Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-10-26
TIE 'PERiIS Or SAMAR
Army ofScer Tells Of Difficulties
If Campaigning.
THE NATIVES NUMBER 100000
Their Character Not Well Under.
Simpson, Who IL In Charge Of the
Military Information Division.
Probable Campaign Plans.

Military Information Division.
Probable Campaign Plans.
Lieutenant Colonel William A. Simp-
son, assistant adjutant general, In
charge of the military information d.
vision, writing from Washington to the
New York Herald, says:
In order to get clear idea Of the con-
dtions in Samar some account of the
physical features of the island is essen
tial 1t is the most easterly of the VI
sayan group. 1t has a superficial area
of about $500 miles, about 500 more
than the state of Connecticut. Its great.
est length. from northwest to south
east, is about 100 miles, and it's great.
est breadth, from east to west, is about
seventy-tive miles. Next to Luzon and
Mindanao it is the largest island in the
Philippines.
The interior Is very mountainous and
heavily wooded. The coast line is very
irregular. The island is well watered
by rivers rising in the mountains and
running to the coast. The island Is al
NAANoS
conditions it will be easily seen that
commerce Is carried on almost entirely
by water. The products raised in the
interior are brought down to the towns
ON the coast in small boats and thence
shipped to Manila.
Up to within short time ago there
were but few garrisOns in the island,
and they were as IA rule on or near the
coast. While hostilities were in active
progress in I.uzon and some of the 9TH
pr islands, Samar was comparatively
neglected, the last complete roster Of
troops in the Philippines, received by
mail and dated Jan. |, 1901, showing
but six garrisoned posts,
When civil government was installed
in the Philippines, Samar was one OF
the few provinces left to military rule,
and NOW that comparative quiet has
been restored to most of the rest of the
archipelago systematic efforts will be
made to bring about order in Samar.
The troops now known to be in the
island consist of the Ninth infantry
except one company in China. the First
infantry, four companies of the Sew
enth Infantry and some native scouts
numbering probably not to exceed lo0
Late press reports state that battal-
ION of the Sixth infantry is under or
ders to go. This would make about
| 5000 troops, all infantry rs the 'charac-
ter of the country is such that cavalry
cannot be used.
The country is about as difficult q
one in which to conduct military opera
tions by land as cam be imagined. With
mountains heavily wooded with thick
underbrush and no roads the only us,l-
al means of transport is by water. In
going overland q trail would have to be
cut for almost the entire distance and
would need much care to keep it clear.
The attack OH Company C Of the
Ninth infantry at Balangiga and the
more recent affair on the Gandara riv-
er have attracted special attention to
the condition OF affairs In Snmar. In
regard to the latter hut meager details
at the present writing have laeen re-
ceived. In regard to the former there
seems to hare been a surprise. No
where more than in the Philippines is
the saying trne. "Unceasing vigilance
Is the price OF safety
The number Of natives in Samar is
estimated at nearly 100000. Their
character is not well understood They
are willing to do anything that seems
at the time best TO advance their inter-
ests They may live for months in the
neighborhood of troops and seem to ac-
cept the situation. admitting that
American rule is what is best for them
and taking the oath Of allegiance. They
may be sincere or they may be wearing
mask. waiting for the first opportll-
nifty to throw it off and change from
amigos to cnemigoS.
1t would seem as If the garrison ut
Balangiga had been led to believe that
all the natives in the vicinity were
friendly. The only safe procedure is to
carry on in the island steady system
attic series OF operations to thoroughly
subdue the malcontents and make it to
their interests to lay aside the bolO.
Somewhat similar conditions have
heretofore existed in the neighboring
Visayan islands, Leyte and Panay. In
Leyte, little more than half as large
as Samar, there were about LOGO
troops An active campaign was car
ried on. Parties were constantly In the
field. In fifteen months there were
over 400 separate engagements, large
and small. Road building was carried
ON continually and as rapidly as posi-
BILE.
Panay is somewhat smaller than Sa-
mar. The methods were similar to
those in Leyte. About 1000 troops
were in the field, and active operations
lasted about two years. Both these is
lands are now comparatively quiet. and
civil government has been established
IL both.