The Utah Batteries: A History Part 1

The Utah Batteries: A History.

by Charles R. Mabey.

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 t.i.tle a.s.sumes--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 a.s.serting 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 accomplishment of his plans, and furthermore, he wishes to extend his thanks to Angus K. Nicholson for his contributions and a like communication 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.

THE UTAH BATTERIES.

INTRODUCTION.

The history of the Utah Batteries should be a plain tale, for deeds of valor cannot be garnished by the flower of rhetoric or the pomp of oratory. This is a simple 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, and no mere pen picture could augment his greatness. So we shall paint a picture of the achievements of the cannoneers and gunners of Utah while withstanding the onslaughts of the dusky warriors of Aguinaldo, and no greater compliment can be paid them than a clear true narrative of their exploits.

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 tyranny. Her later accomplishments against the fierce Tagalan braves have only served to increase the homage and admiration of the world, yet, in the dark days of the conflict, 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 experienced 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 swamps anxiously watching for the first 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 description 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 unceasing 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 Caloocan and San Lazerus cemetery, the cannon under Captain Wedgewood hurled fiery wrath into the terrified foe at Sampaloe, and Lieutenant Webb's death-dealing monsters 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 forests in that campaign which drove the natives out of Calumpit 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 Morong and Santa Cruz and disturbed the silence of the primitive woods at San Luiz and Candaba.

The country was not slow in recognizing Utah. Almost 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 antic.i.p.ation of a Tagalan outbreak Lieutenant R.C. Naylor was placed second in command. Later when the river fleet was enlarged Major Grant took command and Lieutenant William C. Webb a.s.sumed control of the "Covadonga," positions which both held till Utah's fighting days were over.

The Utah cannoneers were 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 turned its weapons upon the walls of Manila, they hauled their pieces after them in grim pursuit of the fleeing foe. They stood comparison with the well-drilled regulars, and in many instances surpa.s.sed 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 skirmish 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 n.o.ble achievements wrought beneath the broiling sun of the tropics; to him each whispers an a.s.surance that his duty was bravely done in the blasting fires of the East.

The warriors of Utah have listened to their last reveille and their last retreat. When they withdrew from the Orient they left the scenes of carnage behind and returned to loved ones and to peace. May that peace be lasting and happy.

CHAPTER I.

THE MUSTERING.

When the war trumpet's shrill notes disturbed the serenity of this tranquil land early in '98 their echoes were 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 commonwealth. The dark stormy days preceding the declaration of war in April had aroused the dormant energies 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 Governor Wells on April 25th a host of young men from every corner of the State applied for enlistment 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 outside military circles. At the breaking out of hostilities with 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 Civil War. Some were smooth bores, others rifled. There were Napoleons and Parrots, bra.s.s cannon and twenty-four pounders. Very few of the States had modern guns, but Utah was especially favored in this line. During the early organization of the guard she had been provided with eight 3.2-inch B. & 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 State in the Union would be called upon to furnish 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 arrangements for Utah to put two batteries in the field.

The day following the Governor's call recruiting officers 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 C. Naylor and Orrin R. Grow. These were a.s.signed to different portions of the State and the work began on the day following. Ethan Allen, afterwards First Sergeant of Battery A, was the first man to enroll.

Orders were received from Was.h.i.+ngton naming Fort Douglas as the rendezvous for the recruits, the message reaching here the day enlistment began. Briant H. Wells, a Lieutenant in the Second United States Infantry, who had been stationed here on duty with the National Guard, was a.s.signed as mustering officer. The recruiting continued with varied success until May 1st, when the quota was filled. Applications for enrollment were so plentiful 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 examination the following morning. Farmers fresh from the plow, cowboys from the plain, miners from the mountains, blacksmiths from the forge, students, teachers, doctors, bookkeepers had a.s.sembled to be defenders in common of the Nation's honor.

On May 4th the officers were selected. The appointments of the Governor were as follows:

Battery A--Captain, R.W. Young; First Lieutenant, George W. Gibbs; Second Lieutenants, Ray C. Naylor and Thomas B. Braby. Lieutenant Braby declined the honor and William C. Webb was selected in his stead.

Battery B--Captain, Frank A. Grant; First Lieutenant, 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 Artillery; Lieutenant Gibbs was the Major commanding the battalion of light artillery in the National Guard of Utah; Lieutenant Naylor was one of the founders of the National Guard and had worked his way up to a Lieutenant-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 anxious 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 cheerfully 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 developments proved this to be a mistake, for long after the Spanish had felt the force of American war machinery at San Juan and El Caney their lost subjects in the Antipodes were fleeing in terror before the mighty thunder of the Utah guns at Santa Mesa and Bag Bag.

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 partings 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 received a royal welcome, the Red Cross society taking especial pains to make their visit a pleasant one. Several weeks were consumed in perfecting the organization and preparing it for foreign service. Lieutenant Wedgewood and Sergeants Brown and Fehr returned to Utah and recruited 104 men to complete the organizations 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 voyage on any ordinary vessel, save for the fact that the men were crowded a little closer than on a first-cla.s.s pa.s.senger 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 reception 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 ash.o.r.e amid the cheers of the Hawaiians, who 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 resident 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 fragrance of flowers, with hundreds of pretty girls to wait on them the men sat down to the banquet. In an atmosphere 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 appet.i.te. Soldiers made love to maidens with dusky cheeks; American blue 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 s.h.i.+ps sail away. With the sweet fragrance of blossoms still lingering in their nostrils and the long-to-be-remembered clasp of friends.h.i.+p yet plainly felt they pa.s.sed 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 s.h.i.+p soup staple and tropical sea monotony 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 Islands were sighted and pa.s.sed.

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 undertaking. The facilities for taking the guns from the transports were not perfect. The guns were put ash.o.r.e 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 fas.h.i.+on, and when this task was finished men dried their clothes as though nothing had happened. In landing several amusing incidents occurred.

Many Filipinos, anxious to earn a few "centavos," flocked around the s.h.i.+ps, and not a few of the men hired a native as a sort of a pack horse to carry them ash.o.r.e. One two-hundred-pound soldier was unfortunate 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 amus.e.m.e.nt of his comrades and his own disgust. Other occurrences were equally as ludicrous.

The several days following the landing of the batteries 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 officers at early morning it was plain to be seen that something 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 earthworks. The two guns of Battery A moved to this point the following morning and took possession of the emplacements 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 performed 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, which was entirely unprotected owing to a failure on the part of the insurgents to maintain their lines between Calle Real 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 sh.e.l.ls at irregular intervals, none of which did any damage. At this time Lieutenant 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 Pennsylvania troops replied with their Springfields and the whiz of the "45's" mingled with the keen "tw.a.n.g" of the Mausers, while the Third Artillerymen, equipped as regular infantry, took a part in the altercation. The instructions of the Utah men were not to fire until it was evident the enemy was making an advance. The cannoneers 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 sh.e.l.l after sh.e.l.l into the Castilian lines. Corporal 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 Knea.s.s worked his cannon with the sang froid of a man in a blind waiting for ducks. It was a warm time and when morning dawned it was ascertained that several Castilian voices had 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 pa.s.sion 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 discharged and the battle was still on. The Pennsylvania men had fired away nearly all their ammunition, 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 s.p.a.ce the sh.e.l.ls shrieked and broke the Spanish lines, causing havoc and terror.

The attempt of the "Dons" had proved futile, and after having 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 engagement.

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 conjunction with Dewey's fleet they tore holes in the Spanish fort at Malate and helped in forcing the enemy out of his position on the extreme left.