The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-17
SQUADRON OF FILIPINOS.
Macarthur Sends the Detailed Story
of It's Organization.

WASHINGTON, July 16.-Secretary Root
has received from Major General Mac
Arthur the orders under which a squadron
&C Filipino cavalry was organized in Ma
Mia for service against the insurgents.
Lieutenant Colonel w. Z. Wilder, Forty
third Infantry, commenced the organiza-
tion of four troops of native scouts. with
a maximum of 120 men to a troop, and a
squadron noncommissioned staff of one
sergeant major. one quartermaster SER
geant and one commissary sergeant The
Eien were enlisted to serve Until June 80,
1901. The monthly pay allowances of the
scouts range from. $50 Mexican money and
s. Mexi. an money for clothing for a SER
geant major to s15 pay and 50 for clothing
for a private. The barracks in Caloocan
are the rendezvous of the squadron.
These officers of the squadron were or
dered to report for duty to Lieutenant
Colonel Wilder at Macabebe: Major Mat
thew A. Batscn, Captains Joseph c. Cast
ner, James n. Munroe, William 9. Geiger
and Francis H. Cameron and First Lieu
tenants David H. Biddie, James Conway
and Clarence c. Culver.
A general order has been received at the
WAR Department giving the facts in the
trial of Laesamana, a native, charged with
being a spy. Laesamana was a noncommis-
stoned officer In the insurgent army, and
it was charged acted as a spy i'm and about
the buildings in Batangas, occupied by the
Thirty-eighth Infantry. He was found
guilty and sentenced to be hanged. Gen.
Macarthur ~disapproved of the finding, be-
cause. in his opinion. IL was not definitely
established that the man was within the
American lines with the intent necessary
to constitute MIN a spy, anu he directed
that the Filipino be detained as a prisoner
of war.
The Macabebes have long been used as
scouts. and their value in such work has
already been demonstrated. The present
plan of mounting them is intended to
render them more effective by in
creasing their mobility. Many of our
army officers declare that we must
eventually come to a very general use of
native troops to preserve order in the
provinces of Luzon and elsewhere. While
several OF our regiments are to-day using
small details of Ilocanos, Visayans and
even Tagalos as scouts and guides, the
organization of native soldiers, with the
notable exception of the Macabebes, has
been objected to by the authorities of Ma
Mia. When the Macabebes are controlled
they do good work In their own line, but
they are very hard to restrain from out
rage, looting and indiscriminate killing.
Several American officers have declined
services with the Macabebes on the
ground that it was impossible to restrain
them In moments of excitement. The Fill
pino country people in certain districts re-
main in the mountains instead OF coming
back to their village homes, owing to a fear
of a visit from the Macabebe scouts. Tag
alos and Macabebes are separated by
fierce tribal hatreds and are always hostile
to each other. Each native cavalryman in
the new mounted organization has taken
the following oath:
1--WE. the undersigned. do severally agree
that we will well and faithfully serve the
United States of America as scouts on the
squadron of Philippine cavalry from this.
the - day of -, 1900, until the 9Th day
of June. 1901. unless sooner discharged.
This contract is made with a full knowl-
edge and in conformity of general order
No. %, all provisions of which,, including
the pay and allowances established there
in. are hereby accepted and made a part
of this contract. And we do further agree
TO obey and abide by all such laws, orders
and regulations as have been or may be
hereafter prescribed"