Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-05-09
M0ROs SAID
TO Be CRUSHED
General Davis Wins Decisive
Victory, Capturing Prin-
CidaI Forts.
EIGHT AMERICANS ARE KILLED
Forty-oue Others Are Wounded In Gal
liant Action With sultan Bayan's Forces
Impossible to State the Number OF Mo-
rOs Killed.

Washington, May 6.--The war de.
partment has received calblegram
from General Chaffee indicating that
the campaign against Sultan Bayan,
one OF the principal Moro chiefs, has
been completely successful The re.
suit was accomplished by gallant as
sault on the principal Moro fort and
its capture after number of the lead.
ing Moros had been killed. The cable
gram, whitI was received this after
noon. was as follows:
"Adjutant General, Washington:-
me following is the full substance OF
BriSadier General George w. Davis
message from Bayan:
"Eighty-four survivors. Bayan sur
rendered Internationally this morning
at Z: Sultan Bayan, Raja Muda Bayan,
Sultan Pandapatan and all leading
Dattos dead and many of their follow.
ers. Assault on the principal fort,
which surrendered last night, one of
the most gallant performances OF
American arms.
Colonel Frank d. Baldwin and his
regiment deserve all praise for hand,
to-hand struggle in four lines OF
bitches under walls of fort. These
trenches are lined with Moros dead
from rife fire. Have never seen or
heard of any performance excellins
this gallantry and grit.
1T Is my painful duty to report that
the overthrow of Moro power was not
accomplished without severe loss, One
officer and seven enlisted men killed:
four officers and thirty-seven enlisted
men wounded. Will telegraph the list
later.
. After eightyfour survivors march
Ell out this morning as prisoners, and
1t was understood they We're all, eight
others who had concealed themselves
in rubbish in side the fort made a
break for liberty, tried to fight their
way out, but none succeeded. Some
Moro wounded tried to stab soldiers
trying to help them.
1T is impossible to state the num-
per OF Moros killed, many lying in tall
grass. The surrender saves us from
siege and starving out. Impossible to
have carried works without scaling
ladders, which were ready. Intend
to retain prisoners until two or three
small adjacent forts occupied, then
with your consent to retain as hostages
eight or ten of the principals and re.
lease the others.
The force in the line Of advance
consisted Of four mOuitain guns. 40
rifles. This fully sufficient Could not
have used more men advantageously,
Had we sent strong column it would
only have swelled the casualty list.
"One neighborng datto has already
presented himself as friend, and /
expect general coming in shortly.
when the weight of the blow is known.
'The dead have been sent to Mala-
bang for burial. .,.
in light of present knowledge, could
have besieged the principal forts and
in time forced surrender, but that
would probably have resulted in
sortie for freedom and escape for
many. BY attacking them they have
been completely crushed-the only
kind of lesson these wild Moros seem
to be able to profit by.
Shall invite Sultan Tarlac to pay
me friendly visit. If he does not do
so Of his initiative. Has fort farther
east in plain sight and of same
strength as was Bayan, on beautiful
lakeland, thousands acres fine upland
rice. Urging people to return to it's
cultivation.
",The result to follow this action very
important, namely, it secures respect
for United States authority in the
center of Moro savagery. Chaffee."