Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-20
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Col. Duncan Highly Praises the
Dajo Forces.

Copies of the official orders issued TO the
troops which participated in the decisive
engagement on Mount Dajo, Jolo. have been
received at the War Department Col. J.
w. Duncan, 9Th Infantry, who was in active
command of the expedition issued field
order in which he said: THE destruction
and utter rout of the forces of Bud-Dajo,
Island of Jolo, probably the strongest point
assaulted and taken in the Philippines, hav-
ing been accomplished, our expedtionary
forces are now disbanded and will return
to their respective stations. To one and all
your colonel gives thanks for your loyal
obedience, cheerful acceptance of hardships
and above all, your distinguished bravery.
which only could have overcome a continu-
ally hidden and fanatic foe such as those
you fought Your commander mourns with
you for your heroic dead and suffering
wounded and with you thanks Providence
that under the conditions the mortality
was small"
Col Duncan received an official letter
from Mai. Gen. Wood, commanding, saying:
THE department commander desires you
to publish to the command his appreciation
of the gallantry and fine conduct of the Of
ficers and men in the recent operations
against Mount Dajo. The position taken by
the enemy was the most difficult one ever
encountered in the Island of Jolo and only
excellent troops, well handled, could have
accomplished the work so handsomely done
by your command"
Retirement of Gen. Buchanan.
Brig. Gen. James A. Buchanan, who is
now In command of the Visayas, Philip
pine Islands, will retire on the 31st instant
and will spend several months abroad be-
fore returning to the United States. Gen.
Buchanan was born in Maryland and was
appointed second lieutenant of the 14th In
fantry from that state In March, 1867.
Prior to being promoted to brigadier gen.
eral, April il, 1905, he was colonel of the
18th Infantry. at Fort Harrison, Mont.
During the Spanish-American war he served
in Porto Rico,~of which country for a time
he was military commander. Gen. Buchan-
an served on the plains during the Indian
wars and was one of the officers detailed
to prepare the war records. He is the
brother of Mrs Cumberland Dugan, who
resides near Catonsville Nd. and is de-
scended from long line of distinguished
ancestry.
1t is currently reported that the Presi-
dent has promised Capt. Ward b. Pershing.
10th Cavalry, now in Denver on leave of
absence, to make him brigadier general
for his conspicuous services in the Philip
pines and 1t is possible that he may be APP
pointed to the vacancy caused by the re-
tirement of Gen. Buchanan.
Provisional Secretaries Of War.
The President has approved general or
der which empowers the military secretary
to act as Secretary of War In the absence
of both the Secretary of War and the as
sistant secretary of war. In the absence
of all three of these officials the chief of
staff OF the army is to act as Secretary of
War; This is simply precautionary step
to guard against the possibility of a hiatus
in the administration OF the routine affairs
of the War Department. So far as known
neither Secretary Taft nor Assistant Sec
rotary Oliver contempiates prolonged abb
sence from Washington during the coming
summer and 1t is possible that neither the
chief of staff nor the military secretary
will be called on to act as Secretary of War.
The preference Is given to the military Sec
rotary because of his higher rank.
Transferred to Ordnance Corps.
As result of recent examinations OF
line officers with view to their detail to
duty in the ordnance department the fol-
lowing named officers viii be assigned to
duty In the ordnance department: Capt.
w. A. Phillips. 10Th infantry; First Lieut..
e. NJ. shinkle, goth Company. Coast Ar
tiliery: Second Lieut.. David c. Seagrame,
ireland, 56th Company, Coast Artillery;
Second Lieut.. NJ. A. Cross, 23d Field Bat
terry: Second Lieut.. Charles N. Allen, 10Th
Company, Field Artillery; Second Lieut..
John Lund, Artillery Corps: Second Lieut.
James B. Iiliard. 25th Battery, Field Ar
tfliery.
The sisht officers named qualified 1T the