The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-06
WITH THE ARMY IN LUZON
An Interview With Colonel Hayes
of the Fourth Cavalry.
ordered Homo After Two Years
Service in the Philippines - the
Climate Not Unhea1thy-The Com
merc,al Value of the Islands.

Col. Edward M Hayes. who commanded
the Fourth Cavalry, L. S. n. has Jus
returned to this country after two years
service in the Philippines and brings witt
him many interesting "reminiscences OF ms
experience Colonel Hayes Is on a three
months leave of absence, at the eXplra'
ton of which he will take command OF
the Thirteenth Cavalry, L. S A, no"
being organized at Fort Meade, S d.
In an interview last night, Colonel
Hayes said: "A great many stories have
been circulated throughout the country
concerning the climate of the Philippines
which my experience on the islands can
not endorse These stories are to the
effect that the climate is very unhealthy
and disease-provoking. and that our peo-
pie cannot live under its trying influences.
1t is true, however that our men, at first,
felt depressed by the great heat and gen.
eral climatic conditions, but they soon
became acclimated and the general health
of the men was good. Where there was
any pronounced sickness, the cause of it
could be easily referred to the lack of
sufficient rations and the hardships Incl
dental to enforced marches and not to
climatic influences The plan of campaign
necessitated that the American forces
should occupy certain strategic points at
certain times and there were many occa-
sions when ii became necessary to be up
and off on the march with only such ra-
tions as the men could carry in their
saddlebags. Frequently we would start
out with rations for. say. three days, and
IL would be eight days before any more
supplies could reach us This would re-
suit in our being placed on half rations.
This was great hardship for both Off
GERS and men, but our soldiers were game
and stood by manfully. 1t was remark
able how little sickness there was under
such circumstances.
Transportation was extremely difficult
in the islands owing to the nature of the
surface of the country. There We're no
real roads, only bride paths, so narrow
as to compel travelling in single file. The
vegetation was rank on all sides. such as
is only seen in tropical countries. 1t was
impossible 10 use wagons and therefore
no considerable supplies could be carried
from place to place. There was a time
when we did not even have pack mules,
and we were therefore. compelled TO car
ry on our horses what rations we had to
have. Under these circumstances it is
obvious we could not carry as much as
off on a march there was no means of
knowing what we We're going to encounter
in the way of difficulties or delays, and
hence the feeling was universal among
our men that it was absolutely necessary
to make what little rations we had with
us last as long as possible.
Everywhere around us, outside of the |
towns, were rice fields covered with mud |
and water from two to three feet deep. |
Into these marshes We were compelled TO |
march, and, of course we could not make |
much Roadway through them. For months |
and months all the feed our horses had |
was rice In the husk, rice straw. and |
grass which they cropped we went |
along. Our horses did not take kindly to |
The rice at first, but eventually cultivated |
A taste for II and subsisted on it nicely. |
fully well. / think, as they could on |
pats and corn. They had to, or go hum |
cry. Hunger will take the fastidiousness
1ut of horse as well as a man. The |
iervice has been a severe one, in spite
IF the fact that there were not many bat
les fought, nor any engagements with
he enemy of mamentous magnitude or
Importance. Our men were obliged to be |
IN the alert at all times for tricks and
If a native came into our
ines he always brought exaggerated re-
)orts of the force of the enemy. If their
.ctual numbers were only in the hundreds
he report would place them in the thou
ands Some narrow escapes were report
d from time to time in spite of the
of our officers and men. l
vas placed in situation at one time
which was not pleasant for a few MIN
ties After il was all over there was
lenty of occasion for a good laugh but
here was nothing TO laugh at while the
Incident was transporting, 1 can assure
ou.
1T happened while my command was
tationed at Carranglan, among the
of Luzon, between San Jose
nd Boyombong. We We're located in
wv valley surrounded on all sides by
Ugh mountains. The forest was thick and
ense all around us. Every once in
lille reports would come TO me that
ands of the enemy were seen skulking
round. These reports, on investigation,
roVed TO be either false alarms or some
attic, seen moving about in the valley |
on the mountain sides, were mistaken |
lr the enemy So frequent were these
ilse alarms that ! was rather skeptical
hen one of my on-commissioned officers
anne running to me with the report that ]
band Of organized insurgents were com !
lg upon US and were close at hand. /
as wearing at the time a white straw I
al and a hght-colored shirt, but no coat, !
nd without any insignia of rank what .
yer. / took with me Major Anger, my =
terpreter. and the non-commissionedi !
hcer, and started out to reconnoitre. / :
ad not gone far beyond my outpost be-
IRE ] ran up against band OF the insur-
ents, all nicely uniformed and well armed :
ar
wen officers and about l25 men in the
and. As soon as they saw me the officer =
command ordered his men to halt =
his was followed by another order |
hich, when obeyed, gave me my cue and !
wed the day for me at least. When the
,cond order was given all the insurgents
cluding the officers, took of their hats :
nd saluted me. | followed suit with the :
Est bow knew how TO make / took off
" straw hat and bent double, like 9
ckknlfe, and smiled the prettiest smile
e9uld smile under the circumstances. :
the insurgents took me for the
,mnandante. or the presidente of the :
llage, Tor the commanding officer step q
ID up 70 me and handed me a paper from
eneTal cannon, who was stationed at
oyombong. the new seat OF the insur-
mt government. This paper which the q
surgent officer handed me was an order g
ON Genesal cannon, ordering me. the !
opposed -cOmmandante. to furnish the e
md before me, with money and supplies !
asked the officer, through my interpre- !
r. how many men ne had with him. He :
piled that he had 115. and when / said 2
him that they were not all there in Y
ont Of me, and asked him where the j
81 Of them We're. he replied that he had .
II the rest Of his command at "A small !
ream about a mile back, where they
ere washing themselves and cleaning up ;
morally 50 as 10 make a good appear !
ice when they presented themselves to :
G, the supposed commandante. ! told ,,
e officer to go and bring them up and | :
QUO take care Of the men and officers
had with him IN the meanwhile