The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-17
He FOUGHT FILIPIN0S
CAPT. EDWARD p. LAYTON BACK
IN HIS OLD HOME.
THREE YEARS OF SERVICE.
FOLLOWED BY THREE MONTHS OF
LEAVE OF ABSENCE.


ing News About His Experiences
in the PhiIippines-His Views of
the FiIipfnOs and Their Work as
SOIdiers-Why Extreme Measures
Were Made Necessary If InfOrma-
tion Was Wanted From the Ma
tives-Mrs. Lawton One of the
First American Women in the ISL
and of Cebu.
Capt. Edward P. Lawton of the
Nineteenth Infantry, u. S. A, is in
Savannah, his old home, for few
days after three years of service in
the Philippines. He mas renewed his
associations with a number of his old
friends since his return, all of whom
have been glad to welcome him.
Capt. Lawton was seen by a repre-
| sentative of the Morning News yes
terday, to whom he talked interesting
ly of his stay in the Philippines and
| the operations of the American troops.
| He saw much active campaigning,
| principally in the Island of Cebu. Aft
er it's subjugation he was in command
of the garrison of one of the towns.
1t was in 1899 that Capt. Lawton and
his command reached the Philippines.
He at once became a part of the cor
don that was thrown about Manila by
the Americans for the protection of
the city, Agunaldo having broken the
peaceabI relations that at first ex-
listed and resorted to war in the hope
of driving out the force that had sue
ceeded Spains.
| After month or so of work in grad
ually pushing outward the American
lines and forcing back those of the
| Filipinos, Capt. Lawton was ordered
to the island of Panay, to serve under
Gen. Hughes. For two months he
was with the column of that COM
mander. which left its wide trail
through the island, from north to south.
Hughes destroyed forts and defeated
and dispersed the garrisons, reducing
the island to submission.
Attack on Mountain Forts.
1t was not to the comparative idle
ness of garrison duty that Capt. Law
| ton was yet to be left, however, for
| from the island of Panay he was order
| ed to Cebu, where a strong expedition
was being organized for service against
| insurgents massed and strongly for
| titled in a mountain range in one part
of the island. This was position that
| they had held against the Spaniards,
who had been unable to dislodge them.
About a month was expended in
getting everything in readiness for
| the attack on the insurgents position.
| The Americans had to mount bat
| terry of two field pieces on a noun
tain commanding the enemy's forts,
and these cannon delivered an effec-
tive fire. The infantry charged the
forts, but had a difficult time reach
ing them.
Zone may judge of the steepness of
the mountains" said Capt. Lawton,
when l state that 1t required five
| hours for my company to ascend from
| the foot of one of them to within rife
range of the fort surmounting it. We
| carried the enemy's position. The in
surgents did not wait for us They
| decided it would be better to get out
! before our arrival. Some of the troops
approached to within 100 yards of the
forts before the garrisons fled but
| not in every case did they take so
| narrow margin as that"
The FilipinOs as Fighters.
What about such fighting as that,
| Captain?" he was asked. Are the
| Filipnos good soldiers are they brave?
| Would they ever make such a fight
| as American soldiers under the same
| conditions?"
LAS a people they do not seem to
| be towards" was his reply. THE
| Filipinos of the lower type are ignor-
ant, and they are led by their gem
erals. who have absolute authority
| and influence over them. These gen.
erals adopted policy of guerilla war
fare, always leaving an avenue of es-
| cape open and only firing upon us
| when there was chance to get away.
The supply of arms for them was linn
| tied, ana they never were willing to
risk the loss of rifles. Some of the
officers were hard students, for in a
! fort we took we found among their
! effects various works on war that
| were well thumbed, showing that they
| had been carefully studied. Napoleon's
| campaigns, French work on guerilla
| tactics ard other volumes We're found
AS to the Filipinos fighting like Amer
| leans would, / can say that they would
| not"
After the practical subjugation of
Cebu, save for the rowing bands that
| descended from mountain Businesses to
make their attacks, Capt. Lawton was
! placed in command at the town of Da-
mao. He established his quarters there
| IN the convent the nome or the padre.
| American officers, in doing garrison
service, made it a point to establish
| themselves in the converts. This was
| for the reason that these buildings Of
| fered greater safety and protection and
comfort for the officers families, Capt
| Lawton said, the other houses of the
| towns being principally but matched
| huts.
How did the officers get them?" he
was asked.
simply took Them he replied. Not
| flied the padres to get out. There was
| plenty of room in the PADRES house at
| Danao for all, however, and he stayed
with us. The converts We're built with
a view for their protection against the
| Moros, who were accustomed of old to
make incursions."
Insurgents Threaten Death.
suasion never came within the obser-
walton of Capt Lawton. though he said
| that he had heard of its employment
"Those people are as stubborn as
mules about giving information said
Capt. Lawton. "They withhold it
from the Americans principally through
! fear. The insurgents tell them that
| all manner of dire punishments, from
! hanging to crucifixion. will be visited
upon them if they dare to give infor-
nation. Now information is absolute
| ~ necessary if anything is to be done,
| for it is impossible for a strange force
to operate in the islands without
! guides. Extreme measures were some
| times necessary to eXtort the needed