Tuesday, April 27, 1899. The Battle of Calumpit

The Battle of Calumpit (Filipino: Labanan sa Quingua), alternately known as the Battles of Bagbag and Pampanga Rivers) concluded with U.S. forces under Arthur MacArthur Jr. combating Filipino forces under General Antonio Luna.  U.S. forces were comprised completely of state militia units, essentially the equivalent of today's National Guard, somewhat, those being the 20th Kansas Volunteers, the Utah Volunteer Light Artillery, the1st Montana Volunteers, the1st Nebraska Volunteers and the 51st Iowa Volunteers. All were probably mustered to fight against the Spanish in Cuba, and not the Filipino's in their native land.

U.S. forces prevailed with Medals of Honor, under the original standards, going to Colonel Frederick Funston, Private (later First Lieutenant) William B. Trembley, and Private Edward White.

The Filipinos, interestingly enough, grossly over reported American losses.

A terrible tornado struck:

The Kirksville Cyclone

Portrait shows event described in Eleanor Pray's letter of April 27, 1899: 

"Yesterday morning I asked Mademoiselle [Lindholm family governess] to go to the bazaar with me to take some photos, and we took Dou Kee with us. I hired a small Korean to stand in front of a stall to be photographed. The Chinese got out like lightning for they say a camera has the evil eye. The Korean wanted also to run away when he found what was up, but the Chinese were quite willing the evil eye should be cast on him so they kept pushing him back and there he stood half scared to death. In a second after I pressed the button, there were Chinese around us ten deep all clamoring to see the picture. When the small Korean found he wasn't killed, and got five kopecks for pay, he was quite in another frame of mind." Another letter, dated May 4, 1899, also mentions this event: "The group of Koreans I took near the Bazaar. They thought I was going to shoot them and the one in the edge of the picture was clearing out for his life but couldn't resist looking back to see what happened to his friends. Before that old man could get up the deed was done and I'll warrant the whole crowd cursed me by all their gods."

A statute of Grant was unveiled in Philadelphia.

The Cheyenne State Leader for March 30, 1917: Guardsmen mobilzing at Ft. D. A. Russell.

Ft. D. A. Russell was being used for Guard mobilization this time.  It hadn't been a year prior for the Punitive Expedition.

The Sheridan Enterprise for January 28, 1917. Conflict at the border.

The fighting at the border wasn't news just in Cheyenne.  It also hit Sheridan, in far northern Wyoming, on the same day, showing what a concern it truly was.

Cheyenne State Leader for January 28, 1917. Utah Guard Crosses Mexican border?

Just two days ago we noted the centennial of a Punitive Expedition Era clash between "Mexican forces" and the Utah National Guard.

On this day, residents of Wyoming were reading about it in their papers.

Folks in Cheyenne learned that the Mexican forces were Constitutionalist troops, which I believe to be accurate.  They also read, however, that the Utah Guard crossed the border into Mexico.

That would have been a hugely significant matter, if correct.  Generally, National Guard units were not supposed to cross the border into Mexico, and in the opinion of the United States Attorney General at the time, couldn't leave the country at all (although they certainly had in prior eras).  Unfortunately, with the passage of time, it's difficult to tell if they did cross for sure or not.  I suspect they did, as the newstory rings true for the time.

Utah National Guard clashes with Mexican forces on Arizona border. January 26, 1917

Cavalrymen from the Utah National Guard skirmished with Mexican forces along the Arizona border, resulting in ten Mexican casualties. This was the third, and last, skirmish that the Utah National Guard would engage in during the Punitive Expedition.

This unit would have been the 2nd Utah Cavalry, which remained on the border until March when relieved by the Regular Army's 10th Cavalry.

Note:  An item posted on Reddit's 100 Years Ago subreddit from the New York Times reports that this incident started off with cowboys trying to drive cattle away from the border at which time they were fired upon by "Mexican Troopers".

It's unclear in whose service the troopers were, but this gives a new dimension to the story.