The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-10
j, 5. TROOPS EXTERM|NATE
BANDOF 6OOHOST|LE MOROS
LIEUTENANT JOHNSON
PRINCETON GRADUATE
Three Officers Badly Wounded
Won Their Way Up From
the Ranks.

WASHINGTON, March 9.-First Lieut..
Gordon johnson, who was seriously
wounded in the shoulder In a fight with
the Moros of Jolo. was born In North
Carolina In 1874. He is a graduate OF
Princeton ana on honor graduate Of the
Infantry and Cavalry school in 1893 He
first entered the army at the outbreak OF
the Spanish war and vas appointed from
Alabama as sergeant In company NJ
Second Mississippi Infantry In lSS9 ne
Decame a Second Lieutenant in the FORTY
third United States infantry. In 1901 ne
entered the regular army as a Second
Lieutenant in the Tenth cavalry. In 1907
he became Lieutenant of the Fifteenth
cavalry and in 1902 was appointed a First
Lieutenant I'm the Signal CORPS.
Rose From the Ranks.
First Lieut. Ernest Agnew. in 1895, was
Second Lieutenant OF the Twentieth
Knneas Volunteer infantry, serving
through the Spanish and Philippine cam
paigns, and became Captain OF the Eley-
cnth United States Volunteer cavalry In
1899 He was appointed Second heuten-
ant in the regular army February 2. 1901
reaching the grade of First Lieutenant
First Lieut. Wylie T Conway, a native
of Illinois, entered the army as private
on May q. 1898, and on February 2. 1901.
he was commissioned a Second Lieuten-
ant.
The Troops in Action.
The last list Of troops stationed in the
Philippines at the War department shows
that on January 20 tho following troops
were stationed on the Island of Jolo
Companies | and l., Fourth cavalry, and
the T%enty~ciGhth battery of Field artil-
lery. Companies L. * i and NJ of the
Twentieth infantry. had been stationed at
Jolo. hut are understood TO have been re-
Iicyed BY Il battalion OF the Sixth infantry.
commanded by Col. Duncan, III January.
Col, Duncan was the senior officer on the
field. save Mai.-Gcn. Wood and Brig
Assuming that the organizations were
Up to their normal strength there were
about 4S0 soldiers in the action. besides
the naval contingent, the strength of
which Is so far unknown
II Is believed. however that owing TO
the sick list and other causes, there prob
ably was not more than 800 Of the mill
tary engaged. The strength of the con-
Stahulary ls also unknown.
Scene CT the Battle.
The Official disratcb does not enable
The authorities here to place exactly the
scene OF the combat The only crater
known on the island of Jolo is we'll toward
the center Of the island, and some dis
tance removed from the capital, which is
en- the sea coast, There is, however, near
the city OF Jolo. distont only five miles,
a mountain answering closely. save for
the crater, the description given In the
dispatch
This mountain was controlled by two
dattcs-GalbI and Jcakiniue, the latter one
OF the chieftairs who signed the famous
Bates" treaty The mountain is very
steep and at Its apex is a Moro fortress
which had never been trodden by white
troops.
Trouble VIII Not Spread.
Ileut-Gen. Bates. chief Of staff. who
had extensive service in the southern ISL
snds Of the Philippine group. and is well
acuuaiItcd with the Jolo country, has nc
| fear that this last trouble will extend
| throughout the group. In the first place
he says, there is no homogenity among
| these island troops strong tealousies cx-
| st and I has ben impossible for them tt
| cooperate in opposition 10 the whites.
| 1t is also believed here, from the oflicia
dispatch, that Moros attacked were really
! q set OF robbers and that the action wns
undoubtedly precipitated by Gen. Woods
| determination to eXtcrmlnato them at any
I cost il they could not be otherwise sub
| uuyd.