unday Bee.
PART THREE
HALF-TONE
PAGES 1 TO 4.
TOR ALL THE NEWS
OMAHA BEE
YOUR MONEY S WORTH
The Omaha
VOL. XXXVIII NO. 45.
OMAHA, SUNDAY M0KN1NU, AVKIL 23, VM).
SINGLE COPV FIVE CENTS.
OMAHA'S SOLDIERS IN "THE FIGHTING FIRST" NEBRASKA
Anniversary of the Day the Boys Marched Away to War Recalls ' Some of the Stirring Incidents in Camp and Field Where Many Laid Down Their Lives for Old Glory
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COLONEL JOHN P. dTOTSENBERG.
Killed In Action.
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CAPTAIN LEE FORBT,
Killed in Action.
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CAPTAIN WALLACE C. TAYLOR,
Now Colonel Philippine Scouts.
CAPTAIN W. E. STOCKHAM.
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W. O. BELDEN.
Killed in Action.
MONDAY, April 26, eleventh anniversary of
day that President McKlnley called out
troops for Spanish war, is reunion day,
with headquarters at Millard hotel,
Omaha." '
So reads the notice sent out by Colonel A. D. FeU
terman. secretary to the survivors of the Nebraska
troops that served in the Spanish-American war. The
Department of Nebraska, United Spanish War Veter
ans, now has four flourishing camps in the state, viz.:
Camp Lee Forby No. 1, in Omaha; Cam William
Lewis No. 2, Lincoln; Camp Ouy Dodge No. 3, Fair
bury; Camp Columbus No. 4, Columbus. Major L.
II. Phelps of Lincoln Is provisioned commander, by
appointment, but at the reunion on Monday perma
nent organization will be perfected.
In contrast to the first gathering of these men,
this meeting will be very largely given over to visiting
and to pleasure, with just the minimum of business.
Sunday and Monday all veterans who come will be
properly received, at the same time that the delegates
from the camps are holding a meeting. During Mon
day afternoon a big smoker, without a hint of formal
ity, will be held, and regimental meetings will be en
joyed. Monday evening will be given over to a ban
quet, just to renew memories of the kind of grub the
veterans didn't get when they were in the field.
President McKlnley's call was dated April 23, but
It was on April 26 that orders were received from
Secretary of War Alger tor the mobilization of Ne
braska's quota, two rejriments of infantry. A cav
alry troop at Mllford and an artillery company at
Wymore were not called for. In the two regiments
were (Deluded the twe Omaha companies, L of the
First and G of the Second. Headquarters of the
First was at Bennett, the home of Colonel John P. Bratt, with band
in Omaha. Headquarters of the Second was at Nebraska City, home
of Colonel William Btschof, jr., with band at Hastings.
The officers of the dmaha companies were; L- Captain, Wal
lace C. Taylor; first lieutenant. Lee Forby; second lieutenant, Wil
liam E. Stockhara. O Captain, Harry B. Mulford; first lieutenant,
Charles H. Wilson; second lieutenant, Albert T. Cone.
Colonel Blschof failed to pass the physical examination and
Charles J. Bills, who had been brigadier of the Nebraska guard, be
came colonel of the Second.
Camp Alvln Saunders, at Lincoln, where the mustering was in
progress, was not without exciting incidents. Many of the guard
officers were rejected, and some asserted that this was done to make
vacancies in which Governor Holer mb could place some of his
favorites. M company, from Grand Island, in the Second, refused to
be mustered when the men found both of their lieutenants were on
the rejected list. This culmlrated in the resignation of Captain
George Roeder and the discharge of the company as then constituted.
Major Decker was given the command and proceeded to recruit a
new company. ,
It was on Wednesday afternoon, April, 27, 1898, that the Thurs
ton Rifles (L company of the First) and the Omaha Guards (G com
pany of the Second) left Omaha for Lincoln. The Bee of April 28
said of the scene when they left:
There was never another scene In Omaha like that which at
tended the departure of the two local companies for Camp Alvin
Saunders yesterday afternoon. The old spirit that has slumbered
for over thirty years woke under the impulse of the hour and spoke
in a burst of patriotic enthusiasm that obscured all other consid
eration. Through several columns The Bee went on to tell of the parade,
how blessings were showered on the Guards and Rifles by the older
people and cheers were thundered in their ears by the younger ones.
At several points panic was narrowly averted, and the troops found"
it very difficult to maintain their lines, because of the tremendous
multitude in the streets.
"Next to the extreme pleasure we felt in getting away for the
front, I can say for myself that the pleasure of getting home was
about the best thing In my spell of soldiering. But let me say also
that never in my life have I seen anything like the crowds and the
enthusiasm that filled Omaha eleven years ago when we left to be
mustered in at Lincoln. There was more exuberant, earnest, heart
tb robbing patriotism on tap that day than I ever saw before, or ever
expect to see again."
The speaker was Major William E. Baehr of the money order
department at the postotflce, and he was speaking of that day when
the Omaha companies left for Lincoln to be mustered in for the
' Philippine campaign.
1 Like most other members of the First who went to the islands
and lived to come back, Major Baehr dwells very lightly on the
actual service end of his military career. He tells with most gusto
how they pulled off a great swimming stunt at Wake island, between
Honolulu and Guam.
"We bad stopped long enough to allow General Greene to go
ashore from the Colon to raise an American flag and plant in a tin
box a claim to the island," said Baehr. "It was a warm day. and
while we were basking in the sun on a glassy sea the idea came to
some of us that a swim would be jum what we needed. So we
opened a porthole on the Senator about thirteen feet and three Inches
above the water. Then we threw out a rope and a few of us went in.
Soon a whole battalion was doing the porpoise act, and soon, too,
Colonel Bratt, that was, began to get excited by the splashing. He
ordered us to come on board, but some mischievous person had pulled
4 in the rope; so how could we come abqard? We weren't flying fish,
even if we were swimming like fish that have dodged a net. And
besides, we couldn't hear the orders from the deck so far above our
heads, because of the noise like runaway sea horses that some fel
lows were making. Colonel Bratt tot real fretty over that bathing
battalion, and finally went to the length of ordering a gangway
"
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C. O. BALLENGER,
Killed in Action.
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R. W. KELLS,
Killed in Action.
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J. H. WinTMORB,
Killed in Action.
lowered. Even then it took some time to make everybody hear, but
we did finally all get aboard. However, we were not exactly in the
good graces of the colonel for several minutes, possibly several days."
Then, In reply to a question, the smiling young veteran went
serious. "The day Stotsenberg was killed? I was not with the' com
pany, having been detailed with Bell's Scouts some time before. The
present chief of staff of the army, General Franklin Bell, was tho
commander of the scouts, and as we had been covering the advance
for several days, we knew the ground thoroughly. Hence on the
morning of April 23, 1899, we had a detachment out to take General
Wheaton to a certain point on the railroad not far froin Malolos, for
a survey of the situation. After Wheaton left I took a detachment
over to a point not far from where Colonel Stotsenberg was killed,
for a reconnaisance.- It was our bunch that started the fight, as I
recollect It, in a place some distance away from where the First
Nebraska was stationed."
Now let Corporal Guy D. Solomon take up tho tale for a spell.
"Colonel Stotsenberg was always out In trout, up on a stump if the
ground wasn't high enough.' In that advance, with a point not far
from Manila as the pivot, where were some regulars, the First, Ne
braska was on the extreme right, and F and L companies formed
what we called the whlpcrack of the line at that end, being farthest
out. As I recall it, a troop of regular cavalry bad got Into difficulty
out on the front and called for reinforcements. Wo were swung up for
the purpose of supporting, and it was while engaged In that work of
rescue that Colonel Stotsenberg was k'lled. Lieutenant Sisson, a
Nebraska officer, was also killed, as were several men In the line."
And that's about as far as Solomon will go with serious talk of the
hot Jungle work In the far-away land where the Ne
braska battle cry has echoed with some meaning.
He will talk, however, as will Baehr, and D. O.
Barnell, and P. J. White, and the whole bunch, about
matters of relaxation that happened on board ship.
There was a fruit episode, that has been talked of
more or less. The boys all agree that, having en
Joyed a feast of fruit at Honolulu, after being told
that fruit was not at all good for them, they bought
large quantities, and took the same aboard ship.
There were four Bhlps In that fleet, the Senator, the
Colon, the China and the Kcalandla, but the one par
ticular little boat on which the forbidden fruit ap
peared was the United States transport steamer Sen
ator. Colonel Bratt and some of the other officers
had likewise thought out a scheme to have fruit on
board, to be sold to the enlisted men as might be con
sidered good for their health. So it came about that
what the men had stowed away was sought out
and tossed overboard. Then the hunch of the ser
pent listened in the ears of some dare-devils, and
they organized a raid on the official fruit stand,
which the same existed no more, shortly.
"Below decks for you!" was the order issued
against L company, and they Btayed down a day or
two, until the doctor oi the ship's captain said it
would not be a healthful stunt to keep them cooped
up any more. They were levied on to pay for the
vanished bananas, cocoanuts, mangoes and suoh; and
then some more justice-seeking volunteers1 acquired
a longing for jellies, crackers and similar dainties,
to vary the ship'b menu served to common soldiers.
This notion brought about an assault'on what the
lads knew among themselves as "the glory hole,"
where was kept such delicacies as have been
One advance scout tried them and brought word they
They were, In fact, so good that the aforesaid hole, or
James H. Canfield A Many-Sided Man
Address of Victor Rosewater, Editor Omaha Bee, at Memorial Exercises at Lincoln, April 23, 1909.
WE CANNOT fully realize tho height of
a mountain when standing at its
base, but must view it at a distance
to appreciate its towering propor
tions. In the same way we usually get a
true perspective ot a man who towers among
his fellows only after he is taken away from
us and we can measure the real value ot his
work only after it is completed.
Our lamented friend and former chancel
lor ot this university had in him the making
of a leader ot men, and he would have led in
whatever field he might have chosen tor his
life work. Dr. Canfield was the son of a
clergyman, and had he fohowed in the foot
steps of his father he would have been a
powerful man in the pulpit and an uplifting
factor in religious work. When he gradu
ated from college he engaged first in railroad
construction, and had the transportation in
dustry claimed him he would have died a
great railway president. He studied law
and was admitted to practice at the bar and
bad he proceeded to perfect himself as an
advocate he would surely have occupied a
front rank in the legal profession. But he
was destined to be neither a clergyman nor
a railway piesldent, nor a lawyer, but to de
vote himself to the responsible task of di
recting the education of the constant succes
sion ot the rising generation and, as a con
sequence, he became a great teacher, a great
educator, a great librarian, a great lnspirer
to a small army of young people, who will in
turn deeper his imprint and pass it on in an
ever widening circle.
It is natural and Inevitable that in pay
ing tribute to the memory of one who baa
passed away personal relations are recalled
and assume an interest perhaps In dispropor
tion to their real significance. I hava known
Dr. Canfield for nearly twenty years. At
first, as a nit it casual acquaintance made at
a meeting of the American Economic asso
ciation, or American Historical association.
I am not quite sure which, when he waa still
teaching history, English literature and
political economy In the University ot Kan
sas. After I had, myself, finished my uni
versity course I was invited by him to de
liver a brief series of lectures at this univer
sity, and he did me the honor to listen to 'the
opening lecture. Tha't Illustrates one of his
most lovable characteristics his readiness
at all times to encourage beginners at no
matter what cost to himself of time and pa
tience. When two years later I was called to fill
temporarily a place on your Board of Re
gents he had already taken his departure to
a new field of action, but I remember that
we kept closely in touch with him for help
ful advice toward solving problems that had
their inception in his administration. When,
not many years aftrr, he became head of tho
great library at Columbia university, I felt
that he had again come ilosor to me becauso
Columbia was my Alma Mater, and on my
periodical visits to the metropolis it was al
ways an added pleasure to find him at his
desk in the beautiful treasure house ot books
and to talk over with htm tho many subjrets
of uppermost Interest to keen observers of
current events in government, science, edu
cation and particularly tho art preservative
of arts, with all ot which he kept conbtantly
abreast.
A librarian Is a rare-taker of books, but
Dr. Canfield was also. In a small way, a
writer of books, and his little "Book of Ad
vice to the College Student" Is, in my judg
ment, a remarkable production. It Is filled
with practical suggtstions dedicated to "The
Children of My Educational Sons and
Daughters," drawn from his own personal
experience, and yet from covr to cover of
nearly 200 pages in his Innate modesty the
closest he cornea to a personal narrative is
this:
I once thought that there could never bo
a period in my own life in which there would
come more restlessness, more anxiety, more
uncertainty, a keener sense of general ignor
ance and inadequacy, than were experienced
during the last half of my senior year in col
lege. What I waa prepared to do, what I
really desired to do, how 1 should go about
it. what was to be the first step, where J
should begin life, how I could earn my flrtit
dollar, under what circumstances I could
be sure ot earning it at all; these questions
tormented me, by night and by day. To
pass by a single step, almost in a single day,
from dependence to self-support, from a
comfortable and assured allowance to abso
lute uncertainty as to how the necessary ex
penses of the first week should be met (with
out turning again to the generosity which
had marked all the past); to feel that one
simply must decide, must do something, and
still not toNinow what; all this, and more
than need be written here, made life a bur
den Indeed. All this has been' kept very
fresh In memory by living It all over again,
year alter yoai, with seniors who have conn
to me with their difficulties and perplexities,
hoping and begging for some word of advice
or some bit. of experience which would bring
them light; not Infrequently even seeking to
relieve themselves of all responsibility by
Baying. "I will do whatever you say."
But, fortunately rather than unfortu
nately, this may never bo finally decided by
anyone but yourself, without grave danger
of grave error.
In this same suggestive volume Dr. Can
field enumerates five elemental and funda
mental characteristics, which be urges stu
dents to cultivate, and they are worth re-
peat trig here because they reflect Ideas and
ideals which he unquestionably kept before
himself as a guide for bis own conduct.
Here aro his Ave fundamentals:
1. Ffjrtety of thought.
2. Simplicity of life.
3. Absolute integrity.
4. Courage.
5. Strength.
Dr. Canfield was a charitable man. His
charity waa not that which contended itself
with old preachments, but gave the benefit
of the doubt to the supplicant even to the
ppin tof being occasionally Imposed upon.
I can illustrate this with extracts from a
letter, written by Dr. Canfield to me in
April, 1899. asking for information about a
certain person whom be has accommodated
with a loan. He writes as follows:
On the date named, about noon, a well
dressed gentleman came to my office, in
some perturpation, and stated that be waa
(Continued on Page Two.)
mentioned,
were good.
cache, was soon emptier than democratic promises to Nebraska liquor
men.
And behold, again was a large bunch of his command distinctly
persona non grata with Colonel Brait; so much so that on arrival
in Manila the non-commissioned officers ot Company L were assessed
12 cents each and the privates 10 cents each which was held out on
pay day. "StotHenberg was paymastei," says the chorus of reminis
cent veterans, "and we tried his temper to exhaustion by saying,
individually as we counted our coin, that we paid under protest.
'Yes, yes, I know what you want to Buy,' Stotsenberg finally saluted
each man as he drlv up, 'but niovo along now, and bo quick about
it.' We never did get that money back."
But after the command arrived at Manila bay on Sunday morn
ing, July 17, little things like dimes and a, fruit and jelly diet didn't
count. Tho Nebraska company landed at a small village between
Manila and Cavlte, and did not go Into Manila until August 13, 1898.
In the meantime they had been told about events that had made
history in Cubaand had served in the trenches while stationed at
Camp Dewey with other regiments. From the time, August 13, when
they took part in the assault, or demonstration, which resulted in
the capture of Manila, the First Nebraska volunteers were quite busy.
Li.steu to their record of visits with the Filipino insurgents which
had momentuous consequences:
Mixed it up at Santa Mesa February i and 5, 1899; captured
the water works next day. They were working with guns and things
on the Maraquina road February 17. also on March 5 and 6. Then,
on Washington's birthday, they fought along the Han Mateo river
road, having also made sure of the deposito, or water reservoir, that
day. They captured the pumping station, about ten miles from Man
ila, two days later, and were quartered there for the time being.
More skirmishing on February 25-27, at Maraquina, and regular
service and sorties until March 2 5 (the day Captain Lee Forby got
the mortal hurt that resulted In his death on March 28), when they
fought like good fellows at San Francisco Del Monte, a amajl hamlet.
Again into the fighting line at Meycauayan and Novallches river on
March 26, and along the Marilao river next day. March 29-80 saw
them performing strenuous duty about Santa Maria and Guigulnto,
and on the 3lBt they were in strong at tbo capture of the Insurgent
capital, Malolos, the objective point ot lh wldespreadlng movement
begun the day Forby got his death wound. At Qulngua, on April 23,
they bad an engagement, and the following day were participants in
the fight at the Ragbag river. April 25 the First Nebraska stormed
and captured Calumpit. Then the ordinary busy life ot an army
in an enemy's country until May 4, 1S89, when they saw the last
of their fighting days, at San Tomas San Fernapdo.
"I was not with the regiment when Colonel Stotsenberg waa
killed," said D. O. Barnell. "1 was In the hospital." He was shot
severely enough to leave a crease In his left leg just above the knee
deep enough to put two fingers in. Barnell was shot, as were sev
eral others, while moving up with thirty or forty of the company
through an open space fronting an insurgent outpost on the Mara'
quina road early in March. Instead of going Into details about the
hurt he got, Barnell switched to a story:
"Sergeant Clapp and Corporal Knapp' and myself had agreed
that we saw fine opportunities for three hustling Americans in
Manila and had practically agreed to remain in the Islands after
discharge. It was only a few days later that a shot cut away the
muscles of my leg, and but a few hours later, maybe, Clapp bad a
wound in about the same place on the same leg, that broke the bone.
Then Knapp also was shot in the left leg at almost the same spot,
and the bone was broken. So we all came home on tho Hancock,
getting out of the hotrpltal just a few aays before it sailed." The
regiment left Manila for San Francisco July 1, 1899.
In their dress parade days, when war was far away, the boys of
L company, as the Thurstou Rifles, had "cleaned up" all the crack
(Continued on Page Two.)
