The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-30
WHEATON, IN PHILIPPINES.
CAREER OF A GENERAL KNOWN TO
SAVANNAHIANS.

will BE Recalled One of the
Brigadiers of the Seventh Army
Corps, Which. Under Gen. Fitzhugh
Lee, Was Camped at Savannah Re-
fore 1t Went to Cuba-Sketch De-
mics Justice of the Term "Recon-
centradO Camps"
Gen. w. w. Gordon has received a
copv of the Manila Daily American
which devotes seven columns to the
record of Maj. Gen. Lloyd Wheaton
and his fights and military campaigns
in the Philippines. Gen. Wheaton was
q hrigadier in the Seventh Army Corps
during the time Gen. Fitzhugh Lees
command was stationed at Savannah,
and there are many in this city who
remember the gallant soldier. He is
no longer in the Philippines, having
been ordered back to the United
states, where he will be retired, after
forty years of service.
The record of Gen. Wheaton has been
brilliant one. On April 20, 1861 he
was a sergeant in the Eighth Illinois
Infantry. He emerged from the Civil
d
NAMED in the Eighth Illinois through
mt He has been brevetted several
times during his career, and a medal
of honor won by gallantry, is among
his most cherished possessions.
Gen. Wheaton received his orders for
philippine service while in Savannah,
ard it was from this city that he left
for the antipodes. That was about the
time that AguinaldO was leaving no
doubt that he intended making trou
bic. and the War Department was
looking for it's best officers to send to
cope with him. He arrived at Manila,
Feb. %, 1899, nineteen days after the
outbreak Of the Filipinos occurred He
was Immediately assigned to the COM
mand of a brigade, with orders to clear
the insurgents out of the country from
Manila to Pasig, work that he per-
formed in short time and with thor
cughness that evoked the admiration
OF the army. He led in person in sew
ersl fights and skirmishes, exposing
himself as freely as any subaltern of
the line.
So successful was he in this cam
paign, that Gen. Otis, recognizing his
ability, gave him another brigade and
tough work to do about Caloocan. He
participated III the uSulS at
river and Malinti, the latter being that
in which Col. Egbert was killed. Malo-
los fell into the hands of the Americans
as a result. and the insurgent govern
ment hiked it up the railroad. Then
an additional brigade was put under
his command, and later he distinguish
ed himself by repelling three attacks
made in a single night upon points
upon the railway that he was holding.
He took personal command in each
fight whipping one after the other.
The account teens with instances of
the generals excellent soldiership, and
the caliber of the man is shown by the
incident of his complete Indifference
to the command of his brigade surgeon,
who told him that it would mean mis-
death from fever if he went into a
fight at San Fernando. Wheaton's
pulse then beat at los, but he faced
the enemy. His seasoned, vigorous con-
stitution withstood the ravages of the
disease.
On having his authority extended,
Gen. Wheaton had a conference with
Gen. ]. Franklin Bell, who was under
his command. He assigned Gen. Bell
TO certain work. and it was carried
out. This was the correction of the dis
tressing situation in several provinces.
1t was followed by comparisons of the
policy pursued with that of Gen. Wey-
Ter, the Spaniard, who brought Cubans
together in reconcentrado camps. the
sketch in the Manila American de-
tends this policy, saying:
"One of the first things discovered by
Gen. Bell was that large number OF
the people were insurgents through
fear, and plainly stated that, If they
We're protected from assassination,
they'd be loyal. The solution of this
problem was to allow the people to
choose freely whom they would serve,
God or Mammon, and to protect those
who chose the United States. This
was done, and Gen. Bell organized the
Zones of Protection, enormously call
ed concentration camps
These zones were created for the
protection of the natives, and no one
was compelled to enter these zones.
These zones of protection were all To-
Gated near the garrisoned towns. The
people moved into the towns by
the thousands. They readily rec
ognized that they were immune
from having to contribute to the in
surgent treasury, and were not sub
ject to call for duty with Malvar.
They brought their supplies and ami
males with them. They built their own
shacks If they had crops in the
fields which they wished to cultivate,
a guard went with them to protect
them from the outlaws of the hills. The
people were happy in these towns.
For the first time in years they en-
joyed peace and quiet; they were with
their families and their property was
their own This great opportunity to
cultivate the respect and friendship OF
the natives was not lost, and orders
went out that the poor should be fed,
and ali kindly treated, and many a
native who had hated and despised the
Americans learned to respect ana ad-
mire them. They were taught how to
organize themselves against ladrones
and insurgents, and shown that 1t was
not necessary for them to be bulldozed
bv one or two men who carried a gun.
They were instructed in protecting
their homes against fire. They were
vaccinated free of charge and fur
nished free all medicines necessary for
their sick.
"Results were not slow to follow.
They perceived that the Americans
intentions were good and it was really
the insurgents who were their enemies.
They realized that they were protected,
and that the days of burying alive
were at an end. Then they began to
ask for arms with which to hunt IN
surgents, and to volunteer as guides.
They readily gave information, and
banded together and passed resolutions
OF loyalty, and calling upon the insur-
gents to come in"