War in the Philippines
David.Gettman June 20th, 2008
From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.
Orders came in December, 1903, for the regiment to be transferred to the Philippine Islands. The headquarters and all troops except L and M sailed from New York December 18 on the transport Kilpatrick. The route was across the Atlantic to Gibralter, which was reached January 3, 1904. The next stop was the island of Malta, where an opportunity was given to visit the British Mediterranean fleet. Port Said, Egypt, was reached January 17, where those who desired visited Cairo and caught the transport at Suez. The route also included Aden, Colombo, and Singapore, with delays long enough to permit sightseeing. After the arrival February 18 at Manila, P. I., the headquarters and Troops E, F, G, and H remained on board and sailed for Camp Wallace, Union Province, where they disembarked February 25. After landing at Manila, Troop A marched to Pumping Station, Rizal, for duty, Troop B to Marquina, Rizal, Troops C and D to San Mateo, Rizal, and Troops I and K to Pasay Barracks, Manila.
The troops remained at their stations during the rest of the year getting acquainted with the country and natives. Then orders came suddenly in January, 1905, for the third squadron, consisting of Troops I, K, L, and M, to take the field against the ladrones. For a number of years bands of outlaws lived in the more inaccessible parts of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal Provinces, surrounding Manila. Many of these people were remnants of the armies of insurrectionists which had been suppressed since 1902. The Constabulary found it difficult to run them down, as the people of the villages protected them as patriots. The country operated over was both low and mountainous. In northern and central Cavite Province, the land was flat, with much underbrush along the streams. In the rest of Cavite and in Batangas and Laguna Provinces it was mountainous and cut up by deep ravines.
The squadron under Major Frederick W. Sibley, with fourteen officers and 153 enlisted men, left Pasay Barracks, Manila, January 26, 1905, and marched to Imus the next day, where a conference was held with Colonel Baker of the Constabulary and Governor Shanks of Cavite Province. The headquarters and Troops I and K were stationed at San Francisco de Malabon, Troop L at Santa Cruz, and Troop M at Rosario, all in Cavite Province. Continue Reading »
