The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-09
The FiIipinos as Soldiers.

below those extremes, the women ranging
about three inches lower. The man has a
deep chest and good lung development
He is strong for his size and capable Of
considerable physical effort. yet much in
disposed 70 make 1t. and not possessing
disposition for prolonged exertion. being
utterly devoid of the faculty Of steady,
persistent pegging away a things, so
characteristic Of the Anglo-Saxon. This
has proved a serious weakness in him as
soldier
An American volunteer writes: The
American faculty of fighting all night and
all the next day has both surprised aud
demoralized him. II was the custom Of
Aguinaldo's army, when fighting the
Spaniards. to make night attacks, resting
in the day time. Night after night. while
we were encamped at Cavite last July,
waiting for enough troops 10 arrive 10
render the advance upon Manila advis-
a bic. the sounds of conflict were borne 10
our ears across the water some six miles
from the scene Of fighting. The incessant
rattle of the Filipino fire at will was pune
tuated every few minutes by a volley
from the Spaniards and the heavy boom
of the guns on Fort Malate Al first We
| took these battles seriously, and supposed
! that CORY fields were strewa with the
dead OF both armies; but 10 wounded
any other evidences of an actual battle.
| We soon learned the nature of these con-
ficts. and they were the subject of much
joking among the men. II was found that
| the Fililpinos kept few men in the trench
es in the day time the heat of the day
being their hours for the tropical siesta.
but as night drew on their soldiers stray
gled back to the trenches in ones and
twos, TO be ready for the nights work.
The Spaniard's policy of remaining
strictly on the defensive, 10 which they
were compelled TO adhere by the small
| ness of their numbers and the fear that
their native troops would desert if taken
out in the field. rendered this style Of war
fare possible. About nine or ten o'clock
the Filipinos would open up with terrific
musketry fire against the Spanish in
| trenchments, varying from 800 10 1.000
yards distant, and pretty soon the Span
iards would reply with Mausers, machine
guns. and artillery. Neither side could
see the other, and both fired high, owing
to the fact that neither ventured TO put
their heads above the edge of the in
trenchments. For an hour or two this
fusilade would be kept up, and then the
fire would gradually die down and peace
would reign until the next night. II was
amusing TO see the Filipinos staggering
they had killed, how valiant they were,
and how they were going to capture the
city the next Sunday. Even boys ten or
| twelve years of age strutted around with
knives strapped to their waists, and de
clared their intention of cutting the
| threats of all Spaniards. We learned az
forwards that in all the warfare with the
Filipinos the Spaniards did not lose one
fifth as many men as they did on the day
the Americans captured the city.
This was the style of fighting the Fill
pinos were accustomed 10, and when the
Americans advanced against them and
rushed them time after time, and kept it
up all day long, they were unable TO stand
it, and broke ground hastily whenever the
American lines advanced. Deprived of
| his siesta, and compelled to fight or run,
the Filipino was outfought, and showed
| clearly his lack Of staying qualities.
Physically, Also there is a faint of dis
ease in the Filipino blood that renders ii
| undesirable for mixture with the Ameri-
can. Go where you will. in country or
| city, evidence of this may be seen in
every side Scars, biOtches, white spots,
scabs and running sores can be seen in
young and DID, not on all, but upon so
many that il gives one the impression OF
| being veneraL This is more noticeable III
the children, whose bare limbs and bodies,
covered by but a single cotton garment
depending from the shoulders. present a
| sickening sight Fully half of them APP
pear to be afflicted in this way. The raw
| ages of smallpox are also observable in
| thousand of faces No effort is made by
| the natives to isolate cases. Nearly all OF
the adults having had it in their childhood
| they have no fear, and when child takes
| it the sufferer is laid on mat in the
| house. and the family goes on with its
daily routine. It is in this way it has
been communicated 10 our army.
This bushwhacking instinct is the chief
| weakness of the Filipino army. INDIVIDUAL
fighting never can succeed against organ
| lied bodies Of troops handled as organi-
| cations. II lacks the conference and the
mutual confidence that are necessary sue
| cessfully to resist a charge, especially
| such wild and fierce charges as the yolUn-
| teers have been making over the Filipino
| intrenchments the past week. Aguinaldo :
army lacks organization and fire disci-
pine Such thing as regular Voiley mr.
| ing is impossible TO IL, except for choice
| bodv of troops composed of men former
| " in the Spanish army. Individual hring
| at will is their almost invariabie practice.
| Knowing, this we were able curing me
| long hours OF last Saturday night easily
QlSfIDEUlSn
| our own. though two milels in rear Of the
line The incessant rattle and the infre-
ouencv of volleys informed US distinctly
| as though we had been able 70 see the
! fight that nearly all the shooting was be-
! ing done by the insurgents. Our men lay
| on their arms. seldom replying 70 the
| shower OF bullets that swept over tnem.
until il was light enough 70 see what they
we're shooting at Then they began 70
| shoot and to advance, and kept It up un-
/ ill the enemy was driven from all the m
/ trenchments he had worked FOR months
| 10 construct. and from one 70 seven miles
| back into the country.
Tire F-ilipino has been given some credit
| for bravery in these battles This IN
measure is true, but It Is not the bravery
| ~ the Caucasian. He Is pugnacious and
quick to fight when angered. but his val
| or IL that Of passion, not the courage or
the soldier who cOoy and steadily a0-
vances all day in the face Of numerous
I sra On long as he could remain under
I cover and shoot ne stayed there, even
when his comrades were being klIe1
around him, but when MS enemy rusaea
,lDou him he could not face TIE conHlct-
"a hastily retreated. A 70 initiating tire
Americans and advancing across the open
against an lntrerched foe. Il would De M
! possible for him even 20 attempt j.
C-rusf-y IL another Characteristic q TIE
| FiIioino he abuses his animals. and has
the Indians pleasure in uuti-ai.on of ~
enemy. The insurgents took delight n
taHirg us before Manila vas captured that
fbev we're going 10 kiil al the S2ani sTrs
in me city. and always accompanied the
remark WITH = significant drawing - me
hand across the throat Eaca o. TIE A.
90 or more so-calle5 soldiers carries a
knife which Is Of no vs.ue IN var eT-
cept 70 uualste and XII lhe woundea =
the enemy. This vas d0ne ia tae csSs q
CAPTAIN Young. surgeon q ths Ltaa Bat