The Washington times., 1906-03-09

Advices received by the War Depart
ment from Maj Gen. Leonard Wood,
/ commanding the Philippine division.
states that there has been a severe en-
| gagement in the Island Of JoIo between
/ the American military and naval forces
and the Moros.
| Fifteen American soldiers were killed
and two or three American sailors and
about 600 natives.
The dispatch reads:
'Zamboanga, March 9.
Troops. naval detachment, constabu-
++ary, col. JozaFls ~ Trsnear command
! ing. attacked Moros fortlhcations in
crater OF Mt DaJo. near JoIo Action
lasted from afternoon March 6. to morn
| ing March 5. Mt DabO. 2IO0 feet high.
angle 80 degrees Lava ridges, heavy
timber. Artillery lifted by block and
tackle 800 feet. Moros deprecated from
stronghold past eight months, and re-
sisted To the death. About 600 killed
Major General Wood and Brigadier Cen
eral Taskor II. Bliss present throughout
The killed: Army-Fifteen enlisted
men Capt Tyree r Rivers, wounded
/ in thigh. slight; First lieut. Gordon
/ Johnston, wounded in shoulder, serious;
First Lieut., Ernest II. Agnew, wounded
in hand, slight; First Lieut.. Wylie T.
Z L / EIAfSkEG
/ men wounded. Names of the enlisted
men killed and wounded TO be reported
/ later. Navy, wounded-Ensign H D.
Cooke. wounded in foot, serious; Cocks
vain Gilmore. wounded in elbow.
slight: one seaman wounded, slight.
"Consta bulary-- Killed. three enlisted
men. John r. White, wounded IN thigh,
seriously. Total killed, eighteen; wound
cd. fifty-two- Troops. naval detach-
inent. constabuiary, highly commended"
War Department Surprised.
Officials at the War Department were
much excited after the receipt of the
dispatch from Manila describing the
fighting While it is apparent from the
dispatch that Major Gen. Leonard Wood
who now commands the Philippines df-
vision, has been making preparations
for the engagement for some time, no
indication had been received by the War
Department that a battle Of this de-
scription was about to be fought.
1t is believed that the engagement will
bring to conclusive end the strife be
tween the American forces and the
fierce Moro tribes, which has now been
in progress for nearly five years.
At the War Department it was stated
, today that 1t was utterly impossible
fcan troops which participated in the
engagement. While the details of the
fight. as given in the Official dispatch.
are somewhat meageT, sufficient IS said
TO show that General Wood ordered
troops from many of the surrounding
islands to re-enfOFce those permanently
stationed in Jolo. and that he asked
aid from the naval forces in those
waters.
As a matter of fact. however the
War Department does not even know
i .4-7z-
nently stationed in Jolo. many changes
having been made during the past two
months since Major General Wood took
command OF the Philippines division as
relief to Major Gen. Henry G. Corbin
Ensign Cook is a grandson of Henry
d. Cook, who was governor Of the Dis
trict of Columbia in 1872. and has many
friends in washington. lie was educated
at private schools in Georgetown. and
later was graduated from Columbian,
now George Washington University. He
entered the service from the Naval
Academy in 1887. His immediate family
now reside in New York
Credit Given to Duncan.
Attention was called by officials of the
the War Department to the fact that al
though Major General Wood who is in
supreme command of the Philippine divi-
sion. and Brig Gen. Tasker II. Bliss
were present during the entire engage
ment, General Wood in his official dis
patch to Colonel Andrews. at Manila. a
synopsis. only of which was sent to the
War Department. gives full credit for
the victory over the Moros to Col. Joseph
H. Duncan, who commands the Sixth
Infantry. which has been located for
some time In those islands.
OF course. 1t is believed that General
Wood ordered the dislodgement of the
Moros from Mount Dajo, where they
have been stationed in force for the past
eight months defying American SOW
ereignty. but ii is evident that the actual
engagement was fought under the di-