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 Rendell Mabey

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 Hale's command, containing the Tenth Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Nebraska regiments. The Nebraskans 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 of 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 Fleming'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 Sampaloe. 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 Government mules had arrived and the rifles under Lieutenants Critchlow and Fleming were now equipped for the journey into the jungle.

Few artillery exploits can compare in dash and daring 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 field pieces have been rushed so far beyond infantry support 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 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 located 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 narrow defile. With Lieutenant Naylor were Captain Crainbuhl and Lieutenant Perry of General Hale's staff and a detachment of eight men of the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment under charge of a sergeant. Every one knew the danger that accompanied an expedition of this character, and there was silence as perfect as that of a tomb, save when 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 skirmishers 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 bombardment began. At the first bark of the big guns the native 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 was purely an artillery charge, and to the artillery belonged the victory. General Hale rode up a few minutes later and personally complimented Lieutenant Naylor 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 700 yards ahead of the artillery, which followed the Novaliches road. A strong force of the enemy was encountered heavily intrenched in a position commanding the Novaliches and Malinta roads. The infantry swung into line and attempted to force back the Tagalans, who stubbornly resisted the attack of our column. Two large guns were soon brought into play and the natives gradually 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 impossible to move over the ridges. A troop of the Fourth Cavalry, under Major Rucker, also remained with the General. 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 commander'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 troops of cavalry then dismounted and deploying as skirmishers soon dislodged the enemy. Soon heavy firing was heard and an orderly rushed back asking for reinforcements. The General sent word back that he had no reinforcements to give. Just then Major Bell rode up and said he wished one of the Utah guns and the General authorized Major Young to take one of the big rifles and 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 a little distance above, so small that it could only be utilized for carometas, crosses the river a short distance beyond the dismantled bridge. On the right abutment 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 undergrowth of bamboo. A heavy stone wall was used as a shelter for the men. Meanwhile the cavalry stood a terrific 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 the insurgents was turned upon the crews working the piece, but the bamboo screen kept them from taking accurate 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 warriors, who turned and fled. The spitting Colts and breaking shrapnel 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 bombarded with annihilating effect. The cavalry had stood a heavy fire 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.