Evening star., 1902-03-20
MAJ. WALLER'S REPORT
HIS EFFORTS TO CROSS THE IS
LAND OF sAMAR.
Hardships Endured by the Men of
His Command in the
Tragic March.

The Navy Department has made public
another report from Major Waller, recount
ing in detail the stirring events of his
tragic effort To cross the Island of Samar
about the beginning of the year. Major
Waller begins with Il statement that Lieu
tenant Williams. 9TH Infantry, who had
Just returned from n twelve-days trip in
n fruitless search for trail. and Captain
Pickering of the same regiment urged him
not to make the attempt to cross Samar
on account of the difficulties. But Waller
decided to make the attempt. in view OF
the commanding generals evident desire to
find the trail and run wire across. So
Waller started with fifty men on the morn
ing of the 10Th of December from Lanans.
He tells of the difficulties that began al
NOSE Immediately. Some insurgents were
seen and fired at. The rivers were much
swollen and il took a long time to get the
boat through the rapids. Trails were picked
up only tO he lost again. and the rain came
down in torrential bursts. The river the
men We're following curved almost to cir
Gle, and the banks held no trails. The route
crossed and recroSsed the river every few
minutes and the men began to develop
water sores and chafes. The knowledge
that they made four or five miles in direc
ton for each twelve miles of march was
depressing.
Rations Reduced.
On the Both reduced ratiOnS were issued.
No sign of human habita tiOn had been seen.
except a lonely fishing shack. There were
not even birds. 1t took the whole of the
3lst to reach the mountain pass. All the
elements seemed 10 he against the men.
Descending, the trail was again lost. The
men were suffering from sores, from cuts
made by thorns and from fostering bites of
leecheS They could get no fire and ate raw
bacon. raft was built. but sank with one
man on il. Starting down the river word
came to Waller that many men could not
keep up. he decided to forge ahead for
relief with thirteen of the strongest men,
leaving Captain Porter in command of the
main body. Another effort to build a float
ing raft failed Waller finally came upon a
clearing, where he found shack and some
growing vegetables.
The lenses of his field glass started fire
and two days supply of potatoes were
cooked Word from the rear was that the
men could only make three miles day.
There only enough bacon to fry the po-
tatoes The natives were reported to be
threatening Porter. and altogether the
pediton in bad way. Two natives
were captured ami pressed into service as
guides. Finally the Spanish trail was found,
but simultaneously a large boat was dis
covered and the start was made for Basey.
Bad Condition of the Men.
The report says: The men, realizing that
al was over. and that they We're safe, AMI
once near home. gave up: some quietly
wept, others laughed Historically. One ser
geant turned to me ana said. 1 don't think
we would show up We'll az drawing room
Ny heart bled for these men when looked
a. them. Most of them had no shoes, cut.
torn, bruised and dilapdated, they had
marched without murmur for twenty-nine
days, and having accomplished what no
white troops had done before. they thought
not of il. but OF each other. They spoke
OF me. my age, and to them. well-known
injury to my foot. and wondered how | had
stood 1t. My shirt was in rags. my hat was
hat by courtesy. Torn they were. with
eyes suffused with leech bites, l felt that
appearances made no appearance; we We're
through Walters part reached Basey
January 26 and reported to the general.
Then Waller was taken sick with fever
and with his injured ankle. He says that
the expedition was of no value. except that
the mountains can be penetrated and that
there are no insurgents there.
Only One Able to Move.
The wire could be run. and it would not
BE- touched. Concluding. Waller says that
n was the only one of his party able to
move January s. Ten of the men died
Of exhaustion and one in the hospital All
of the others, except Captain Bearss, Lieut..
Halford, Lieut.. Lyles and Waller himself
either We're. or had been. in the hospital az
the date of the report. The length of his
march was 80 miles.