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THE UTAH BATTERIES:
A HISTORY.
THE UTAH BATTERIES:
A HISTORY.
A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE MUSTER-IN, SEA VOYAGE,
BATTLES, SKIRMISHES AND BARRACK LIFE
OF THE UTAH BATTERIES, TOGETHER
WITH BIOGRAPHIES OF OFFICERS
AND MUSTER-OUT ROLLS.
by
CHARLES R. MABEY,
LATE A SERGEANT OF LIGHT BATTERY A, UTAH VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
ILLUSTRATED.
SALT LAKE CITY,
1900.
COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR.
DAILY REPORTER CO., PRINTERS, 158-160 S. WEST TEMPLE ST.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
TO THE UTAH BATTERYMEN
WHO BRAVELY FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY'S FLAG ON A FOREIGN
SOIL, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHOR.
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 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.
CONTENTS.
PAGE 7
PREFACE
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 103
CAPTAIN E.A. WEDGEWOOD 105
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW 106
LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. GIBBS 108
LIEUTENANT RAYMOND C. NAYLOR 109
LIEUTENANT ORRIN R. GROW 110
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM C. WEBB 112
LIEUTENANT GEORGE A. SEAMAN 113
LIEUTENANT FRANK T. HINES 114
LIEUTENANT JOHN A. ANDERSON 115
SERGEANT HARRY A. YOUNG 116
SERGEANT FORD FISHER 118
ROSTER--Battery A 120
Battery B 125
LIST OF 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 MARIQUINA 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 104
CAPTAIN E.A. WEDGEWOOD 106
CAPTAIN JOHN F. CRITCHLOW 107
LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. GIBBS 108
LIEUTENANT RAYMOND C. NAYLOR 110
LIEUTENANT ORRIN R. GROW 111
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.
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 anticipation 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 assumed 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 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 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 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 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, brass 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 assigned 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 Washington 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 assigned 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 assembled 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-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 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 ashore 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 appetite. 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 ships sail away. With the sweet
fragrance of blossoms still lingering 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 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 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 undertaking. The facilities for
taking the guns from the transports 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 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
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 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 amusement 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 shells 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 "twang" 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 shell after shell 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 Kneass 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 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
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 space the
shells 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.