The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-22
CAPT. PERSH|NG
TELLS OF BATTLE
WITH LANO MOROS
Gives Vivid Details of His Vic.
tory Which He Claims Is the
Greatest Success Yet Won in
Any Part of the Philippines.

letter to personal friend in the war
department describing the battle. It
has been shown to Secretary Root,
who authorized the publication. Capt.
Pershing says:
Camp Wears, April q, 1901 sup
pose your mail dispatches have, or will
bring, you full account of the Baco
lod incident. In reality it was the
best fight of the Moro campaigns, not
so many MorOs killed as at Bayan or
Pandapalan, one year ago, but the fight
was according to some sort of system.
Of course, l have worked on this as
foresaw long ago that it must come
and the whole thing from the begin
ming worked out as planned. AT first
we got behind them, much to their
surprise, and could post our guns
above and drop projectiles down into
their fort, so that the artillery fire in
this case was not all noise. We had
some work and some fighting to gain
this position. Once there it was only
a question of sitting down deliberately
and waiting to see what the Moros
would do. Many got away before the
place was invested thoroughly. The
fight began in a flood of rain that last
W
hcult. So We did not find all the ave-
nues of escape until next day, and
am glad now We did not, as they had
such confidence in this fort that they
have been constructing for year, that
they took many women and children
inside and these escaped during the
night. The next day and night we
held them fast, however, and tried to
get them to surrender. We had two
talks under a flag of truce, but no, they
would fight it out.
Attack Is Made.
$50 there was then only to finish it.
called my officers together and gave
each one his work. The main obstacle
was a deep ditch thirty-fve feet wide
and forty feet deep to be crossed. 1t
was to be bridged with fallen trees,
and over all a bamboo bridge was laid.
Everything in readiness the assault
began. In the face of a heavy REM
ington fire from the fort the lines adj
vanced against two faces of the fort,
putting out of business every Moro
that appeared. They could not use
their port holes as we had battered
them to pieces, although we could not
with our light field artillery damage
the earthworks.
THE lines moved up to within fifty
yards, the bridge was completed by
two companies detailed for that pup
pose, the trees having been previously
cut and hauled as near as could safely
be done. This done the assauIting in
fantry swung across and formed line,
and clambered up nearly in line to the
top of the parapet. There they were
met with kampilan and kris, and
bloody hand to hand fight occurred,
one soldier against two Moros plung-
ing here, another running his bayonet
into a frantic there, Moros plunging
headIong into the deep ditch in their
impetUOsity.
1T was as a whole a scene never to
be forgotten. Too much cannot be
said of the valor, the bravery, the cour-
age and GOODNESS and nerve of the
American soldier. The majority of
those left inside never reached
the top Of he parapet. 1t was
q relief to me that none of our men were
killed. Two will lose an arm each and
the rest will recover with honorable
scars, but none will be MANNED. 1t
was the proudest day of my life.
Dead Number $50.
and we did not examine the interior of
the fort until after it was burned and
wet thoroughly through, for there was
all sorts of underground passageWayS.
Some officers in the assaulting line saw
sixty dead on the floor and Moros say
there were more than 100 killed inside,
while the list outside has been growing
ever since the battle, SO that $50 all
told is a conservative estimate.
Il have labOred with those Bacolod
Moros for a year, through other Moros,
some Of them near relatives, trying to
convince them Of their fOolishness in
thinking Of fighting us, but they have
replied in insulting messages and in
fact the whole Laguna de Lano has
expressed a contempt for US. The les
son, of course. has been severe one
for them. The other panandurgan Ia
sort Of Moro title, meaning chief coun-
sellOr or something of that kind, in this
case he had more power than the sui
tam, lost his life, and the rest of them
that are left have sent word they want
to be friends. We burned nothing but
this main Gotta and few smaller ones
from which we were fired upon and /
think that the Moros will see that our
pose is to be humane as far as thew
will permit US. To my mind this prac-
tically settles the Lake Lano troubles.
We, of course, must explore the east
SAA pO4 IIOn VI Tie IdkS -IOT d distance
that remains yet unexplored of about
ten miles.
Expects No Further Trouble.
'T anticipate little trouble here, but
there may be one or two of the old
dattos who may put up their flags. The
matter may now be said to be settled.
There will never be again any contin-
ued opposition or general opposition.
The senseless ones see it is useless and
several of the panditas (priests) are
preaching the universal brotherhood of
man. 1t is neednesS for me to say to
you that / am gratified at the outcome
From Bacolod north to Marahui there
were more United States flags dis
played in the forts and in rancheros
than I supposed existed in all this
country. l have been here nearly two
years right in and about the Moro
country and in the islands nearly four,
and can but feel that l have accom-
plished something. I think 1T is the
largest single success made. One year
ago no one had seen, except myself, the
Moro in his native settlement, and had
no idea of his forceful, uncomfortable
nature. Today we have swept the lake
and have practically marched around
1t.
Without the support and encourage
ment of Gen Davis and Gen. Sumner.
I could not have done this. To them
Of course, as commanders, belong the
credit. I hope it will not fail of appre-
citation and that they viii be rewarded
accordingly"