The Mankato free press., 1904-10-28

Philippine islands, where he served
against the Filipinos in the years 1899
and 1900, with the Third United States
Infantry. He saw much active service
on the island of LuzOn, especially in the
western part of the Pampanga PROV
ince, where he was included in the de-
tachment consisting of Companies G and
f, which hunted down the insurgent
guerrillas. There was little to admire
about the Filipino method of warfare
The enemy would lie in ambush and
wait for the approach of the American
troops, fire and run to another covering.
The natives were always much feeter
than the Americans. The natives wore
very little clothing and carried only
their rifles and few rounds of ammu-
ly speaking, heavily encumbered, with
their ammunition and equipment, ra-,
tions, and often blanket. Moreover
the natives were always barefooted,
whereas the Americans wore shoes.
The Filipino people are great at keep
ing dogs, every household almost with
out exception having from one to three.
These dogs would bark at the approach
of an American soldier, as the latter APP
peared with his uniform in the daytime,
or the creaking of his boots was heard
on the ground by night. Whatever in
surgents happened to be quartered in
a native village would thus be apprised
of the Americans and would take warn
ing and flee. The Americans would ar
rive, search the village for insurgents
and then return to the camp. The sol
diers knew full well that those dogs, be-
longing to the seemingly innocent and
even friendly natives, had prevented the
capture of the enemy.
On one occasion word was received at
the camp that the village of Pablo, not
far away, was harboring twenty five in
surgents. Immediately detachment of
seventyfive men started out, including
Mr.. Smeets himself. On arriving the
soldiers found nothing in sight save the
houses of bamboo, nipa and straw, and
a few harmless looking brown people,
going about their usual duties. There
was no sign or arms or ammunition. The
good people had not seen any insur-
gents around, oh no. The Americans
returned to the camp and made their
report. Immediately, another detach-
ment was sent out to the same village
on harseback. This fooled the natives
most completely, as they were not ex-
pecting second visit so soon. The
mounted soldiers surrounded the settle
ment and captured seven insurgents, who
surrendered very readily as the insur
gents always did when cornered, togeth-
ed with twenty-six rifles. Among the
captives was Filipino lieutenant, a
very intelligent man, who spoke English
with a tolerable degree of fluency, and
who had visited in the United States,
and knew considerable about the cities
of New York and Philadelphia. This
was really a very good catch.
In this camp of the Americans, there
was an intelligent and experienced Fill
pipo, who was employed as a guide, for
whose services the United States gov
ernment paid him three dollars per
day. This man knew the country as a
good scholar knows his books. He had
a personal acquaintance with nearly all
the insurgents in that vicinity. He had
served in the Spanish army against the
Fiipinos and with the insurgents against
the Americans. Seeing that the Filipinos
were continually getting the worst of it,
he concluded that the best thing he
could do for the interests of number one
was to flop again and get on the win
! wing side. So he surrendered to the
American troops and offered his serv-
ices as guide. He was faithful in this
duty, knowing, probably, that it would
go hard with him if he shuold ever at
tempt treachery. From his last allegi-
ance he never swerved
Whenever anw Filipino household was
found to have sheltered insurgents, the
house was destroyed by fire and the
inhabitants driven away. Mr.. Smeets
had personal knowledge of only one
house being so destroyed. In that dwell
| ing two or three insurgents and two
rifles were captured. Mr.. Smeets
ridicules the charge that the Americans
were cruel to the Filipinos. If the
policy of the conquerors was at all to
be criticized, such criticism should be
directed at the extreme leniency of the
masters
| A certain Filipino, president of the
town of Baliuwag, pretended to be very
friendly to the Americans at the time
the troops were occupying that town,
and they really believed for time that
he was so. A rumor became current
to the effect that large body of insur-
gents was collecting for the purpose of
making an attack on the American posi-
tion. About that time this Filipino
president attempted to make his way
through the American outposts. He was
halted, arrested and searched. On his
person was found money, American,
Spanish and Mexican, to the total
amount of about $4,000. The Americans