Richard Moses Longfellow (1867-1951) Richard Longfellow "was one of a hand-picked group of soldiers known as "Young's Scouts," tasked with being at the forefront of movement in rebel-controlled areas. On May 13, 1899, eleven of these scouts under Captain William Birkhimer earned Medals of Honor in a frontal attack on 300 enemy. Three days later the scouts were looking for water when they encountered a large enemy force of at San Isidro. The rebel forces set fire to the strategic bridge over the Rio Grande de Pampanga. Three Scouts immediately sprinted across the bridge, firing at the enemy from point-blank range, while the remaining Scouts took cover and returned fire on the enemy trenches on the opposite bank, only fifty yards distant. Private Longfellow was one of twenty-two Scouts that braved the hail of fire to rush the burning, wooden bridge and extinguished the flames, though constantly under fire. They then attacked and routed the enemy forces numbering 600 men. Private Longfellow and six other Scouts earned the Medal of Honor for this action." Richard Moses Longfellow was born on June 24, 1867 in Logan County, Illinois.   However his family moved to Mandan, Dakota Territory sometime before XXXX XX, 18XX as he entered service into the US Army from Mandan. Longfellow in 1926 Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 1st North Dakota Volunteer Infantry. Place and date: Near San Isidro Philippine Islands on May 16, 1899. Citation: With 21 other scouts charged across a burning bridge, under heavy fire, and completely routed 600 of the enemy who were entrenched in a strongly fortified position. All eleven men who engaged the enemy were awared the Medal of Honor on April 6, 1906. It was awarded to him by President Theodore Roosevelt. One month after the Spanish-American War began, American troops sailed from San Francisco to battle the Spanish at their Pacific stronghold, the Philippines. Most of the Regular Army was fighting in Cuba and Puerto Rico, so three-fourths of the 10,000 men who went to the Philippines were members of volunteer state militias – the National Guard. The 1st North Dakota Volunteer Infantry – with 36 officers and 401 men – was among them. When Spain surrendered on August 13th, Filipinos celebrated their independence. But they were in for a surprise; while negotiating the Treaty of Paris, the U.S. bought the Philippine Islands, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico, from Spain. Philippine insurgents under General Aguinaldo refused to accept the deal. They proclaimed independence, ratified a constitution, and prepared to battle the U.S. American citizens had been lead to believe that Filipinos wanted to be part of the U.S. and were stunned by the Philippine reaction. But by then, it was too late. From February 1899 until July 1902, 126,000 American troops were committed to a war that many consider America’s “first Vietnam.” Meanwhile, the 1st North Dakota Infantry thought they were finished and were going home. After six months of waiting, they were instead ordered to start fighting the people they’d just liberated. Two months later, Thomas Sletteland of Grafton earned the first Medal of Honor awarded to a North Dakotan when he carried a wounded soldier to safety and then single-handedly defended three (of eight) dead comrades against a greatly superior enemy force. Shortly after, Henry Young, a Connecticut citizen soldier, organized an elite reconnaissance force of 25 men; 16 of them were North Dakotans. They would soon win fame as “Young’s Scouts.” By May 12th – their numbers now reduced to 18 – they came upon a band of about 300 rebels near San Miguel. In the ensuing clash, Young was mortally wounded. Medals of Honor were earned by Private Gotfred Jensen of Devils Lake, Colonel Frank Anders of Fargo, and Private Willis Downs of Jamestown, whose citations for valor read: With 11 other scouts, without waiting for the supporting battalion to aid them or to get into a position to do so, charged over a distance of about 150 yards and completely routed about 300 of the enemy who were in line and in a position that could only be carried by a frontal attack. Three days later, the Scouts clashed with rebels defending a strategic bridge. The river below couldn’t be crossed without it, so the Filipinos set fire to it. Under heavy enemy fire, the Scouts charged across the flaming bridge, routed 600 strongly fortified insurgents, and saved the bridge. Medals of Honor were awarded to Private Otto Boehle of Wahpeton; Private Charles Davis of Valley City; Private John Kinne of Fargo, Private Frank Ross of Langdon, and Private Richard Longfellow of Mandan.  Though the war “ended” July 4th, 1902, men continued to die in skirmishes that followed. Casualties included 4,234 U.S. and 16,000 Filipino soldiers. Estimates of civilian deaths range from 200,000 to a million; famine and disease claimed a great many. Atrocities were committed on both sides. He died on May 17, 1951. He is buried in Normal HIll Cemetery in Lewiston, Idaho.