Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-22
MARCH ~, 1902

Y, MARCH %, 1902
RIBLE CRIME.
Soldiers Deserted-The March
ath-Terrible Conditions in
hilippines-The Situation
Pst ImprOyed-An Appeal
To The Government.
Are Still Fighting the Natives.
me one sent us copy of the Manila
sppine Islands, TINES of January
boz, containing report of the de-
{on of the sick colored members of
panies II, A, F, and K, of the oath
ntry.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
trapped in the paper was the follow
letter:
ir. Mitchell. Jr.,
Sir
Read this paper for yourself
d see how the colored soldiers are
ated in this campaign. Was in the
nmand of Captain Bachlor of the oath
fantry.
at this present time, things just as
d.
Yours truly,
81 path INFANTRY.
Here is the terrible aeco int:
e'Can Americans be made to believe
hat soldiers of Uncle Sans army who
were transported eight thousand miles
aero SIS the broad Pacific to fight for their
flag, were deliberately desert
~ by their commanding officer, and
20 alone, in charge of an insurgent
Eesidente, without single gun, rations
or money with which to buy food, foot
sore, sick and forlorn? And when the
truth is related that these same deserted
men were put to death with bolos within
nm hour or two after the officer who
had deserted them had passed ON with
the rest OF his command, the blood of
all patriotic men, regardless of color or
nationality, will boil with righteous in
But such thing was done
In the Philippine Islands.
CoLoRED SOLDIERS DESERTED.
The men who were deserted were
members of the Twenty-fourth Infan-
try.
In the declining days of the year 1899
a battalion of the Twenty-fourth Infan-
try, consisting OF Companies III, A, f,
and K, went on march through the
northern part of the Island of Luzon.
They pushed northward until they
got into Cagayan Valley. They Were
lthe first American troops that ever went
that far north, and they found them
selves in a very hotbed of instruction.
There was not a friend on any side,
The natives openly expressed their
contempt and hatred of all foreigners
FRIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE.
The march was a frightful experience
for those who took part in it. 1t was
one unbroken series of hardships from
start to finish. The finish for some OF
the poor fellows was death at the hands
of their enemies. They We're not slain
in battle with their faces to the foe, but
We're butchered like rats in trap, with
out a single weapon of any nature with
which to defend themselves from the
savage thrusts of their assailants.
,oN LIGHT RATIoNs.
After the men had been marching on
very light rations for several days they
began to grow tweak. They had nc
medical supplies except a small quaint
ty of quinine, and that drug is not good
for empty stomachs, nor sore.feet. Soon
men began to fall by the wayside, and
after a fair percentage CT the marches
were physically unfit to proceed further
The commanding officer Of one company
hit upon the diabolical idea of leaving
his poor, sick. half starved men in the
different towns as they were passed.
THEIR ARMS TAKEN
He also conceived the happy idea OF
taking their aims from them, and 1t did
not strike him that these men ought tC
be left with a little money with which
TO purchase food.
Eleven men were left at the town OF
Naeuilan, and others were left at other
towns. Those who We're left at Naguil.
an were placed in the tender charge OF
the tender charge Of the presidente OF
the town, who said he would take care
of them, and send them to Ilagan. He
took care of them, all right enough.
ORDERED TO KILL THEM.
The rest of the troops had gone hut q
few miles from where they had beer
compelled to see their comrades willful
" deserted by their commanding officer
when the pIesidente, a man named
Florena Mondecena, had them placed il
a small room, and ordered Filipinos Il
kill them. His orders were carried
out to the letter, and the wretch whC
ordered the assassination was an ey,
witness to the crime. Just imagine
small room of a bamboo shack in which
were eleven sick American soldiers be
ing hacked to death with bolos in tn
hands of savages who hated them be
cause they fought for flag that repre-
sents honesty and justice.
MIND s-EYE PICTURE.
Can not one in his minds eye, Sc
those poor men making a gallant strus
gle for their lives against overwhelmin
odds? Closing in on their assailant
and with what little strength was lie.