Archive for the 'Philippine Insurrection 1910-1912' Category

Return to the Philippines

June 10th, 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.

PIIn the year 1909, the regiment continued on similar duty. The regimental schools at this time included: (a) School for enlisted men, (b) troop schools for noncommissioned officers, (c) garrison schools for officers, (d) post-graduate work. In November orders came directing the regiment, less Troops A and E, to change station to the Philippines. Entrainment took place at Des Moines on November 28 for San Francisco. The horses were left behind, and later taken over by the Sixth Cavalry. The regiment arrived at Malabang, Mindanao, the large southern island inhabited by Moros, on January 3, 1910. Three of the troops, F, G, and H, took station on this island at Torrey Barracks, and the third squadron on the same island at Camp Overton. The first squadron, the machine-gun platoon, and regimental headquarters were stationed at Augur Barracks on the island of Jolo, also inhabited by the Mohammedans. Troops A and E turned over the horses in January, 1910, and sailed for the Philippines, arriving at the stations of their squadrons March 19.

The natives of the southern islands of the Philippine group, who had migrated to this area from the mainland of Asia only a few centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards, were known as Moros. Mohammedan missionaries converted them to that faith, and so zealous were they that the Spanish priests were never able to persuade any of them to become Christians. The remainder of the islands were inhabited by pagans and were easily converted by the Spaniards to Christianity. The Moros lived mostly along the coast and their villages often were built on stilts over the shallow water of the bays. Their war parties regularly went on expedition in large canoes for hundreds of miles to the northern islands. They made raids upon the Christian villages and carried the people away into slavery. It was not until the invention of steamships that this piracy ceased.

These people were very war-like and looked upon the Americans as they did upon all Christians, with hate. Since the troops first came to this area after the Spanish-American War, there had been much fighting. General resistance of the natives had ceased in 1910, but there were still occasional outbreaks of some chiefs. It was necessary for the troops to move about in large groups well armed and always prepared for battle.

The larger towns were comparatively safe except for the fanatics, called Juramentados, who were sworn to do a faithful service, which was usually to kill a Christian. When one of these individuals ran wild in a crowd, wielding a kris, or long, heavy knife, natives as well as others fled in all directions.

Heroes Among Their Peers

June 9th, 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.

PIThe second and third squadrons were employed much of the time in keeping the roads open to interior stations around Lake Lamao. While on this duty February 14, 1910, Troop M, under Lieutenant Sumner, who was a grandson of the former major of the regiment and corps commander in the Civil War, fortunately came upon a detachment of native scouts seriously engaged with the Moros. When Troop M arrived, it was found that the scouts were surrounded by a numerous body of natives well posted in high jungle. After a short fight, the Moros fled, leaving one killed and one wounded. Two of the Philippine scouts were wounded but later recovered.

Two men, Sergeant Floyd P. Garrard, Troop H, and Private Claud B. Neidholt, Troop B, were decorated during the year 1910 for risking their lives to save their comrades from drowning. Sergeant Garrard unhesitatingly went to the relief of a comrade at Camp Overton, Mindanao, and displayed great presence of mind and fortitude in rescuing him. Private Neidholt demonstrated great bravery and perseverance in saving a fellow soldier from death by drowning at Jolo, P.I.

Garrard, Floyd P., Sergeant, Troop H, 2d Cavalry.
Camp Overton, Mindanao, P.I., June 27, 1910. While a sergeant, Troop H, 2d Cavalry, he unhesitatingly went to the relief of a comrade in distress and displayed great presence of mind and fortitude in rescuing that comrade from drowning, at the risk of his own life. (1680175, A.G.O.)

Neidholt, Claud B., Troop B, 2d Cavalry, May 4, 1911.
Jolo, P.I., June 22, 1910. Bravery, perseverance, and presence of mind, while a private, Troop B, 2d Cavalry, in risking his life for a fellow soldier in saving him from drowning. (1710482, A.G.O.)

Mindanao

June 8th, 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.

PIIn November, 1910, Troop C, under Captain J. M. Burroughs, and some friendly Moros were sent from Augur Barracks, Jolo, where the headquarters, machine-gun platoon, and the first squadron were already located. Troops F and H replaced the third squadron at Camp Overton the same month. Troops E and G joined these two troops at that station in April, 1911.

During the year 1910, the lawless elements of the hill tribes of Moros in the Davao District of the island of Mindanao collected in bands and attacked plantations on the east coast. Bases were established at different places in the interior and from these points the whole area was thoroughly policed. Among the troops called out to quell this trouble was Troop B, Second Cavalry. The troop, under Captain Clyde B. Hawkins, was brought by boat from its station on Jolo Island to Camp Makar, Mindanao. It remained here about seven weeks, patrolling the country for the rebellious tribesmen, then returned to Augur Barracks February 10, 1911.

The service in this area remained in the minds of the men of the regiment as very exhausting. The country is precipitous in the extreme, changing from narrow ridges to steep ravines. This type of country sometimes required the soldiers to be let down cliffs by ropes or to crawl along narrow trails on their hands and knees. The natives made use of cunning traps at places where the troops were required to pass. One type of trap consisted of a large number of sharpened sticks of bamboo which would penetrate the soles of shoes. Another kind was made of spears concealed along the trail which were held down by saplings bent over so that the spears were released when the victim walked by.

Troop H, commanded by Captain C. A. Romeyn, took the field in September, 1911, against the noted renegade Ami Gingulungan and his followers. The town of Cagayan on the northern coast of the island was headquarters for the expedition and detachments were sent from here to the area in which the outlaw was located. The troop returned to Camp Overton October 18.

On May 23, 1911, the regiment celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of its founding. A holiday was declared and a program of athletics and other amusements was enjoyed. At Augur Barracks, Jolo, where the headquarters and first and third squadrons were stationed, Chaplain Fleming made a commemorative address which was later published in the Journal of the Military Service Institution.

Turning again to the island of Jolo, we find the troops of the first and third squadrons were alternated as guards for road-building parties for several months during the first part of the year. The road was built ten miles west from Jolo to Tondu and twenty miles east to Siet Lake, under the supervision of Captain Edward L. King, Second Cavalry, who was civil governor of the island. Occasionally troops were used to prevent outbreaks of the natives. On April 29, Troops L and M marched to Crater Lake and Tad Minook to arrest Moros who would not comply with orders of local officials.

First Lieutenant Walter H. Rodney, Commander of the Machine Gun Platoon, was murdered by a Moro juramentado near the town of Jolo, P.I., on April 16, 1911. The tragic death of this fine officer was memorialized in G.O. No. 6 of the Post of Jolo.

Attack at Siet Lake

June 7th, 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.

PIWhile making a practice march to Siet Lake, Jolo, Troops B, I, K, M, and M.G. Platoon were attacked in camp at 1:45 a.m., October 17, 1911. On a very dark night the Moros approached the camp armed with barongs or large native knives and spears. They escaped the vigilance of the sentries by hiding in the tall cogan grass until the sleeping men could be reached unobserved. The attack was made upon the cooks while asleep by their kitchen fires which were under a tree a few yards from the main line of tents. In the melee which followed two men were killed and four wounded. Lieutenant Coppock killed one of the Moros in a personal encounter while holding a lighted candle in one hand in order to see where to fire.

The Adjutant,
Camp Siet Lake,
Augur Barracks, Jolo, P.I.
October 17, 1911.

Sir: I have the honor to report that about 1:45 a.m. October 17th, Moros stealthily approached the camp of Troops B, I, K, M, and Machine Gun Platoon, 2nd Cavalry, evidently by hiding in the high grass and armed with barong and spear attacked the cooks while asleep near their kitchen fires.

Cook Barnes, Troop M, was badly cut in several places, wounds very severe. Cook Gordon, Troop M, sleeping with Cook Barnes, was also attacked and received a severe cut on the knee. Q.M. Sergeant Homilius, Troop K, was sleeping near by and it appears was awakened by the attack on the cooks, and evidently got up and went to their assistance. He received a severe spear wound below the chest and ran back about a rod calling and awaking First Sergeant Crahan and Sergeant Steubner, Troop K. The Moro came to the latter’s tent fly, a spear in hand. They fired, and he (the Moro) fell to the ground wounded. Private Donovan, Troop K, in the melee also, received a very slight spear wound. Cook Gordon fired two shots in the dark at a Moro who had gone in the direction of the fly of First Sergeant Crahan, Troop K, who received a slight wound in the leg below the knee. At this hour the night was very dark, the troops turned out, but there was no firing in general, except shots to give the alarm, and four shots fired by Lieutenant Coppock, who finished the Moro. He, the Moro, was found at the edge of one of the Cook’s tents, by Lieutenant Coppock with rifle in hand crouching on the ground badly wounded in the leg. The Moro had picked up the rifle after losing both his barong and spear.

Q.M. Sergeant Homilius, Troop K, died in about one quarter hour.

The Cooks were assembled under a large tree, together, about two rods from the line of men’s tents and opposite the center.

Each organization had one sentinel on post.

A non-commissioned officer of the guard who was ordered by me to remain on the alert at the cooks tent, except when inspecting his sentinels, had left the cooks tents less than a minute before the attack for the purpose of inspecting the sentinels.

A check of the arms was made, and none were found missing.

Proper precautions had been taken but the night was very dark before the moon rose about 2:00 a.m.

Very respectfully,
(Signed) C. E. HAWKINS,
Captain, Second Cavalry, Commanding.

There was sporadic firing and attacks with bolos on the nights of November 24, 25, and 26 while Troops A, C, and D were camped at this same Siet Lake. The Moros usually crept into camp and then made a sudden attack with spear and barong. The insurrectionists were driven from the camp without loss of life.

The third squadron under command of Major M. F. Steele, Second Cavalry (author of American Campaigns), marched to Siet Lake December 2, 1911, a distance of twenty-four miles from Augur Barracks, Jolo. Hostile Moros were encountered and fired upon during this march.

Campaign at Lati Ward

June 6th, 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.

PIOrders were issued on December 2, 1911, by the commander of the Department of Mindanao to Brigadier General John J. Pershing, who was in charge of the field forces in Jolo, to send out five columns of troops against the hostile Moros in the district of Lati Ward. Pursuant to these orders Troops I, K, L, and M, under Major Steele, marched from Camp Taglibi on December 4. This column, along with a force under Captain Jackson, Third Infantry, encountered a band of Moros on this day and killed four of them.

FIELD ORDER No. 5
Headquarters Jolo Field Forces
Augur Barracks, Jolo, P.I.
December 1st, 1911

The 3rd Squadron 2nd Cavalry (Major M. F. Steele, 2nd Cavalry, Commanding) fully armed and equipped for six days field service will leave Jolo at 7:00 a.m., December 2nd, 1911, and proceed to Siet Lake to camp. Continue Reading »

Mount Bud Dajo

June 5th, 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.

PIThe first and third squadrons and Machine Gun Platoon were in the field from the middle of December, 1911, to the first week in January, 1912, as a part of the forces operating against hostile Moros in a campaign which ended by the investment of Mount Bud Dajo. General Pershing issued orders on December 16, 1911, for the capture or destruction of the hostile forces occupying the mountains. After careful reconnaissance, it was found that about 300 men, women, and children had entrenched themselves on the crest. Camps were established around the base and the Second Cavalry was used to patrol and reconnoiter between these in order to prevent the hostiles from having any communication with the outside. Artillery was brought up and registered on the defenses. Finally General Pershing made an inspection of the preparations at the various camps and opened communication with the Moros to try to induce them to surrender. Some of them capitulated and the rest were finally driven out. Continue Reading »

Tin Can Camp

June 4th, 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.

PIOn January 10, 1912, Troops A and C, Second Cavalry, along with two companies of Philippine Scouts, were sent from Siet Lake Camp to establish a new camp further toward the interior, to be known as Tin Can Camp. When they reached Mt. Urut, about eight miles from the lake, they were fired upon by hostile Moros. The attack lasted about two and one-half hours, during which time the firing came from all around the troops. Due to the tenacity of the attack, Captain W. O. Reed, representing the governor of the Moro Province, decided a new camp could not be supplied with the present force available and ordered the troops back to Siet Lake. Lieutenant O. A. McGee and one private were wounded, and from friendly natives it was reported the hostiles lost thirty killed.

Troops A and C started again to establish Camp Tin Can on January 14 as a part of a force which included four companies of Philippine Scouts. The two troops of cavalry acted as escort for the pack train and marched some distance in rear of the main body. After a march of about two hours toward the southeast, the cavalry came upon the Scouts, who were driving hostile Moros away from their front, which was located on the southwestern end of Urut Mountain. After the Scouts drove the enemy away from the pass, Troop A escorted the train on to the camp, which was only about two miles distant. Troop C and one company of Scouts remained at the pass in order to keep it in their possession for the return trip. While awaiting the return of the train, they were constantly engaged with the Moros. The train having been unloaded, it returned to the pass, escorted by Troop A. The two troops of cavalry and company of Scouts then marched back to Siet Lake with the empty train. There was intermittent firing on the way back, as a result of which two hostile natives were known to be killed.

Captain Chapman, Second Cavalry, made a march with Troops A and C and one company of Philippine Scouts as an escort to the pack train from Siet Lake to Tin Can Camp January 17, 1912. It was met near Mount Urut by two more companies of Scouts, which were to assist in escorting the train through the mountain pass. The Moros attacked at this place as they had done so many times before, but they were driven off, leaving six killed and two captured.

Most of the natives of this area were friendly to the Americans, and even assisted them to capture the incorrigible element of the population. The friendly people were also used as envoys to treat with the unfriendly ones. Among the leaders who surrendered in January, 1912, was Daud, who gave up at Tin Can Camp where there had been so much fighting. Later this chief escaped and was killed by Philippine Scouts on February 11, 1912. Another leader who gave much trouble in this area was Iman Pasian. He ran amuck in Tin Can Camp March 7 and was captured by the troops. Continue Reading »