-
land sea chop off into the water and from every one of
these of any importance a cannon menacingly points.
Both entrances to the place are controlled by powerful
96 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
fortresses which command the open sea for a distance of
twelve miles. In such a way has the Mikado prepared
for any war emergency. Two days after sighting Muji
the "Hancock" dropped anchor in the harbor of Yokaha-
nia. Tin- visit here lasted three days, during which the
Utahns took a trip to Tokio and saw of what the outside
wall of the Emperor's palace is composed. At Yokahama
the battery-men spent the time in visiting the European
portion of the town and learning all they could about the
flavor of the Japanese foods. On the 16th the vessel lifted
her ponderous anchor and pointed her prow eastward.
The only exciting incident during the entire voyage
happened at Nagasaki, when the first officer attempted to
use corporal punishment on the ship's quartermaster who
had been ashore and in addition to getting drunk had
succeeded in breaking his kneepan. While he was get-
ting his wound attended to in the ship's hospital the big
burly mate descended the gangway and struck him a vio-
lent blow in the face. Not content with this brutal treat-
ment the monster had the poor wretch placed in irons and
dragged up the ship's ladder. Just as this procession
landed on the upper deck the soldiers rose unto a man
and stopped the performance amid cries of "throw him
overboard." Surprised and astounded at this interfer-
ence the worthy officer demanded of the mob if they knew
they were mutinying. To which several of the leaders
answered they knew not under what legal nomenclature
such a. demonstration could be classed but that they
would carry out their threat to the letter if the castiga-
tion should proceed. At this the cowed dignitary re-
treated in haste to the security of his cabin.
The "Hancock" was generally regarded as a fast
boat. This may have been true twenty years before
the Nebraskans and Ftahns boarded her, but there were
those who doubted the truth of such an assertion. Dur-
ing her infancy on the Atlantic the boat had struck an
iceberg and succeeded in breaking forty feet off her bow.
Since then she has been subject to periodical disturbances
in her interior, consequently her owners patiently await-
ed the advent of war, knowing that the United States
Government would purchase her for the transport service
THE HOME COMING. 97
at an early opportunity. It is needless to say she event-
ually found her way into the Pacific. On leaving Ma-
nila it was the intention of the "Hancock" to break her
own record of eighteen days between San Francisco and
that port. Her new record of thirty days had not yet
been announced in the newspapers. As a matter of fact
she did happen to break her machinery and delay the ex-
pedition six hours, causing a break in the fond hopes
which the soldiers had built up.
There was one death during the trip over, Richard
Ralph of Battery B, who died at Nagasaki of typhoid fe-
ver on the 15th of July. Corporal George Williams of the
same organization was also left at the same point owing
to a severe attack of the dysentery. Both men were En-
glishmen and had enlisted at Eureka. Otherwise the
health of the batteries was good.
The big prow of the "Hancock" loomed up darkly on
the night of the 29th in San Francisco harbor and rested
at anchor. The long sea journey was over. Until very
late that night, long after taps had sounded sharply over
the waters of the harbor, the soldiers clustered around
the deck of the ship, heard the megaphone dialogues be-
tween the newspaper tugs and the transport, and looked
with longing eyes and hearts that beat with joy at the
gleaming lights of San Francisco.
Many friends from Utah arrived on tugs during the
next day, when the transport was still in quarantine, and
there was a generous greeting w r hen the transport moved
up to the dock on the morning of the 30th. The whole
of this day was spent by the soldiers in exchanging greet-
ing with friends and in preparing their property for trans-
portation to the Presidio.
It was on the morning of the 31st that the soldiers
were permitted for the first time to descend from the
transport and walk again, after sixteen months of ab-
sence in the Orient, upon the shores of the United States.
The battalions marched up the'streets of San Fran-
cisco behind the veterans of the Nebraska regiment, the
center of a tremendous demonstration. At the Presidio
they were given quarters on the slopes to the left of the
Presidio road. The patriotic sentiments and generous
98 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
feelings of the citizens had been further shown, as the
slopes of the hills were lined with large Sibley tents, each
equipped with a stove as protection from the chilly mists
that creep up by night from the bay. There were also
frame buildings for use as offices and a large kitchen and
mess room, commodiously and thoroughly equipped for
comfort and convenience.
The citizens of Utah in the meantime had been active
in preparations for receiving the native warriors. On
August 8th, Adjutant-General Charles S. Burton and
Colonel Bruback, members of the Governor's staff, and
representing the citizens' committee, arrived at the Pre-
sidio and used every effort in providing for the further
comfort of the men and arranging for their early depar-
ture to their homes in Utah. It was learned that a spe-
cial train had been chartered by the citizens to convey
the volunteers to Utah, and to the fund necessary for this
purpose Collis P. Huntington of the Southern Pacific had
contributed |2500.
The date for the muster out of the Utah troops was
fixed by the headquarters of the Department of California
as August 16th, and notwithstanding the efforts of Gen-
eral Burton and Major Grant to have this time extended,
General Shafter was unable to give an extension of time.
This left but a short period for the immense labor of clos-
ing the affairs of the battery and the intricate details of
the muster out. The Captains of the batteries and a large
clerical force were kept working almost continuously
from the day of the arrival at the Presidio, and late on
the night of the 15th they had the gratification, after toil-
some days and sleepless nights, of putting the final touch
to the muster out rolls. The next morning the rolls went
to the paymaster. The labors of the Utah volunteers in
the army of the Kepublic were over.
Some time before this, on August 5th, the men passed
the final physical examination, and the general condition
of the command was found to be extraordinarily good.
Then the men were ready for the last function of muster
out.
The next day the paymaster's wagon rattled up the
Presidio slope. Then the soldiers performed the last act
THE HOME COMING. 99
of their soldier career. One by one they marched into
the small official frame building where the paymaster
fingered his gold. As the veterans came out, each hand
laden with gold, there was upon each face an iridescent
smile, not only because of the augmented wealth, but for
the reason that each one knew that for him the last bugle
call had sounded, that his breast would no longer swell
under the blue of the United States uniform. In two
hours the soldiers had all left the Presidio, officers were
shaking hands with the men over the bridged chasm of
official dignity, and up on the slope of the Presidio the
Sibley tents were ransacked and deserted.
Tliat nigl it the men of Utah slept in the hotels of
San Francisco and dreamed of the morrow.
On the night of the 16th the transport "Warren" ar-
rived, bearing among its passengers Major Richard W.
Young, late chieftain of the batteries, who had come,
much to the satisfaction of the men, in time to join his old
Avar comrades in the homegoing.
The ferry which was to carry the soldiers to Oakland
was ready before noon on the 17th, and early in the after-
noon the engine of the special train gave a few premoni-
tory puffs and the train full of returning warriors was
moving towards Utah. The cars consisted of tourist sleep-
ers for the men and a buffet Pullman for the officers and
their friends. Across the center car a streamer stretched,
bearing the words, "The Utah Batteries."
Crowds gather at all the stations on the route and
cheer the warriors. There was some delay, but noth-
ing of special import occurred during the trip.
Early on the 19th the soldiers were able to see for
the first time the towering blue mountains of Utah and
the splendor of her sunshine. It was nearly noon when
the train drew up at the Ogden station, and the soldiers
looked out over the heads o/ a cheering multitude and
listened to shrill whistles signalling a joyous welcome.
The reception here only lasted an hour, but was cordial
in the extreme, and out on the Ogden park a tempting
lunch was served by fair women of Ogden. Lieutenant
George A. Seaman, formerly of Ogden, was given an ova-
tion as he stepped down from the platform of the car. A
100 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
special car conveying the Governor and a large party met
the volunteers.
Two hours later the jubilation was complete. The
volunteers saw at first a crowd and then a throng. They
saw flaming streamers, flags fluttering and hats waving;
they heard the diaphanous shriek of the steam whistles,
the blaring of bands and the din of thousands cheering
all mingled in one chorus of praise and rejoicing.
There were hurried handshakes and greetings and po-
licemen's voices raised in fierce altercation with the
crowd.
Soon with the cavalrymen and the engineers and
the national guardsmen the battermen had struggled
into line. Horses were in waiting at the station for the
officers and all were mounted in the parade. When the
order to march could be heard through the tumult, the
procession moved through a gayly decked arch at the
station, and Majors Young and Grant rode side by side
at the head of the battalion.
The crowd became more dense as the march contin-
ued towards Main street, and as far as Liberty Park
thousands thronged the avenues. Excited relatives
made a military formation impossible by rushing into
the ranks to grasp the hand of a veteran.
At the Park the day's ceremonies were held. There
were speeches by the Governor and the two Majors, and
here the silver medals which the Legislature decided
should be presented to the fighting sons of the State
were awarded. With the conclusion of the formal ex-
ercises, the volunteers were led to an elaborately pre-
pared lunch on beflowered tables beneath the shadows
of the locust trees, and while refreshments were being
taken fair maidens who ministered at the feast pinned
badges on the breasts of the modest volunteers.
That night the celebration reached its full blazonry.
The city glowed and sparkled; gayly-bedecked, her flaunt -
ing colors were aurioled in the lustres of the night; like
an imperial palace, awaiting the return of victorious
princes, the lights gleamed and burned into the dark-
ness; and in the center a luminous monument, glowing
THE HOME COMING. lOl
like the smile of an archangel, stood in vivid brightness
the arch of triumph.
When the men of Utah batteries passed out into the
<l;irkness that night from the dazzle of color they knew
that the glamor of the victorious home-coming, the
shouts and the jubilation were over. Yet there was
peace in their hearts and on their breast was a badge of
honor from a grateful people. And when they slept that
niuht there were in their dreams no spectral visions of
distant battlefields. All that was closed.
01- Till: I5ATTI:I}N1S.
MAJOR RICHARD W. YOUNG.
Major Kichard W. Young, who left Utah as the rank-
ing officer of the two batteries, being at that time Captain
of Battery A, and who was afterward appointed Major
commanding the battalion and still later selected as
MAJOJi UICIIAKD W. YOUX(i.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Manila, is si
native of this State, having been born April 19, 1858,
his parents being Joseph A. Young (deceased), a son of
the late Brigham Young, President of the Mormon
MAJOR GRANT. 103
Church, and Margaret Whitelioad Young, who still sur-
vives her husband.
.Major Young is a trained military man, having been
educated at the military academy at West Point. For a
time after his graduation he was a member of the staff
of Major-General Hancock, at that time commanding
the Department of the East. Later he acted as Judge-
Advocate in the army and conducted the Swaim court-
martial, which was a case celebrated at that time. He
was then transferred to the Third Artillery and sta-
tioned here with his battery at Fort Douglas. He re-
signed the service to take up the practice of law, which
he engaged in until he was selected as manager of the
Herald, a place which he filled acceptably for some time,
when he again resigned to practice law.
At the outbreak of the war with Spain he tendered
his services to the Government and was later selected
by the Governor of Utah to command Battery A. At
(.'amp Kent he was s the ranking officer and bad entire
charge of its affairs.
His sendees in the Philippines were of such a dis-
tinguished character that he was breveted Major by the
I'resident and later promoted to the complete rank.
When the batteries' term of service was nearly com-
pleted, he was designated by Major-General Otis as
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Manila and
came home with the volunteers to enjoy a vacation.
Major Young is the author of a standard work on
military law written while he was a Lieutenant in the
regular army. He is an able young man and one well
liked and respected. He is exceedingly popular here in
i his city and State and outside of it.
His married life has been very happy. Eight chil-
dren have been born to him and Mrs. Young, seven of
whom are living.
MAJOR FRANK A. GRANT.
Frank A. Grant, who went away from Salt Lake
City with the bars of a Captain, came home with the gold
leaves of a Major in his shoulder strap. He is not a na-
tive of this State, but was born in Kingston, Ontario,
104 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
forty-four years ago. He received his education at the
military college of his native city and graduated there-
from. After leaving school he came to the United
States, where he became a citizen, and settling at De-
troit was engaged by one of the large steamship com-
panies in the capacity of pilot. He was a well trained
man in his business and followed the occupation for a
period of ten years. He has lived in Utah for ten years.
MAJOR FRANK A. GRANT.
During that time he was engaged in real estate and in-
surance business, in both of which he made great suc-
cesses.
At the time of the breaking out of hostilities he was
a member of the National Guard of Utah, being Colonel
of the First Infantry. Previous to this time he had held
a position as staff officer on the brigade commander's
staff, and was always a valuable man in military mat-
ters. It was due principally to his efforts that Troop
C was organized in this city and made a success.
CAPTAIN WEDGEWOOD. 105
Governor Wells commissioned him as Captain of
Battery B, and with that rank he went into the field.
Like Major Young he was breveted by -the President for
distinguished service and later was promoted to the full
rank of Major, coming home in command of the bat-
talion.
As commander of the river fleet Major Grant per-
formed excellent service, his expedition up the Rio
Grande de Pampanga being especially well carried out.
Since his return he has gone into his old business that
of insurance and expresses himself as having had
enough of military life. He is married and has six chil-
dren.
CAPTAIN E. A. WEDGEWOOD.
Captain E. A. Wedgewood, who was promoted to the
command of Battery A after the promotion of Major
Young, left the State as First Lieutenant of Battery B.
He is a native of Massachusetts, about forty years of
age and an attorney-at-law, being the junior partner of
the firm of Rawlins, Thurinan, Hurd & Wedgewood. Im-
mediately prior to his coming to Utah he had served as
Sheriff for several terms in the State of Nebraska. He
selected Provo for his home on coming to Utah and after
entering the law office of George Sutherland in that city
and being admitted to the bar, associated himself with
Hon. S. R. Thurman. Later on the present firm was
formed.
Captain Wedgewood was the officer sent back from
San Francisco to Utah to recruit 104 men in order to
bring the batteries to their full strength. Upon return-
ing to San Francisco the party embarked and joined the
commands in Manila.
Captain Wedgewood was a member of the National
Guard prior to the time of his enlistment, being Captain
of the Provo company at the State encampment the year
previous. He is said to be a most versatile character
and can do anything from playing the violin to patching
;t sail or pleading a case in court. It was expected he
would rejoin the National Guard, but it is learned he has
106
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
CAPTAIN E. A. WEDUEWOOD.
had enough of military honors and will engage in the
practice of his profession with a view to reaping shekels
for use in his old age.
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW.
Captain John F. Critchlow left the State with the
batteries a Second Lieutenant. He came back here
leading Battery B. His promotion was due to distin-
guished service performed while abroad. He was spe-
cially recommended for gallantry by Major Young and
for coolness on the field under circumstances of the most
trying character.
Captain Critchlow was born in Tonawanda, N. Y.,
in 1867, and is only 32 years of age. He attended the
Kochester University and after graduating from that
institution went to the University of Pennsylvania,
where he studied medicine for several years, graduating
in 1894 with the degree of M. D. For the next year iand
a half b^ was in the German hospital at Philadelphia,
CAPTAIN CRITCHLOW.
107
\vhere he was enabled to obtain a practical insight into
the mysteries of materia medica, and upon leaving there
lie oame to this city, where his brother, E. B. Oritchlow,
a prominent attorney, was already established in busi-
ness.
Dr. Critchlow became a member of the National
Guard some time after his arrival, being attached to the
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW.
medical staff with the rank of First Lieutenant. He
proved to be <a valuable and efficient member, always on
the alert and endeared himself to all his associates.
When the call was made for troops he enlisted in
Battery B and was made a Second Lieutenant in that
organization.
His services in the Philippines were valuable. On
the night attack of the Spanish it was Lieutenant
Oritchlow who brought the ammunition to the firing line
at the time when it was most needed. In every place to
108
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
which he was assigned he was always at the fore and his
conspicuous bravery was the subject of special commend-
ation, as has been related. Upon the promotion of Cap-
tain Grant to the rank of Major, he was advanced to that
of Captain, coming home in command of the organiza-
tion with which he went out as a Second Lieutenant.
LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. GIBBS.
First Lieutenant George W. Gibbs of Battery A is
a well-known character in this State, in Montana and in
Massachusetts, his old home, where he was born. His
father was a veteran of the War of the Rebellion and
George was a member of the order in Montana, having
LIEUTENANT CEOKKK \V. GIBBS.
been department commander with the rank of colonel.
He has always been interested in matters appertaining
to the National Guard; was a member of an infantry
regiment in Massachusetts, a Captain of a troop of cav-
alry in Montana and Captain of Battery A, N. G. U., and
LIEUTENANT NAYLOR. 109
Major of the battalion at the outbreak of hostilities with
Spain.
He was at one time chief of the fire department in
Helena and was a member of the Salt Lake City depart-
ment at the time W. A. Stanton was its chief, being cap-
tain of the chemical. He afterwards served as Deputy
Sheriff when Harvey Hardy was at the head of that de-
partment.
Gibbs is forty-one years of age and married. Two
children, a boy and a girl, are the result of a union with .a
most estimable lady.
Prior to coming to this city and before he went to
Montana he was in Colorado, where he was employed as
a sheriff's officer, serving with distinction. He spent
some time in San Francisco, where he was in the employ
of one of the leading traction companies.
LIEUTENANT RAYMOND C. NAYLOR.
Lieutenant Raymond C. Naylor was born in Salt
Lake City in 1873. His early education was received in
the public schools of Utah. Later he attended the Uni-
versity of Utah, from which he graduated with honor.
As a student he took a prominent part in athletics and
military training, being a member of the baseball team
as well as captain of one of the companies of students
then taking military drill under Lieutenant Wright. He
afterward taught school for several years and was en-
gaged in that labor in Centerville when the war broke
out. Those who knew him well were not surprised when
he stepped to the front and offered his service to his
country along with others who were willing to brave any
peril in defense of their country's honor. Lieutenant
Naylor had long associated himself with the National
Guard, in which ho was Oaptain for two years. He after-
wards was promoted Major and at the breaking out of
hostilities he was filling the office of Assistant Inspector
General with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
When the batteries were organized Governor Wells
cippointed him a, Second Lieutenant of Battery A, which
position he filled with such distinction that he was pro-
moted First Lieutenant.
110
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
As an officer Lieutenant Naylor won the respect and
admiration of both officers and men. His interest in be-
LIEUTEXAXT RAYMOND C. XAYLOR.
half of the privates gained for him a popularity which
was not surpassed by any of the officers in the batteries.
LIEUTENANT ORRIN R. GROW.
youngest
Second Lieutenant Orrin R. Grow, the
commissioned officer of the Utah batteries at the time
of their departure for the Philippines, was born in Salt
Lake City October 20, 1873. As a boy he received his
education in the public schools of Salt Lake City and
afterwards he attended the University of Utah several
years, but he did not remain long enough to graduate.
While at the LTniversity he took military training under
Lieutenant Wright and after leaving that institution he
joined the Denhalter Rifles as bugler. He soon was pro-
moted Sergeant and subsequently ' Lieutenant.
LIEUTENANT CROW.
11
When the Denhalters joined the National Guard in
181)2 Mr. Grow went with them and was unanimously
chosen captain of Company A, First Infantry, N. G. U.
Later he was chosen Major, a position which he held
with credit until the breaking out of hostilities. His
ability was recognized by Governor Wells, who ap-
LIEUTEXAXT ORRIX R. GROW.
pointed him a Second Lieutenant of Battery B when that
organization was mustered in. Lieutenant Grow went
with his battery to the Philippines, and during the fight-
ing at Makite distinguished himself. During January,
1899, he ret urn ( j d home owing to serious illness. His
early departure from the island prevented him from
winning greater honors in the insurrection, as his ability
was displayed in the Spanish-American war.
112
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM C. WEBB.
Along with the many native sons of Utah who
joined the ranks in defense of their country there were
some who were born on foreign soil. Such a man was
Lieutenant William C. Webb, who was born in Eng-
land March 13, 1873. In his early youth Webb attended
the schools of his native country and while he was yet
a youth he accompanied his parents when they emi-
grated to Utah.
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM C. WEBB.
Lieutenant Webb early associated himself with
military affairs, as he was a member of the Denhalter
Ififles, and when that organization lost its identity in
the National Guard he became one of the most active
workers in the new service. When Captain Grow of
Company A became Major of the First Battalion, First
Infantry, N. G. U., Webb was unanimously chosen Cap-
tain of that company. He held this position until he
LIEUTENANT SEAMAN. 113
was appointed a Second Lieutenant of Battery A by
(Jovernor Wells.
When the Utah volunteers left for Manila Lieuten-
ant Webb accompanied them. He took part in the
Ma late campaign, where he showed promise of that bril-
liant work which he later accomplished in the Filipino
outbreak. At the breaking out of the insurrection he
had charge of the left platoon of Battery A at Santa Mesa
hill. His fearlessness and daring at that place won for
him the universal admiration of his men. Later he was
placed in command of the river gunboat "Cavadouga,"
and during all the fierce fighting of that little boat he
manipulated her with remarkable skill.
Lieutenant Webb, on account of his exceptional
work, was recommended for a Lieutenancy in the regular
army, a position which he will undoubtedly accept.
LIEUTENANT GEORGE A. SEAMAN.
Lieutenant George A. Seaman, who went away as a
Corporal of Battery A, and came back with the "straps"
of a Second Lieutenant, was born in the little town Of
.Morgan, twenty-nine years ago. While he was yet a boy
his parents moved to Ogden, where he secured the foun-
dation of the education which was later enlarged upon at
the State University. He remained at that institution
four years, graduating with honor in 1892. While obtain-
ing his mental training he was a member of the Univer-
sity Battalion, in which organization he acquitted him-
self so well that his name was placed upon the honorary
roll at Washington. It was also during his college career
that he became acquainted with Miss Lottie Fox, daugh-
ter of Jesse W. Fox. Between them sprang up a mutual
attachment, which was later consummated at the altar.
Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Seaman moved with his
wife to Bountiful, where he took up school teaching as a
profession. He showed an efficiency in his work which
won the esteem of all his patrons and pupils. When the
call for soldiers was made his blood was of that order
which impelled him to drop the master's rod and take up
the sword in defense of his country.
1 14
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Having enlisted lie set to work to familiarizing him-
self with all the tactics pertaining to artillery warfare,
and soon made himself acquainted with military science.
His studious habits and his morality soon commended
him to his superior officers who recommended him for
LIEUTENANT CiEORGE A. SEAMAN.
the first vacancy which occurred. He was appointed
Second Lieutenant of Battery B, which position he held
with honor until the mustering out of the battalion.
LIEUTENANT FRANK T. HINES.
Lieutenant Frank T. llines, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank L. Hiues, was born twenty-one years ago in Salt
Lake (Mty. He attended the city schools from which he
graduated in 1S!M>. For several years thereafter he was
employed ;it Mercur and later entered the Agricultural
College. It was while at the college that Mr. Mines
learned to like the military life which he subsequently
led for a short period.
LIEUTENANT ANDERSON.
115
When the country called for volunteers he enlisted
in Captain drain's battery as a private, but he was soon
appointed duty sergeant. The latter position he filled
very creditably and when a vacancy occurred by reason
LIEUTENANT FRANK T. HINES.
of the resignation of Lieutenant Grow, he was elevated
to the Second Lieutenancy, which office he held until the
batteries were discharged.
LIEUTENANT JOHN A. ANDERSON.
Lieutenant John A. Anderson, one of the few who
worked his way up by sheer force of ability, was born in
Smithfield, Cache county, rtah, twenty-five years ago.
lie received his education in the district school of his na-
tive town, and later went to work as a millman, the occa-
pation which he followed at the breaking out of the war.
When the batteries went away he was a duty ser-
geant of Kattery H, in which capacity he earned the posi-
16
THE UTAH BATTERIES.
tion which he afterwards secured. It was Sergeant An-
derson who had charge of lhat section of the Utah I'.at-
talion which accompanied (leneral Lawton in his expedi-
tion in the interior as far as San Isidro. Following his
return he was appointed First Sergeant of Battery B, and
LIEUTENANT JOHN A. ANDERSON.
just before the organization left the island he received his
commission as second lieutenant. Lieutenant Anderson
was a brave, efficient man, and one who won the respect
of all who knew him.
SERGEANT HARRY A. YOUNG.
Sergeant Harry A. Young, son of the late Lorenzo
I ). Young, was born in Salt Lake City February 24, 1865.
During his boyhood he attended the public school of his
native town, flnd afterwards he spent several years in
the Utah University, where he evinced a great liking
to medicine. During 1884-85 he filled a mission to the
SERGEANT YOUNG. 117
Xortliern Slates. Soon after his return he went East
and entered the medical department of Columbia Col-
lege. He graduated from this institution with distin-
guished honors and great future promise to his profes-
sion. He established himself in Salt Lake City, where
he succeeded in building up quite an extensive practice
in a short time. The blood of a patriot flowed through
the veins of Dr. Young and when hi country needed his
SERGEANT HARRY A. YOUNCJ.
service he cheerfully joined the ranks and was appointed
Quartermaster-Sergeant of Battery A, a position which
he filled with great credit. When the Utah volunteers
embarked for Manila Sergeant Young went with them
and took part in the fighting against the Spaniards. Al-
though his service as a doctor was not required, Dr.
Young was continually in the front administering to the
wants of the wounded men. Subsequently he partici-
118 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
paled in the fighting of the Tagalan outbreak, and it was
while he was bravely at the front in search of oppor-
tunities to perform deeds of mercy that he met with his
deuitli at the hand of the eneim- on February 6, 1899.
Those who were intimately acquainted with Dr.
Young knew his sterling worth and admired his man-
hood. He ever walked in the path of right, unmindful of
the opinions of the world. What lie considered to be his
duty he did with unswerving honesty. He was diligent
and studious and applied himself w r ith untiring energy
to his books. As a soldier the batterymen will remember
his unceasing efforts to better their condition. During
the five tedious months of barrack life when others were
idly waiting, he devoted himself to his chosen profession.
Had Sergeant Harry A. Young lived two days longer he
would have received his commission as a surgeon in the
United States army.
SERGEANT FORD FISHER.
Sergeant Ford Fisher, who bravely gave up his life
in his country's defense, was born at Seaford, Delaware,
twenty-three years ago. He was the son of I. M. Fisher
of Salt Lake City. At an early age Ford, as he was bet-
ter known among his associates, came to Salt Lake City
with his parents. Here he attended the city High School,
from which he graduated with high honors. While at the
High School he was noted for his efficiency in mathemat-
ics and here he developed a liking for civil engineering,
which he later studied at the Washington State Univer-
sity. For some time prior to the breaking out of hostili-
ties with Spain he had associated himself with the Na-
tional Guard, and when the President's call came too
much patriotic blood flowed through his veins to admit
of any second appeal, and he enlisted with the batteries.
Major Young soon became acquainted with the
young man's military ability and he was appointed drill
sergeant at Camp Kent. When the batteries departed
for the Philippines lie went with them and distinguished
himself for his gallantry in the Malate campaign. Later
during the insurrection he took part with the other Utah
men in many a tierce conflict with the insurgents until
SERGEANT FISHER.
19
he was stricken down by the enemy's bullet while hero
ically defending his position at San Lniz on May 14, 1S!) ( .>.
The rtah artillerymen remember the stalwart figure
of Sergeant Fisher as it loomed np in the forefront at
Santa Mesa, Mariquina and Sexmoan. He was an inspir-
ation to the wavering spirits of the Ftahn in twenty
hard encounters. His voice ever sounded as a note of
cheer and his ringing command never failed to infuse
with new life. Always attending to his duties he ex-
SERGEANT FORD FISHER.
pected the same of others; his soul was too great to stoop
To the level of anything base; his heart was honest and
open and free. He was a pleasant companion and a true
friend. He was blessed with an abundance of original hu-
mor which made him doubly loved by the soldiers during
the lonely hours of barrack life.
At the time of his death Sergeant Fisher was h'rst
in line of promotion, as he had been recommended for the
next commission by Major Young.
POSTER
BATTALION UTAH LIGHT ARTILLERY, U. S. V.
*MAJOR FRANK A. GRANT, Commanding.
BATTERY A.
OFFICERS.
Captain, E. A. WEDGEWOOD Salt Lake City
Wounded April 23, 1899.
First Lieutenant, GEORGE W. GIBBS Salt Lake City
Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM C. WEBB Salt Lake City
Second Lieutenant, JOHN A. ANDERSON Logan
SERGEANTS.
First, JOSEPH O. NYSTROM Salt Lake City
Quartermaster, ADNEBYTH L. WILLIAMS Salt Lake City
Veterinary, JOHN H. MEREDITH Kaysville
EMIL LEHMAN Salt Lake City
EMIL V. JOHNSON Salt Lake City
ARTHUR W. BROWN Salt Lake City
WILLIAM E. KNEAS Salt Lake City
CHARLES R. MABEY Bountiful
MARK E. BEZZANT Pleasant Grove
CORPORALS.
GEO. S. BACKMAN Salt Lake City
NOBLE A. McDONNEL Salt Lake City
WM. JACOBSON Salt Lake City
NELSON E. MARGETTS Salt Lake City
THOMAS COLLINS Salt Lake City
WM. NELSON, JR Salt Lake City
JOHN R. WOOLSEY Kaysville
PETER JENSEN Newton
SAMUEL HESBURG Salt Lake City
LINDSEY HUDSON Salt Lake City
EDWARD G. WOOD Logan
LEONARD DUFFIN Salt Lake City
*Major Richard W. Young, who originally commanded the battalion, resigned to
become Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Major Frank A.
Grant snperceded him as commander of the batteries.
ROSTER. 1 2 1
FRANK T. HARMER Springville
THOMAS HOLLBERG Salt Lake City
EDGAR W. STOUT Halliday
WM. T. DENN Nephi
FARRIERS.
JULIUS W. SORENSEN Salt Lake City
WM. G. McCOMIE Salt Lake City
ARTIFICERS.
BIJRIAH WILKINS Coalville
I! 1 ELK M. M ADSON Gunnison
SADDLER.
VICTOR E. MARTHINI Park City
WAGONER.
JAS W. ALLRED Ephraim
MUSICIANS.
ELMER G. THOMAS Salt Lake City
CHARLES W. KROGH Salt Lake City
PRIVATES.
ALDRACH, WILL F Clear Lake
ANDERSON, JOSEPH F Ephraim
ANDERSON, LOUIS P Ephraim
ARCHER, DAVID G Salt Lake City
BAGGE, JOHN R Salt Lake City
BEAN, HARRY J Salt Lake City
BEEMUS, JOHN W Gunnisoa
BENSON, PETER J Provo
BERLIN, JOHN H American Fork
BOSTWICK, ROBERT L Salt Lake City
BRADFORD, ARCHIBALD Murray
BYWATER, CALEB J Salt Lake City
CAMPBELL, JOHN W Salt Lake City
CAULKINS, HAROLD L Salt Lake City
CHRISTENSEN, PARLEY B Ephraim
CHRISTENSEN, THEODOR Salt Lake City
CURTIS, CLARENCE S Salt Lake City
DAVIS, DAVID J Salt Lake City
Wounded April 23, 1899.
DOTY, GEORGE E Richmond
DUFFIN, GEORGE Salt Lake City
EARL, WILLIAM Centerville
EDWARDS, WILLIAM Salt Lake City
122 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
EKSTRAND, ALFRED Salt Lake City
ELLIS, WILLIAM G '. bait Lake City
EMERY, FRANK W Park City
ENGLER, GEORGE W Ogdeu
FERRIS, EVERETT B Salt Lake City
FISHER, GEORGE R Salt Lake City
FRANKENFIELD, GEORGE Salt Lake City
FUNK, EZRA S Sterling
GILROY, JACK Salt Lake City
< ; I.KDHILL, LEO X Gunnison
GRIFFITHS, WALTER F Salt Lake City
GUNN. THOMAS S Salt Lake City
HARRIS, GEORGE Salt Lake City
HENNEFER, WILLIAM H Salt Lake City
HOPE, CHESTER J. T Salt Lake ( 'it y
HOWELLS, EPHRAIM B Park City
HUBER, JACOB Provo
HUGHES, THOMAS J Park City
HUMPHREY, ANER Springville
INGOLDSBY, JOHN E Salt Lake City
IV1NS, JOSEPH C Salt Lake City
JENICKE, CHARLES G Salt Lake City
JONES, HENRY O Newton
KAHN, LOUIS E Salt Lake City
KEARSLEY, RICHARD Salt Lake City
KENNER, RAY Sterling
Wounded accidentally April 21, 1899.
KIDDER, RALPH Salt Lake City
KING, MURRAY E Kingston
LARSON, WARREN Ephraim
LEAVER, WILLIAM H Salt Lake City
Wounded July 31, 1898.
LEE, JAMES A Salt Lake City
LOUDER, ARTHUR L Xephi
LOWRY, ERNEST E Sterling
LYNGBERG, AUGUST E Salt Lake City
MEYERS, JOSEPH J Salt Lake City
MORGAN. JOSEPH H Park City
MORTENSEN, DAVID Salt Lake City
McKAY, DANIEL Salt Lake City
MCLAUGHLIN, WILLIAM F Park city
NICHOLSON, ANGUS Salt Lake City
SIELSON, JAS. P Eureka
NIELSON, NIELS Pleasant Grove
NOBLE, GEORGE W Salt Lake City
ROSTER. 123
OHMER, ARTHUR F Rawlins, Wyoming
FERRET, WILLIAM E Salt Lake City
PETERSON, CHARLES Salt Lake City
PETERSON, FRANK C Ogden
PETERSON LOUIS C Salt Lake City
PHILLIPS, MANNIE C Salt Lake City
QUINN, JAMES -. Park City
RADEMACHER, AUGUS1 O&den
RASMUSSEN, SEVEREN Park City
RAl SCHER, EDWARD W Nephi
RICHMOND, WILLIAM Provo
ROBINSON, WILLIAM J Park City
ROBISON, JOHN L Pleasant Grove
RYAN, MICHAEL F Salt Lake City
RYVER, WILLIAM A Salt Lake City
SELMER, EMIL F Salt Lake City
Wounded April 26, 1899.
SLEATER, HAROLD E Salt Lake City
SMITH, THOMAS R Logan
SORENSON, HANS Salt Lake City
SORENSON, JOSEPH F Salt Lake City
SORENSON, KNUD Eureka
STATEN, STANLEY Springville
STOUT, CHARLES S Salt Lake City
TIPTON, WILLIAM Springville
TOMPKINS, ODELL D Mystic, Conn.
TRIPP, FRANCIS B Salt Lake City
\ INCENT, FRANK A Salt Lake City
WALQUIST, CHARLES A Salt Lake City
WEBER, GEORGE E Park City
WILLIAMS, ALBERT R Salt Lake City
WONNACOTT, JAMES E Salt Lake City
WYCHERLEY, SAMUEL A Coalville
WYNE, HOMER W Salt Lake City
ZAHLER, JOHN F Bountiful
HONORABLY DISCHARGED.
First Sergeant, D. H. WELLS Salt Lake City
October 31, 1898.
Servant. A. L. ROBINSON Mt. Pleasant
April 3, 1899.
Corporal. WILLARD CALL Bountiful
December 14, 1898.
Corporal, LEWIS P. HANSON Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Corporal, \YM. D. R1TER Salt Lake City
October 31, 1898.
124 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Corporal. JOHN* B. ROGERS Salt Lake < it\
June 29. 1899.
Corporal, GEO. A. SKA MAN Bountiful
November 21, 1898.
Corporal, KltANK I'.. SHELLY Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Farrier. W. M. CLAWSOX Kaysvillc
May 18, 1899.
Farrier, H. P. HANSEN Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Artificer, V. A. SMITH Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, ETHAN E. ALLEN Salt Lake ( r v
June 28, 1899.
Private, W.M. W. BURNETT San Jose. < .il.
February 24, 1899.
Private, A. C. CAFFALL Salt Lake < h y
July 7, 1899.
Private. TH F.< ). ( LEGHORN Salt Lake ( il v
May 11, 1899.
Private. -IAS. \V. C'ONNELL Salt Lake City
April 10, 1899.
Private, A. H. FICHTNER Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, P. B. FREDERICKSON Eureka
June 28, 1899.
Private, GEORGE GRANTHAM American Fork
June 28, 1899.
Private, JOSEPH J. HOLBRO.OK Bountiful
December 14, 1898.
Private, ELMER JOHNSON Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899
Private, J. B. LICKLEDERER Salt Lake City
July 7, 1899.
Private, HERBERT L. MEYERS San Francisco. ( ;il.
June 28, 1899.
Private, ISAAC E. LITTRELL Berkeley, Cal.
June 28, 1899.
Private, THEODORE NEWMAN Salt Lake City
April 10, 1899.
Private, FRANK E. PETERS Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, W. I. ROWLAND Salt Lake ( it y
February 1, 1899.
Private, ISAAC RUSSELL Salt Lake City
January 18, 1899.
Private, BISMARCK SNYDER Park City
December 14, 1898.
Private, A. L. THOMAS, JR Salt Lake City
June 12, 1898.
Private. JOHN A. TILSON Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, FRANCIS TUTTLE Bountiful
September 21, 1898.
Private, CHAS. E. VARIAN Salt Lake City
December 14. 1898.
ROSTER. 1 25
Private, E. P. WALKER Salt Lake (it v
June 28, 1899.
ROLL OF HONOR.
KILLED IN ACTION.
Quartermaster-Sergeant, HARRY A. YOUNG Salt Lake City
I-Vbruary 6, 1899.
Sergeant, FORD FISHER Salt Lake Citv
-May 14, 1899.
Corporal, JOHN G. Y( >UNG Salt Lake < it v
February 5, 1899.
Private. W1U1KI..M G. GOODMAN Salt Lake City
February 5, 1899.
DIED OF DISEASE.
Corporal, GEORGE O. LARSON Dover
l.)t-e>-niber 10, 1898.
Corporal, JOHN T. KENNEDY Park City
M;<rrh 15, 1899.
Private, OSCAR A. KKMNGER Park City
June 5, 1899.
Private, CHARLKS I >. \K>(iNS Salt Lake City
April 20, 1899.
BATTERY B.
OFFICERS.
Captain, JOHN F. CRITCHLOW Salt Lake City
First Lieutenant. RAYMOND C. NAYLOR Salt Lake City
Second Lieutenant, GEORGE A. SEAMAN Bountiful
Wounded April 11, 1899.
Second Lieutenant, FRANK T. HINES (Batt. Adjt.) Salt Lake City
SERGEANTS.
First, JOHN U. BUCHI Provo
Quartermaster, JAMES K. BURCH Ogden
Veterinary, FELIX BACHMAN Provo
LOUIS N. FEHR Salt Lake City
ROBERT STEWART Plain City
JOHN A. BOSHARD Provo
GEORGE B. WARDLAW Ogden
Wounded February 4, 1899.
ANDREW PETERSON, JR Manti
Wounded March 11, 1899.
HARVEY DUSENBERRY Provo
CORPORALS.
JAMES J. RYAN Mercur
CHARLES C. CLAPPER Mercur
THEODORE L. CENTER Salt Lake City
NEPHI OTTESON . ..Manti
126 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
HENRY L. SOUTHER Mercur
Wounded March 24, 1899.
DON C. JOHNSON . Springville
FRANK H. COULTER Ogden
JAS. W. MERANDA Eureka
JAMES M. DUNN Tooele
JNO. FLANNIGAN Mammoth
RICHARD L. BUSH Logan
GEORGE WILLIAMS Salt Lake City
I- KAXK .1. TTZ Mercur
STEPHEN l',.l.\ RXSOX Spanish Fork
PHILLIP SCHOEBER Salina
WILLARD H. FARNES Salt Lake City
FRANK W1CKKKSHA.M Salt Lake City
ARTIFICERS.
FRANK DILLINGHAM Eureka
LEE A. CURTIS Ogden
WAGONER.
ANTONE LITJEttOTH Provo
MUSICIANS.
JOSEPH WESSLER
MORTON T. GOODWIN Heber City
PRIVATES.
ABPLANALP, JOHN D Heber
Wounded April 24. 1899.
ACKARET, MAHLON H Ogden
ALEXANDER, ROBERT Salt Lake City
ANDERSON, DAVID M Peterson
ANDERSON, PETER Richfield
AUSTIN, BERT W Bingham
BAKER, JOHN Eureka
BEESLEY, JOHN W Provo
BENZON, GLENN Salt Lake City
BILLINGS. CLAUD G Eureka
BJARNS< )\. KINER Spanish Fork
BORKMAN, ARTHUR Mercur
BRAMAN, JOHN Bingham
Wounded April 26, 1899.
BR1DGMAN, JOHN D Salt Lake City
BURTON, RAY S Salt Lake City
CARR, JOSEPH W Ogden
CARLSON, GUST Salt Lake City
CHAMBERLIN, VIRGIL L Ogden
ROSTER. 127
CHATLIN, EUGENE Castle Gate
CH AFFIN, MILLARD Salt Lake City
CHRISTENSEN, THEODORE Salt Lake City
COLLETT, RALPH Salt Lake City
COLLINS, WM. J Salt Lake City
CONOVER ROBT. F Provo
CORAY, DON R Provo
CRAGER, FRED H Salt Lake City
DALGETY, JOHN Eureka
DALIMORE, PHILLIP Lehi
DUNCAN, ELMER Heber
DECKER, LEO Salt Lake City
DOYLE, JOSEPH Mammoth
DUNNING, DANIEL A Provo
EDDY, LOUIS B Eureka
ELLIS, ALFRED Silver City
EVANS, WILLARD Salt Lake City
FOWLER, GEORGE Salt Lake City
FOHCKLAM). CHARLES G Salt Lake City
GRAVES, NED C Salt Lake City
GREEN, LOREN C American Fork
HALL, PARKER J Ogden
Wounded March 25, 1899.
HALL, WALTER S West Portage
HARDIE, FRANCIS R Salt Lake City
HEATHERLY, CHARLES Salt Lake City
HERBERTZ, PETER Castle Gate
HOGAN, JOHN Ogden
HAGGAX, THOMAS A.. JR Manti
HOLDAWAY, PARLEY P Provo
HOBKINS, EVERITT E Prove
1 1 1 I'.KRT. WELMER E Salt Lake ( 'ivy
HUGHES, JOHN W Eureka
JENSEN, HANS Hyde Park
KELL. JOHN V Eureka
KLENKE, HENDRECH Salt Lake City
KING, SAMUEL Eureka
KNAUSS, WM. G Salt Lake City
LARSEN, G. R Manti
LAWSON, D. V Joseph
LEONARD, THOMAS Eureka
LEWIS, SAMUEL C Salt Lake City
MARTIN, FRED S Salt Lake City
McCABE, JAMES Eureka
MCCARTY. L K< > N ; A RD . . .
128 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
McCUBBIN, WILLIAM Salt Lake City
MOIR, GEORGE Salt Lake City
MORTON, JOHN W Provo
MORTON, MILTON Provo
NKII.SON. A\i>i;K\V I' Spanish Fork
NORRIS, JOHN D Denver, Colorado
OLSEN, PETER Logan
OLSEN, REINHART Milton
PENNINGTON, LOUIS P Brigham
PRATT, ERNEST M Salt Lake City
QUICK, MARSHALL Provo
RAE, ALEX Provo
RAE, WILLIAM Provo
REEDALL, THOMAS Salt Lake City
REES, GEORGE Silver City
REID, ROBERT Salt Lake City
ROBERTS. EDWARD J Salt Lake City
ROWLAND, GEORGE E Eureka
SAVAGE, WM. H Eureka
SCHAUPP, FREW W Eureka
SCOTT, HYRUM C Provo
SHEARER, WM. H Salt Lake City
SMITH, JEROME Tooele
SMITH, SIDNEY J Salt Lake City
SMITH, HARRY Salt Lake City
SNOW, JUNIUS C Provo
SN YDER, HARRY S Provo
TATE, JNO. P Tooele
TAYLOR, GEORGE Eureka
TURNER, MORONI Heber
TYREE, SAMUEL P Ogden
VANCE, JOHN R Eureka
VAN SYCKLE, BENJ Ogden
WALTERS, ALBERT N Ogden
WALTERS, JOSEPH W Ogden
WINKLER, JOSEPH G Salt Lake City
WRIGHT. WILLIAM A Salt Lake City
YATES, JAMES K Diamond
WHEELER, GEORGE Ogden
ZOLLINGER, JOHN D Providence
HONORABLY DISCHARGED.
Second Lieutenant, ORRIN R. GROW Salt Lake City
Kir>t Sergeant, -I. A. AXDKHSON Lo^ni
Discharged June 29, to accept commission as Second Lieutenant.
ROSTER.
129
nnartcnnasler-Sergeant, CHAS. ASPLUND Fairview
June 23, 1899.
Sergeant, ALBERT ST. MORRIS Salt Lake City
'.In lie 28, 1899.
Sergeant, HORACE E. COOLIDGE .Manti
.March 22, 1899.
Corporal, WM. (,. ANDERSON Logan
Wounded August 24, 1898.
December 15, 1898.
Corporal, JOHN T. DONNELLAN . .Salt Lake City
March 17. 1899.
Corporal, JACOB A. HEISS Salt Lake City
December 1, 1
Corporal, E. V. DE MONTALVO Mercur
January 21, 1899.
Musician, JOS. F. GRANT Salt Lake City
January 11. 1S99.
Saddler. LOUIS M ILLER Ogdeu
November 1T., 1898.
Farrier, FRED D. SWEET Ogdeu
April 11, 1899.
Private, GODFREY J. BLUTH .. .Ogdcn
February 12, 1899.
Private, F. D. CHATTERTON Salt Lake City
January 21, 1899.
Private, JASPER D. CURTIS Eureka
June 23, 1S99.
Private, ROSEY P. FLORANCE Ogden
December 30, 1898.
Private, CHARLES S. HILL Wellington
June 28, 1899.
Private, BARR W. MUSSER Salt Lake City
January 17, 1899.
Private, JOHN A. FENDER Ogdeu
Wounded March 30, 1899.
May 5, 1899.
Private, THOMAS SHULL Mammoth
June 28, 1899.
Private, THOS. W. THORNBURG .' Ogden
June 28, 1899.
Private, FREDERICK BLAKE Sa't Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, AUGUSTUS BRAIN SCOM Ogden
June 28, 1899.
Private, WJ LLIAM CROOKS Eureka
June 28, 1899.
Private, JOHN FERGUSON Park City
January 15, 1899.
Private, CHAS. I. FOX Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
Private, GEORGE LACEY Manti
January 10, 1899.
Private, DON C. MUSSER Salt Lake City
January 17, 1899.
Private, NEPHI REESE Silver City-
November 11, 1898.
130 THE UTAH BATTERIES.
Private, GEO. SIMMONS Salt Lake City
June 23, 1899.
PiivaU-. ('Hi; IS WAGNER Salt Lake City
March 13, 1899.
Private, CARLOS YOUNG Salt Lake City
June 28, 1899.
ROLL OF HONOR.
KILLED IN ACTION.
Corporal, MORITZ C. JENSEN Castle Gate
April 26, 1899.
Private, FREDERICK BUMILLER Salt Lake City
April 26, 1899.
Private, MAX MADISON Mercur
April 25, 1899.
Private, GEO. H. HUDSON Mercur
August 25, 1898.
DIED OF DISEASK.
Private, RICHARD H. RALPH . . Eureka
July 21, 1899.
University of California
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