Evening star., 1901-09-30

Adjutant General Corbin on his recent triT
to the Philippines.
| Sensation fn OfHcial Circles.
The news created a sensation in official
circles. 1t was the first severe reverse
that has occurred for a long time Still
the officials were not unprepared for news
/ OF just this character from Samar, in
which the revolution started by Aguinaldo
still continues. Samar is a country about
as large as the state of Ohio. and the
| American forces of occupation number in
| all between 1000 and $500 men. These are
distributed among various posts in the
| Island, large number being located at
the more important centers Spain never
made any effort to occupy Samar, and It
| only has been for probably three months
past that the United States has undertaken
that work The latest report made by
General Hughes to the War Department
was that the number OF insurgent rifles IN
the island aggregated about 800 The FIJI
plnos carried on guerrilla warfare, and
operations against them were difficult The
disaster to Company c of the 9th infantry
occurred, it is believed, while II was en-
| gagged in an expedition to clear the coun-
try of rowing bands of these Insurgents
Ihe fact that the Americans were attacked
while at breakfast indicates the daring Of
the insurgents
Immediately upon receipt Of the dispatch
AdJutant General Corbin cabled General
Chaffee to send complete report OF the
Gen. COrbin Not Surprised.
During his recent trip General Corbin
visited the Island of Samar. 1t was Just
seven weeks ago. he remarked last night.
when discussing the news of the disaster
to Company c, that he was talking with
General Hughes at Iloilo about the condi-
tion of affairs in the island. The point
where Company c was surprised he said
was considerable distance from General
Hughes headquarters. He was not sur
prised at the attack on the troops in Sa-
mar, as that was one of the islands con-
sidered particularly troublesome. The ,la-
tfves along the coast are friendly, but
many of those in the interior are regarded
as dangerous guerrillas
A well-known official of the government
in speaking of this outbreak against the
American forces in Samar, said he regarded
1t as consequence of the assassination
of President Mckinley. In all probability
the insurgents had received, he said, only
meager reports of the tragedy, and pos
sibly believed the shooting to be the result
or some popular outbreak against the
President. The natives had seized the cp-
portunity in the Pickering hope of retriev-
Ing some Of their lost ground.
Famous 9th Infantry.
The Baltimore Sun says regarding the
9th Infantry:
Few regiments In the United States army
have had as notable histories as the 9th
Infantry.
Under the authority granted to the Pres
ident by the act Of Congress of July 49,
1l9S. to raise twelve additional regiments
of infantry the 9th came into existence in
January, 1888, with Josiah Carville Hall
of Maryland as lieutenant colonel COM
mandant. All of the officers were appoint
ed from Maryland and order from the
War Department of January 5, 1900, dr.
rected that the regiment be recruited in
this state.
1t was the disappointment of Colonel
Halls life that he could not lead his regi-
ment into active service. That honor first
fell to Colonel Simon Learned of MaSsa-
chusetts, who commanded the regiment in
the hot fighting with the British troops
around Niagara Falls in the war of 1872.
Colonel Learned was succeeded by Colonel
Trueman B. Ransom, who was killed while
leading his men in that charge which for
gallantry has but few peers-the attacking
and the storming Of the citadel at Chapul-
tepec. The 9th lost many a gallant soul
on that day, and as the result of it's fight
ing Major General Pillow, afterward of
confederate fame, named sixteen officers
and eleven enlisted men for conspicuous
bravery.
The old organization saw other severe
fighting at San Antonio, Churubusco and
Molino del Rey. After the capture of the
City Of Mexico there was but little rest
for this battle-tried command 1t was
jumped to northern California and to Ore
gon, where it entered upon Indian cam
paigning of a trying kind. The regiment
did not take part in the civil war but re-
mained in the northwest, fighting Indians.
The 9th fought under Crook during the
Big Horn and Yellowstone expeditions. 1t
was in the hottest of the fighting at Slim
Buttes, Tongue river and Rosebud. In
September of the year in which Custer met
his fate, 1875, the 9th Regiment was cut
Off for long time from the supply base.
and the officers and men lived for weeks on
mule meat, with an occasional bit of horse
flesh as delicacy.
The recent fighting in China furnished
another notable opportunity for the 9th. 1t
was one Of the first American commands
sent there and arrived at Chefu early in
July, 1900. The regiment lost heavily at
Tien Tsin, its colonel, Emerson H. Lis
cum, being killed July 13. During the
subsequent operations the 9th bore a con-
spicuous part.
During the Spanish War.
During the war with Spain the 9th took
part in the campaign against Santiago, be-
ing assigned to Wykoff's brigade The
regiment took part In the assault on San
Juan Hill, and after the surrender of Sam
tiago was designated by General Shafter
as the regiment to march into and occupy
the city.
The regiment remained in Santiago until
August 1898, when it sailed to Montauk
Point, and after short period returned TO
its former station at Madison barracks IN
the following March, when the regiment
was ordered to the Philippines the 1st Bat
tdIon, under captain Rockefeller, marched
to Caloocan without delay, and it was while
making personal reconnaissance that Cap
tain Rockefeller disappeared. He has never
been seen or heard from since.
Regarded by Department as Lost.
officials fthe War Department are sat
isfed from General Chaffee's advices that
the three officers who were with Company
c In the engagement at Belangiga were
among those who lost their lives. 1t was
enormously supposed at first that General
Chaeffe announced the escape of these off,
GERS. On the conclusion that they are
dead, the War Department has issued
sketches Of each of them.
Capt. Thomas w. Connell was born in
New York and was graduated from the
Military Academy in June 1894. He served
with his regiment at Madison Barracks. N.
Y, from September, 1894, to April 1895.
after which he served with his regiment In
the Cuban campaign. For a few months
he was aide-de-camp to General Douglas
In Cuba He accompanied the 9th Infantry
to the Philippines In June, 1900, and was
with 1t In China and afterward again i'm
the Philippines. He reached the grade Of
captain in February last
First Lieut.. Edward A Bumpus was