The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-02
MAJ.WALLER'
STORY OF THE SUFFERING OF AMER
ICAN MARINES REToLD.
General Chanee's Account of the Ter
ribIe Hardships Endured by
Brave Men I'm samar.
PRAISE FOR LIEUT.. WILLIAMS
WHOSE GALLANT PARTY OF SOL
DIERs RESCUED TWENTY.
Ten Marines Not Accounted for and
Supposed to Have Perished
from Starvation.
STREAMS WERE ALL SWOLLEN
AND SLOW PROGRESS WAS MADE
ACROSS THE ISLAND.
Provisions Finally Gave Out and the
Marchers Were Fnmfshi When
Discovered
Ten Marines Not Accounted for md
Supposed to Have Perished
from Starvation.
STREAMS WERE ALL SWOLLEN
AND SLOW PROGRESS WAS MADE
ACROSS THE ISLAND.
Provisions Finally Gave Out and the
Marchers Were Famishing When
Discovered

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-General Chaffee
has cabled to the War Department a report
of the march Of Major Waller and his ma
rines across Samar. 1t is the first full ac-
count of the march and tells a tale OF terri
BILE suffering and hardship. Major Waller.
four officers and fifty men of the marine
corps. Lieutenant Lyles, Of the Twelfth In
fantry and thirty-six native bearers start
ed during the last week in December from
Lananga, on the east coast of Samar, to
cross the island to Basey. about thirty-five
miles distant The story OF their suffering
is told in the following dispatch:
1.-The War Department is advised OF the
trip of Major Waller, four officers and fifty
men Of the marine corps. thirty-six native
bearers, with four days rations. who start
ed the last week of December from La
nang, on the east coast of Samar, to cross
the island to Basey, about thirty-five miles
on the map. A trail at one time existed
but was found in places only. Lieut..
Lyles, Twelfth Infantry, accompanied the
command. Incessant rains from the start,
swollen streams and other natural obsta-
cles made progress extremely slow. When
rations were consumed the men became ex-
hausted rapidly, dropping on the way.
Major Waller separated from Captain Por-
ter Lieut.. r. p. Williams and the major
part of the men and proceeded toward
Basey, where he arrived Jan. 3 with two Of
ficers and thirteen men, also Lieut.. Lyles.
He returned to the mountains next day
with relief, but returned to Basey about
ten days later unsuccessful. Porter was to
build RATS but the timber would not float.
THE second day after separating from
Waller Porter moved toward Lanang ar
irving on Jan. IL with two men, all ex-
hausted physically and mentally. Lieut..
r. P. Williams and over thirty men were
left in the mountains in similar condition
with the native bearers. A relief expedi-
ton, under Lieut. Kenneth p. Williams,
First Infantry, was delayed starting two
days by the storm raging and the torrent
in the river. 1t started on the 18th and
reached the marines the eighteeth, res
cuing Lieutenant Williams and all except
ten men, not found. who are, no doubt,
Fangule, E. Foster, G. NJ. Britt, T. Wards
Brown, F. F. Murry, T. Buffet, Bailey,
Baroni Connell r. Kettle, who died in the
hospital at Tacloban on Jan. 23 Captain
Porter, Lieutenant Williams and eighteen
men are in the hospital at Tacloban. They
are not very clear in mind regarding much
of the time covered by the period of suffer-
ing. All probably will recover Major Wal
Ter at present is disordered in his recollec-
tions. The suffering of this command for
twenty days cannot be described. The
efforts of Lieutenant Williams, First In
fantry, and his relief party are unequaled
for courage and labor