Evening star., 1901-07-12
M'ARTHUR AND OTIS.
Interesting Correspondence Showing
Disagreement in Policy.
TREATMENT OF FILIPINOS IN ARMS
Dispute Regarding Brevets for
Meritorious Service.
PART OF GEN. MILES REPORT

Volume VI of Lieut.. Gen. Miles last
annual report, just published, contains
some interesting correspondence relating to
the military campaign in the Philippines
not heretofore accessible. 1t shows for one
thing that the relations between Maj. Gen.
Otis, then in command, and his subordinate
commanding officers were not entirely har-
moniOus.
One of the first instances of friction re-
lated to the granting of amnesty to the
Fiiipinos.
Gen. MacArthur's Suggestion.
Under date of Bayambang, November g.
1899, Gen. Macarthur, commanding that
department, addressed Gen. Schwan, chief
of staff of Gen. Otis at Manila, by tele-
graph, as follows:
The so-called Filipino republic is de-
stroyed. The congress has dissolved The
president of the sO-called republic is
fugitive, as are all his cabinet officers, eX-
cept one in our hands. The executive de-
partment is therefore entirely broken up.
The generals are separated, without any
power of conference or concentrated action.
The authority under which an army was
kept in the field no longer exists: The army
itself organization has disappeared
AS consequence of all these facts, which
are now of historical record, the men who
profess to lead small bodies for the purpose
of guerrilla warfare must act without even
the shadow of authority from de facto
government, and their operations from TINS
time on will be the result of individual
whims. In other words, men who now try
to continue the strife by individual action
become simply leaders of band1ttl In this
view, how would it do to issue proclama-
ton at an early date offering complete
amnesty to all who surrender within
stated time, with a payment of 30 pesos 10
every soldier who gives up rifle, and de-
ha dot O
fixed the killing of American soldiers will
be regarded as murder, and that all per-
sons concerned therein would be regarded
as murderers and treated accordingly!
Such a proclamation would have the effect
of forcing the generals to consider the eX-
pedency of continuing a hopeless struggle
which would commit them irrevocably to
death to lifelong expatriation, and,
think, would have a powerful influence at
a time when it is apparent that most, if not
all, of the leaders are more or less doubtful
of what course to pursue. This is sus-
geStiOn for your personal consideration, 10
be presented to the department commander
- MACARTHUR"
The Suggestion Unacceptable.
General Otis action on this recommends
tion is contained in the following telegram:
PALACE, MANILA, P. l.,
December 8, 1899, 11:35 m
General Macarthur:
Your telegram announcing your pOllCy re-
ceived. Your recommendations concerning
proclamation cannot be carried out; legal
difficulties of an international character,
apparently not understood by you, forbid.
No further advice on this subject desired
by the commanding general.
SCHWAN,
Chief of Staff.
Six months later General Macarthur sue
ceeded General Otis as military governor of
the Philippines, and June 81, 1900, by di-
rection of the President, issued a procla-
nation OF amnesty to the Filipinos.
On another occasion before he became
governor General Macarthur invited the
attention of the authorities to certain tele-
grams, las illustrating an interesting and
important incident of the rescue of the
railroad which was the principal source
of Filipino strength. Under date of No
vember % he telegraphed to headquarters
from Bautista relating the brilliant achieve
ment of Capts. Harry A. Hegeman and
Carl L. Stone. both of the Beth Infantry
These officers repaired two locomotives
which the insurgents had failed to destroy
completely, and acted as their engineers
making up and hauling all trains. Cen
eral Macarthur says:
Suggested Brevets for Omcers
THE result was that the command ad-
vanced by rail for many miles and the
railroad was saved. The exploit of these
officers must rank in the same class as the
work of Col Bailey of Wisconsin, who,
gunboats in the Red river by original meth
DDS OF engineering. AS preliminary to
more substantial rewards, l would like to
have these splendid services recognized at
once by breVet prOmOtfon-Hegeman to lie,l-
tenant. colonel and Stone to major-for ex-
traordinary and highly meritorious service
in restoring to a Serviceable condition en-
gines destroyed by Filipino insurgents, and
thus rendering it possible by the celerty
of the troops employed to save the entire
line of the Manila and Dagupan railroad
General Otis replied the next day that
section 800, Revised Statutes authorized
the bestoWal of brevets for distinguished
conduct in the presence of the enemy, and
section g96 required that the exact date of
the action should be given
Under date of Bautista, P. l., November
70, 1899 Gen. Macarthur replied to Gen
Otis, through Gen. Schwan, his chief of
staff as follows:
Il have your message referring to Re-
vised Statutes in connection with brevets
recommended In my telegram Of yesterday
and in reply would state that by a series
OF combats, commencing at Porac on No
vember and terminating at Murcia on
November II, the insurgent Filipino army
In my front consisting Of four brigades
Of approximately 1900 men each, was
broken up and put to flight. In following
the fragments of this force the services Of
Captains Hegeman and Stone were render
ed. Although we did not get contact after
Murcia. the rapdity and ferocity of the
pursuit had the effect Of scattering and
demoralizing the retreating forces. If the
service described was not in the presence
OF the enemy, / am unable to comprehend
what the language of the statute means.
The date of the particular action in rescu-
ing the locomotive, which made further
rapid pursuit of the enemy possible and
resulted in driving him entirely away from
the railroad line and in giving us possess
sion Of the roadway, track and all the
bridges before they could be destroyed,
was November II, and the brevets should
be given as of that date"
Gen. Otis Reply.
Gen. Otis replied to this through Gen.
Schwan follows:
My telegram of November 26 was in
tended to point out that, as a prerequisite
| hf l..AoA IL H.