Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08
Are the Bloohdounds Of the Philippine
Islands.
USED TO HUNT DOWN THE TAGALOS
They Will March All Day and
Watch at Night.
A VISIT TO THEIR LAND
Copyright. 1900, by Frank G. Carpenter)
Special Correspondence Of The Evening star
MACABEBE, Macabebe Land.


MACABEBE, Macabebe Land.
July IT, 1900.
Have you ever heard of the Macabebe
scouts. the sleuth hounds of the. Philip
pines? We have almost one thousand of
them in our army They form part of
every brigade and in every march a COM
pany of them goes ahead to develop the
enemy With bolos and rifles they slip
along through the bamboos. They ford
rivers; they climb mountains; they wind
this way and that through the high grass.
fairly smelling out the Tagalos who are
living in ambush. When on the scent they
will trot along for days without firing,
watching all night for fear of surprise.
They hate the Tagaos with the hatred
of tribal vendetta which has lasted for
more than century, and which has put
hundreds of their bravest men under the
sod. Every company of the Macabebes is
commanded by an American officer but in
battle this hatred becomes 50 strong that
the Americans cannot control their men.
They find it difficult to get the MacabebeS
to spare their wounded, and they prefer to
kill rather than capture. With them there
is no Tagalo good as dead Tagalo, and
they fight TO the death.
How the Macabebes Came to Uncle
1 write this letter in the principal town of
the MdCaDebe tribe. L nave come 10 Mdcd-
bebe Land to learn who they are and what
they are and how they live. First how
ever, l want to tell you how they came to
form an alliance with government.
They have as | have intimated, been for
generations al with the Tasalos; and
still there are only 10000 of them, while the
Tagalos number about 2,"o,po. Neverthe-
less. the little Macabebes have held their
own, first. by allying themselves with the
Spaniards and now by becoming the friends
of the United States. Aguinaldo, at the
beginning of the insurrectiOn. asked them
to bury the bolo of enmity and unite with
him in expelling the Americans, saying that
If they did the TagaloS and Macabebes
would henceforth be friends, but If not the
insurrectos would wipe the Macabebe peo-
pie and their towns out of existence The
leaders of the Macabebes refused, and at
the same time offered themselves to the
United States forces in the following let
tiers, which are signed by Captain Blanco.
the head of one of the chief Macabebe
families, and to a large extent the leader
of the tribe. The first is to General Otis.
1t reads
MANILA P. l.. February Do 1899.
Mai. Gen. f. s. Otis, Military Governor
of the Philippines.
"Sir.-The undersigned had the honor TO
command the I'd Company of the Regiment
Blanco while the a part of the
Spanish army in the Philippines. This COM
pany and regiment was composed entirely
of men of the tribe known as Macabebes.
They were always loyal TO Spain and OPP
posed to the Filipinos. thereby mourning the
bitter hatred and hostility of the latter
people.
The tribe to which we belong inhabi.s
the province Of Pampanga. only short
distance from Manila by both land and
water. IL comprises among its members dt
least 1000 trained soldiers, capable of bear
ing ana willing to bear arms. Our whole
ration desires to swear allegiance to the
United States and to aid her in her war
aCainst the Filipinos. We are strong, brave
and honest, and will make both faithful
subjects and efficient soldiers.
About 300 of our men who surrendered
with the Spanish army are now in Manila.
/ desire at their request to tender their
services. in connection with my own. to
the United States, asking you to us
wherever we can be of service and offering
TO place ourselves under your orders. We
promise 10 prove ourselves men and SOL
diers wherever you may see fit to use us.
Thousands more of our people will glad
ly serve under your banner.
As TO our personal characters, solder.y
qualities and faithfulness to every trust TO
which we pledge ourselves we can refer
You to all Spanish residents of Manila, both
soldiers and civilians. and all resident for
eign consuls familiar with the history CT
the past two years.
Very respectfully,
"(Sigled)
LEONARDO BLANCO CALvO,
Captain Of the Sd Company of the Regi-
ment Of Blanc0.
On tho same day the following letter was
sent 10 the provost marshal general
MANILA p. L. February % 1890
BRIG. Gen. X. +. Hughes, Provost Mar
shall. sth
Sir beg to advise you that have this
day rendered TO Maj. Gen +. S. Otis the
services of about 200 Macabebes including
my own, for use in such capacity and under
such circumstances as he may deem wise
From personal conversation with YOU I
know that you are fully conversant with
the history and character of my people and
| therefore dare 10 hope and ask that you
will interest yourself in our behalf ana
speak such words of commentator you
may that we deserve. Should YOU DO
this j promise for both my comrades and
myself that you will never have cause 10
regret il and that we will prove ourselves
honest men and faithful and valiant SOL
dIers under all circumstances.
our lot must be cast with the Ameri-
cans, as the bitterness and hostilities tor
many years existing between my people ana
the F1lipinos preclude all possibility of
living under their rule forming part OF
the same nation with them. On our own
behalf and on behalf of our people de-
sire 10 swear allegiance and fealty to you
and TO serve, II We may be permitted, under
you.
with gratitude for the kindness and
and me in the past. beg to remain
"(signed)
LEONARDO BLANCO Y CALyO.'
The result of these letters was that Gen.
Otis took the Macabebes into the army.
They have proved themselves most efficient
so4dlefs ana as scouts nave been so Vaiu-
able that IL Is hard 10 how We could
have gotten along without them. They
have shown that they can be relied upon,
and they viii probably have the same place
In our army in the Philippines that the
Sepoys have in the army in India. They may
be usea in policing the islands, and more and
more of them will be enlisted from time 10
time. They are now organized in conf
panfes of 10 men, and are used altogether
as scouts. They have uniform and each
carries a haversack. canteen and a blan-
ket They are paid about SO month
each. and are given the same rations as
our soldiers. They usually trade their
rations. however. for Filipino food. They
are armed with krag-Jorgensen guns, and
are able 10 use them with great effect. In
q close fight they prefer the bolo. Each
man carries two bolos. long one and n
short one, or rather a sword and a dagger
When at close quarters they take one of