Evening star., 1901-10-05
Military Authorites to Take Prompt
Measures en Samar.
10 SUPPRESS TIE RESURRECTION
Gen. chaffee Milt Teach the In
habitants a Lesson.
THE ISLAND. DESCRIBED

the SUPPRESSION or the lnSurfeCtlon IN tHs
Island of Samar. and that attention will be
first directed to the summary punishment
of the treacherous natives who took part
In the massacre of Company c of the 9th
Infantry, at Balangiga. There Is. there
fore, every prospect that the Island of Sa-
mar will be the theater Of active hostilities
for some time to come, as it is the purpose
of General Chaffee to teach the rebellious
inhabitants a lesson and force them to re-
spect the power and sovereignty Of the
United States
BY direction of Adjutant General Corbin
a report has been prepared at the War
Department briefly describing the island
and its inhabitants and the military opera
tions that have already taken place there
for the pacif1cation of the people and the
establishment of good order and govern
ment. This report is of timely interest in
view of the aggressive military policy to
be observed toward such of the natives as
of the United States.
The Island Described.
The Island of Samar. formerly called
Ibabao, is the most eastern of the visayan
Islands. 1t is situated southeast of the
eastern part Of the Island of Luzon, from
which it is separated by the strait of San
Bernardino, and from the Island Of Leyte
by the narrow strait of Santo Juanico.
The area of the island and the adjacent
islands fs estimated to be 13,471 square
kilometers and their population according
to the last Spanish census Is 1856 1856. In
the mountains there are about 10000 native
refugees, who live an Independent and al
most savage life. About the middle Of
the western coast is a town, Catbalogan,
the capital Of the district, with a popula-
tion Of about 1000. Other towns are Ba-
langiga, with $500; Basey. with 1900:
Bobon, with 1850; Calbayoa, the largest
town, with 22,O0O; Catubig, with 1900;
Gandara. with II. 1.000; Guiuan, with 1900.
The three most important products of the
The people are called Visayas and were
formerly known as Pantados. They differ
in many respects from their northern and
southern neighbors, and have made less
progress in civilization than the Tagal, are
less pliable and cheerful and more quiet
and sullen than that tribe. They bear
great resemblance to thet Malays of Borneo
and Malacca and probably have Negrito
mixture. The ancestors of the Visayas
were converted to christianity at or soon
after the Spanishe conquest. They have
thus been Christians or3over three centu-
ries and in constant warfare with the Mo-
hammedan pirates of Mindanao and Sulu,
and with the Sea Dayaks Of Borneo.
Occupation Of samar.
samar was not occupied by United States
,
and this was occasioned by the necessity
of opening the large Philippine hemp ports.
General Kobbe, in command Of provision
al brigade, composedaof the ADD and 47th
Volunteer Infantry and Light Battery G,
Sd Artillery, sailed from Manila, January
1s, 1900, and occupied Sorsogon, Bulan and
Donsol, at each, Of which was placed a
company of the 43d Infantry. He then
sailed to take possession of Albay and Le-
gasfi, at the latter OF which he landed after
strong resistance. On the 26th Of January
he occupied Calbayog, and on the 9th
Catbalogan, which were the first towns in
Samar to be occupied. All the insurgent
troops in Leyte and Samar were under
the command Of General Lucban, Tagal.
and exerting considerable influence at Ma
lolos and at Manila prior to the outbreak
Of hostilities. Under his direction both
Calbayog and Catbalogan had been placed
In condition for destruction by fire upon
the landing of the Americans. The people
Of Calbayog refused to set fire to their
dwellings, but at Catbalogan the fire had
been ignited and a portion of the town
destroyed. Troops landed at both places
without resistance, the insurgents retreat
ing to the hills, pressed by our troops.
Lucban's headquarters and several thou
sand dollars of his funds were captured,
also his main arsenal
The Fight at Catubig.
It was on Samar, at the town Of Catubig,
IN the northern part Of the island, where.
on Sunday, April 16, 1900 thirty-one men
OF Company II, 43d Volunteer Infantry,
were attacked and surrounded by force
Of 600 insurgents and fought continuously
until the following Thursday. when they
were rescued by party of their comrades.
During this engagement our loss was nine
teen killed and five wounded, while con-
servative estimate Of the insurgent loss
avd Of cd nj a G
many wounded Since that date fighting
In Samar has been almost continuous.
United States arms were invariably vto-
torious, Notwithstanding they were usually
greatly outnumbered by the enemy. There
was partial cessation Of hostilittes during
the past summer and there were no serious
engagements up to the 18th OF last Septem-
ber, when Company was surprised at
breakfast by large force OF bolo men
with a loss Of about forty men. including
three officers.
In the last mail report of General Kobbe.
department commander. dated June II, he
fantry from the United States, two compan-
les Of the LIST Infantry in the Island of
Leyte VIII be moved to Samar, which is
land will then be occupied by the third
squadron, 9th Cavalry, two squadrons of
the 10th Cavalry. the entire 1st Infantry
and two battalions OF the 9th Infantry.
Samar has been added to the military de-
partment Of the Viscayas and the depart
ment commander is now there in person d.
recting the operations against the insur-
gents, but no report of these recent opera
tions has been received at the War Depart
ment.
Lucban, the Irreconcilabie.
General Lucban the insurgent leader, is
known as 'LucbarS, theoirreconcilable." He
is a ragal of the province of Tayabas.
where the family is one Of prominence;
was educated at Manila and is a physician
by profession; about forty six years OF age,
of medium height oandi1aconsiderable force
Of character. He was q leading spirit Of
the Katipunans OF 1895 and 1897. member
Of the Malolos congress Of 1883. and OF
some influence in and about Manila at the
breaking out of the, insurrection in Feb
ruary, 1899. After the dispersion Of the
insurgent government from Tarlac in the
summer Of 1899 hewaspsent to the visayas
by Aguinaldo to cbnanaand the insurrcction
From a narrative, Of sergeant George F.
States volunteers WHO, was captured in
March, 1900, by the Insurgents Of Samar,
1t appears that LuEban has wife and two
children who are living with a brother in
Hong Kong, that one Of his brothers Is in
business in Manila and another. Miguel.
who was captain under him. surrendered
in the spring OF 1900 When seen by Ser
noa ha cca1f IN no In ro(1f