The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-07
FINE NAIVE TROOPS
BatSon Has an Excellent Re-
port of the Macabebes.
WILLING To FIGHT TAGALS
Cavalry Regiment of Them TO
be Organized.

Washington, April 6.-The war depart
ment today made public the reports Of
Lieutenant Matthew A Batson of the
Fourth cavalry in regard to the organiza-
| ton and operations OF the Naccabebe
scouts who formed part of the armies
of General. Lawton and General Young
in the exciting campaigns in pursuit of
Aguinaldo in northern Luzon. For his re-
markable success with this military
band of natives Lieutenant Batson has
been appointed a major of volunteers and
placed in command of a cavalry battal-
ion OF Ffhpinos, to be Immediately
organized, with the Maccabebe scouts as
nucleus. Major Batsons report is long
and covers all the details Of active oper-
! atoms Of the Maccabebes from the time
Of their organization, September 1. to
November 19, when ne was obliged to re-
| Ilnquish command by reason of a seri-
Gus wound in the left foot, received in
an engagement at Arlngay river There
were hYe companies of these native
scouts, numbering 600 in all, and they
were uniformed, armed, equipped and
treated in every other respect like United
States troops. Many Of them had seen
previous service as non-commissioned Of
ncers In the Spanish army under General
Blanco. These men were assigned TO
similar duties in Batson's command.
Ihey were intelligent, brave and hardy.
and proved excellent soldiers In order
to avoid the possibility of mistaking
their fire for that of the insurgents they
were armed with United States magazine
carb1nes, and to facilitate their move
ments over the numerous small streams
through the island they were supplied
with several bancas-sman native ca
noes. 1nasmuch as they were unfan-
liar with the English language, the
Amber1can officers were compelled to
communicate with them through an in
terpreter named Fernandez, who proved
Of great assistance. Lieutenants Bou-
telle Quinlan. Hall and Faulkner, and
Acting Assistant Surgeon Simpson were
attached to the command and rendered
efficient service. Lieutenant BoutelIe was
killed while bravely leading a charge in
a skirmish near Santiago The enemy
were in trenches at the time and al
though his own men were in a ditch.
-@GNtCAie1AiI DOUlclIc SlOOQ III the ROAD
issuing orders in plain view of the in |
surgents. Many Individual acts of brav-
cry on the part of the Maccabebes are |
narrated by Major Batson, and he also |
tells of his remaining in command of his |
battalion, after being wounded himself, |
until the enemy had been driven from |
the field. Lieutenant Quinlan had a mar
row escape from death a Aringay. A |
Mauser bullet struck a plug Of tobacco |
in his shirt pocket and knocked him down
but did not enter his body
In closing his report, Major Batson
pays a high tribute to all the officers
and men of his command and says: IT
think that the expedition has fully dem
onstrated the loyalty, bravery and endur
ance of the Maccabebes as soldiers. and
I recommend that a regiment of cavalry
be organized from the Maccabebe tribe"
Beggs' Blood Purifier makes sick peo-
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Colo, says: MY blood and system SEEM
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Beggs' Blood Purifier my general health
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