Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-04-19
THE MACABEBES.
They Have Been and Are Great Syn,s
pathixers With the Americana.

In the interior of the Island of Lu.
ton and to the north of Manila live
the Macabebes. They are warlike
people; many Of them have had mill
tary experience in the Spanish army,
and are now well drilled and disci-
plined soldiers. They are short,
heavy-set and muscular, and shade
darker in color than the Tagalog.
1t was not until some time after
the instruction in the Philippines
began that the Macabebes began to
know much about the Americans,
and they were maintaining state
of neutrality when our troops first
came within their territory; but
they soon became friendly to our
men, and our quartermaster depart
ment gave them employment. paying
them about four dollars month.
They were hired to handle boxes
for the commissary department, dig
trenches, open up fields of observa-
ton, do scully work in hospitals,
clean streets and perform many
other kinds of labor that are re.
quired Of an army in the field.
In addition many officers employed
them as cooks for their private
messes, and as laundrymen and
Wallets.
Although they always appeared
perfectly willing to work, their ig.
norance of the most common me-
chanical principles and their lack Of
sense of order made necessary the
employment Of large force of over
seers. For example: The commits
sary department in San Fernando re-
ceived large shipment of canned
goods, consisting of corn, condensed
milk, tomatoes, and so forth. 1t was
desired to pile the unbroken boxes
SO that the labelled sides should be
exposed to view. The Macabebes
were put at the work. The instruc-
tions of the foreman were fruitless.
1t was necessary to station a soldier
at the place where the boxes were
beng piled, to give directions about
each individual box.
Similarly, every detail Of trench'
digging work had to be repeatedly
shown to them. The one thing which
they did without much, II any, in.
struction was to cut down canewhen
we were opening up fields of fire for
destroying places of concealment for
the Tagalog bolomen. This work
they did with the bolo-a knife used
both as an agricultural implement
and as a weapon of war.
In times Of war it often becomes
necessary to burn buildings that OBJ.
struct the view or interfere with the
line of fire, and the. warlike charac-
ter of the Macabebes made this work
peculiarly acceptable to them.
They were not satisfied with as
sisting us by doing this and similar
duty, they entreated our authorities
to arm them and let them fight for
their friends, the Americans. They
wanted American officers and non.
commissioned officers over them.
Long rolls Of volunteers, many OF
them having served five, ten and
even fifteen years under the Spanish
flag, and lcoring the scars Of many
battles, ca'Ee to our commanding
officers with petitions for arms and
ammunition.
They spoke of their faithful serv.
ice to Spain, and of their deeds OF
valor and gallantry under Comman
dante Blanco. Our officers were sa-
luted by them as smartly as by the
best trained of our own men, and
their respect was profound and I'm.
ceasing.
A captain of the regular infantry
was sent to the city of Macabebe to
see what could be done. lie had as
an escort troop of cavaly mounted
on American horses. The whole
populace Joined in the procession
which was headed by band contain
ing every kind of portable musical
The music was not
bad
All marched, the old as well as the
young men, women and children, and ,
the great American captain
rs he passed through the streets to u
he tribunal, the public house. Here ,
he alcade, or mayor, produced roll i,
If volunteers and began to call of
he names. In response, well-knit,
Misunderstanding men shouted d
'Here.' in good Spanish, and salut' :,
ID the American officer When the V
'oll-call was completed there was
inc of dark-faced veterans who had
Volunteered to serve under the stars s.
md stripes. IL
Although they were not at the
ime taken into the service of the n
United States many of them are now
numbered with our forces. and are d
endering efficient and valuable aid y
IN scouting dply, ID
ringing the present conflict to an 81
nd. IL
The dress OF the Macabebes is very 1t
imilar to that of the other tribes &c
( Luzon. The men wear thin cot u
on shirt, worn outside of trousers, h
,hich are Of like material. and reach g
ust below the knees. But few OF q
he men wear shoes. The women N
,ear sort of loose waist called a tc
hemisa, and a large, square piece OF Ell
ighly colored cloth, which they
rap around their lower body and "
mbs, making of it kind Of skirt. &C
heir shoes usually have thick wood is
4 soles and high heels, with leath- ia
: tip in which they place the toes. Il
heir walk is necessarily kind of hi