University of Washington - Tyee Yearbook (Seattle, WA)

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Col john H. Wholley

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Col, john H. Wholley, Ol-IN H. WI-IOLLEY enjoyed the distinction of being the youngest colonel in the Volunteer army to see active service, having been born at Salem Mass., January 13, 1868. Upon his graduation from West Point he was appointed to the Fourth infantry at Fort Spokane. While with this command he saw field service at the time of the Coeur d'Alene and railroad strikes of 1894. ln September, 1894, Lieutenant Wholley was detailed as United States re- cruiting officer stationed at Seattle. ln 1896 he was detailed as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the University, and later became Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Engineering in addition. At the outbreak of the war he was appointed Colonel of the First Washington Infantry, U. S. V., his commission dating from April 23, 1898. The regiment did garrison duty at San Francisco until October 28, 1898, when it embarked for the Philippines. There it was immediately put on the advanced outpost line, which it held until February 4, the outbreak of the Filipino insurrection. In the first battle, Col. Whol1ey's regiment sustained the largest loss of any in the whole command. In April, 1899, he was placed in command of the First Brigade, First Division, remaining in this capacity until june 8. As Brigade Commander he had charge of the attack on Cainta, Tay Tay and Morong, june 4 and 5. For faithful and meritorious service he was recommended for a Brigadier's star. After arriving at San Francisco Col. Wholley was presented with a mag- nificent sabre by the enlisted men of his regiment, appropriately inscribed- Presented to Col. John H. Wholley, as a token of esteem, by the enlisted men of the First Washington Infantry, U. S. V., October 18, 1899. This may be taken as an indication of the esteem in which he was held by the men under his command. Two days before the regiment left for Seattle, Col. Wholley received telegraphic orders to proceed at once to New York, there to embark once more for the Philippines as a major in the Forty-seventh Infantry.

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Our 'Uolanteera A HEN the First Washington Regiment was organized for service in the Spanish-American war, nine students from the University of Washington showed themselves willing to do their share toward upholding the flag and enlisted in that regiment. Those who believe that the National Guard fur- nishes if not the only, at least the best means of military education in time of peace, would do well to examine the records of these products of a university cadet company. Two rose to the rank of First Lieutenant and now hold commissions in the Eleventh Cavalry still in Luzon. Lieutenant Cotchett received a bullet through the leg at San Mateo at the same time that General Lawton was killed. In the last letter received from Lieutenant Hazzard he writes that he has just returned from a trip of twenty-five days into Southern Luzon, during which he had com- mand ofthe regimental scouts. He was scratched twice by Mauser bullets, but was lucky enough each time to escape serious injury. - Two more of these students, J. Willis Sayre and W. W. Reinhart, became Sergeants, and two more, Edwin Fredlund and Geo. H. Gaches, were Corporals. Three were mentioned in the dispatches for bravery, Corporal Gaches and J. G. McGlinn as scouts, and G. B. Rathbun as scout and sharpshooter. ltmay not be amiss in this connection to mention also the names of a few who, although not students of the college at the time of the breaking out of the war, had formerly been, and volunteered as members of Washington's First Regiment. Captain M. H. Gormley, B. S. '85, was mustered in a First Lieutenant of Company B, and upon the death of Captain Fortson succeeded to the command of the company. Ralph L. Ross was mustered in as a.priVate, and was promoted successively to Corporal, Sergeant and finally to Sergeant Major of the regiment, with which latter rank he was mustered out. Lieutenant Geo. B. Lamping was mustered in a Second Lieutenant of Company D, and while at the front was com- mander of the Taguig division of the regimental scouts. He returned as First Lieutenant of Company D. O. A. McGee was mustered in as aSergeant in Com- pany B and was promoted to a First Lieutenancy in the Thirty-sixth Volunteer Infantry still in the Philippines. Cal Welbon was mustered in as a Corporal in Company D and returned a Sergeant. He received honorable mention as regimental scout, and was wounded in the side. Thayer Lamb was mustered in a X