Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-07-18
SOLDERING In LUZON
SERVICE OF SERGEANT MA,
CRORIE IN PHILIPPINES.
Active Life in the Fieid--A Soldiers
Views of the Insurgents
and the Islands.


Sergeant r. b. II. Macrorie, who has
Just returned from the Philippines.
saw more active work and remembered
more of what he saw than the ma
jority of the volunteers who up
held their country's cause in the
Orient. With the Thirty eighth Vol
unteer infantry he landed in Ma
Mia December 26th 1899. and left on
the journey home May S0th. 1901 Dur
ing the II months he was constantly
in active service and participated in
IS engagements, and was continually
in the thick of the trouble
Headed for "A country never before
invaded by whitemen he started ont
January 18th, 1900, with Schwan's eX-
petition to southern Luzon. Down into
Bahamas province the brigade went
and as they entered the new country
the Thirty-eighth was detached and
sent off on its own hook to capture
number of important towns. The gal
liant regiment did all that was required
OF 1t. During the remainder of that
month Of January it kept busy and
took possession of no less than eight
towns. One of these places was Lipa.
the third largest city on the island of
Luzon. Here 600 Spanish prisoners
were found and released. At Rosario,
smaller town near by, squad of men
captured $4,000 in money. They cap
tured Bahamas. the capital of the
province, and at Taal, another big city,
had battle that will be remembered
by the men as long as they live, for IL
ono Of No, &c IN
which they engaged.
An Important Capture.
Sergeant Macrorie was continually
receiving assignments to difficult
scouting duty and dangerous details
for the work suited him, and his per-
Torrance of it suited his commanding
officers. Thus he saw many perilous
predicaments. One night he was given
charge of squad of is men and sent
out to scout and to capture. Because
of the condition of the country and the
treacherous nature of the enemy an
order had been issued to shoot on sight
every person seen moving after 10
o'clock at night. The sergeant and
his men headed for little town call
ed Tanguy. 1t was dark night, which
when they saw the faint glimmer Of
candle in the distance they fastened to
investigate The sergeant took five men
and went ahead the other ten remain
ing in call. Suddenly he discovered
that the candle was in the midst OF a
company OF insurgents, and that they
were signing and examining papers.
With his rife to his shoulder the SER
geant stepped among them, and or
dered them to surrender. At the same
time he called for reinforcements and
the men, coming up on run. captured
the entire company of insursents, num-
bering "a infantry men and two Of
ficers. Many valuable papers were
also captured.
"Why didn't you kill them" was
asked the sergeant when he returned
to the American camp with his big
bag of gone.
Because | could not do 1t without
shooting my own men," he answered.
The regiment was | months In the
province of Bahamas and cleaned that
portion of LuZon up well and got 1t in
peaceable condition and ready for
civil government. Then the men vol
upteered for service in China. but their
services were not needed there. and
they were ordered to the island of
Panay On that island they We're sta
toned until last February, when they
forced every native there to surrender.
But before the island was subdued
there were many skirmishes and many
necessary but bloody orders carried
out. Probably the worst of these was
4 b. nf la VI
Over the Dead Line.
After the soldiers had been on the
island for weeks and had made but lit
tie Roadway, it was discovered that
the insurgents were playing double.
They would hide themselves and their
weapons in the swamps and live on the
fruits and berries until they could
steal out and strike and then hide
again, without getting caught. When
they were caught In the swamp they
would claim to be Amigos" and
there was no way OF disproying the
statement, for none of them wore uni
forms. and their guns and weapons had
been hidden. II let off they would
strike at the next opportunity This
state Of things went on until General
Arthur determined TO use strong
measures. He ordered dead line es
tablshed around the great swamp, ana
then gave orders to kin every native
found inside II was the only way to
clean them out, and many was the in
surgent that went TO his death because
ne thought he could escape detection.
None were spared The orders referred
to men, women and children. and the
soldiers were ordered TO shoot on
sight. and TO shoot every one they saw
A Case of Blindness
On evening Sergeant Marjorie was
ont with a squad when they eanae
across a group OF Filipino women hud-
died in little valley or dell. He looked
at them and his men looked at { m.
The poor creatures were half starved
and badly scared Then the soldiers
turned away. When they returned 10
camp they were asked what they got.
They answered nothing" but in such
a way that the officer was suspicious.
I'VE will go out again, h. said. AND
taking command OF the squad he
marched them In the direction from
when they had come. The party In
the valley was discovered The Of
ficer turned to the sergeant and asked: