j
SECTION FIVE
Pages 1 to lO
Woman's and Books
V
K
v
VOL. XXX.
PORTLAND. OREGON. SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 12, 1911.
NO.
SECOND OREGON VETERANS RECALL VALOR OF LATE COLONEL
Spuming Mount and Joining1 Men in Hardships, Owen Summers Eecame Idol of Regiment Courage and Ability Won Him a Brigade Command.
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Hut he nuilt a record f r icnawiord
troop n h tropl, a.
"Wetfoot h:krra" wa the aw'Hatlon
otir rrglmenta thereafter appllrj
the Second Oregon and tha appclia'.loa
arread a:i over tha K!hth Army Corp
during t. lucwiilni months while the
Second did unatirpaned marching feats
as a pari of Wheatou's flTira; column."
That was oniy one of the minor .Inci
dents of General Owen Summers'-career
n the Philippine campaign. Hut It was
one of the Hr-j and It gave an Insight
Into hia character tha: was verined
throughout the campalRn. He would no!
require hi men to face hardship from
which h- hrurk In person.
When General Summer comrades In
arms gathered Frlrfay night at the hall
-rf1- rerV.
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Volunteers fjr gallant and nirriiorinus
!-e. Coupled It.'l Ills g. n!u!l:y and
unmlll tnr'-'le democracy was a talent
for command that did a much aa any
thing elee to gain for the Second Oregon
of the Spanl-fc-Amerloan War Veterans , the high laurels won by the command In
! do honor to his memory, score of In- j ths Insurrection. As the commander of
'f' : his hraery and consideration
for the men under him were retold. The
memorial service wss the occasion of
one of the largest Second Oregon re
unions on record. For tho commanding
officer, oddly enougX was the most pop
ular man with hia troops of any Iran In
the reg'.rrent.
the advance guard brigade of La ton's
division, many Intricate military prnb
( lems fell to his lot. for solution and he
met every obetacle expeditiously and
without a single defeat.
"Oregon's greatest soldier" is the term
his regiment has applied to him and
which hta record more than establiphes.
Aiti oucn ne. ma. t 11 xner Kime or n x
Had the war been a bigger one the War I unexpected death from pneumonia a
Iepartment would have been creating i short time ago. the patriotic spirit was
special rank for the Oregon soldier, so : alaunch aa ever and at the last ban
his men yt contend. Even In the com- Qut n ,'d.l General Summers de-
i ciarew nv wouia go qui again in even.
of war. even If he had to enllt-t and
and was .revstcd a Brts.dier-GuraJ of Usnerai bummers began his military
paratlvely brief rompaign hs arose to
career when he was 14 years old by
enllMina; In the Third Illinois Volunteer
Cavalry. He nerved through the last
year of the Civil War and then partici
pated In a campaign against the Sioux
In the Uakotas.
After coming; to Oregon he took an
active Interest In the Oretron National
Ouard and In 1895 was elected Colonel I took commaml of
of the old First Ite-riment. When war
with 8 pa In came he was commissioned
Colonel of the Second Volunteer Reei
ment. which replaced the First Militia
Keglment with many of the militiamen
In the ranks.
Colonel Summers took the Second
Rectment out with the first Philippine
expedition. His first battalion, under
Major Gantenbeln, was the first body
to land at Manila. Likewise the Sec
ond was the first regiment to enter the
walled city on August 11 -when the
place capitulated. . . -
When, in February .of 1S3 the insur
rection broke, he was
Wheaton's flying; brigade. Later he led
the Second in Lawlon s northern cam
paign, bearing the brunt of the action
at Malaoon. Tin less than a month Gen
eral Lawton. Keeking; a General to com
mand his advance brigade, selected the
Oregon Colonel. General Summers now
provisional brigade
made up of the Second Oregon, the
Thirteenth Minnesota, one platoon of
the Utah artillery and a troop of the
Fourth United States Cavalry.
In the arduous campalKninp that fol
lowed General Summers traveled most
ly by foot, although entitled to several
mounts He set a hard pace for his
command In the forced marches. And
the advance 'guard not only protected I
the main column from annoyances and
attack but left little for the division
to do.
In recognition of his conduct In en
gagements at Maasin, Bolac bridge and
assig-ned to San Isidro, General Iwton recommend
ed the actir.s brigade commander for
a brevet as Brlpudier-General of volun
teers. Shortiv afterward the Oregon regi
ment, on account of lonsr service, was
ordered home for musterinar out.. Hav
ing been the first regiment in the field,
the Second was given first place on re-turnin'-:
transports. The Bresldio was
reached July 13. the mustering out oc
curred August 7 and the General and
his staff reached Portland August 10.
The Second lost a total of 64 men with
88 wounded, five of them officers.
General Law-ton, on hearing General
Summers and his command were to be
sent home, wrote the folowing letter
Irom his field headquarters at La- Pinas:
"Brevet Brigadier-General Owen Sum
mers. Second Oregon Vols. Sir: Your
regiment having been relieved from my
command for the purpose of proceeding to
the United States for muster out gives
me an opportunity of which I am glad
to avail myself of expressing to you and
to the officers, and men of your regiment
my htgii appreclntlon of their gallant,
faithful - service- while they have been
under my command.
"While 1 am glad the regiment is to
return lo Us home. 1 regret to lose so
many good soldiers. When your regi
ment came to my command, their reputa
tion as . brave and "gallant soldiers had
preceded them. Since you have been
with me our work has been constant, ar
duous and dangerous. '
"I learned very soon to place implicit
confidence in your judgment, energy and
courage and the gallantry and bravery
of your officers and men. You have
nobly earned the reputation of being
among the best soldiers of the American
Army and in saying farewell to the regi
ment I wish you Godspee dand all the
good fortune and prosperity that may
and should come to you.
"Sincerely and respectfully yours,
"H. W.-LAWTON.
"Major-General U. S. Vols."
In another letter General Lloyd.
Wheaton told General Summers of the
high cPteem in which he was held. Gen
eral Wheaton's letter, dated Manila, May
2, 1iX. follows:
"Your regiment is about to leave for
home to be mustered out of the service
of the United States and I now desire- to
convey to you my high appreciation of
the distinguished services of yourself
and the Second Oregon Infantry. Tha
skill, ability and courage with which
you have fought your regiment is de
serving the thanks of your countrymen.
The bravery, determined courage and
gallant conduct of the officers and men
of the Second Oregon prove them wor
thy successors of the men-who fought at
Shiloh and Gettysburg and in the Wil
derness. Their gallant conduct during;
the recent ' campaign In Luzon has re
flected credit upon the state from whence
they came. Very respectfully.
"LLOYD WHEATON,
. "Brig-Gen1! U. S. .V." ;