The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-06-06
Promoted for CALAMITY in Action.


Lieut. MeuYs heritor9aH Conaes. Ia
The Philippine.
Since - ,ate alpleazaHfLe-z 44th
Spain. -ke~hepaa ta- seif 81 Lumber
- Aer lung nm 70 liz PAl-asaaes
e91ctea# f.e Atar- ana -.r.ae= a5
as=i-' i. - ~ taat country #sre
dr-lraa.e HIare f5f the aH5se a#a .o
bear M a4tar4. aad among tts --.
known - ttc-e j. Lieut.. john -. %i-r-
III, Jr.. o.. sos - DR. and M d
y. MctrIa.
Lieu Hena known among as
scbOClnafe- aI8 treAd= - boz Wa-
born il thi- town and graduated from
the SkoWaegaa HigH school ia fae
cIa-= u 1900. Nsfs shortly after FIJI
shing his course II the ~kOWhegan
High school, without previous know
edge that such al honor Wa 10 store
far him, ne received notice that ne
mad been nominated by Senator Haze
for entrance al the West Point Mill
tary Academy. The examination
was 70 occur at once and ne had 10
time for preparation but ne mad ne
trial. although under the cireum-
stances there was hardly any pros
pect that he could succeed. He did
not secure the required number u
points at thie time but, fortified by
the knowledge gained and by sub
sequent course al fitting school be
more than met all requirements al a
competitive examination for Vest
Point entrance. 70 which Le WaE aD-
pointed by Congressman BurleIgn.
After receiving word tbat he lad
been successful and was entitled -
course al West Point. WhiIe awaiting
Ills turn 10 enter there. 1t took the
opportunity to take a year, course
at the University Of Maine at OronO,
and went 10 the Military Academy in
the fan Of 1902
Lieut. Merrill remained at Vest
Point six months. resignlng 70 enter
the military school Of engineers at
Washington. whore ne studied Tor
FIVE months. lie tnen enlisted ia the
engineers corps a. private and on
May !, 1913. sailed from san Fran
cisco for the Philippines where for
six months he was in charge Of crew
of men working on the forts and
building bridges in the vicinity Of
Manila He was transferred a his
own request TO the 18th |. ;. cavalry
where he was promoted 10 the rank
Vi sci ait I lOll4 LIllS u eAllN - A4lC
service he resigned 10 enter the Gus
tom department, where he served one
year under Frank 5. Cairns, former
" Of this town. For the first six
months he was custom Inspector
and the last half Of the year vas in
the secret service connected with the
department. One year ago April he
Joined the Fifth COnstaDularX dis
trict where he Is now serving a.
lieutenant.
In this service ne mas seen great
deal of fighting and the following is
an account Of an expedition last
March in which az took prominent
part; On March he left Camp Ma
laig. Punt Macin. in command Of 80
constabulary soldiers OF the Isl and
ID companies of Lanao TO attack the
Gotta OF the Sultan of Dilambayan, all
the members of the company being
native Philippines enlisted in the [.
). service The line OF march was
taken up at six O'Clock that evening
and il was one O'Clock the next morn
ing before the Gotta was reached,
which was situated near the Taraca
river.
After firing a few VolleYs the sol
dierS rushed the Gotta and TWO OF the
inmates were killed. one Of them be
ing the sultan While destrl wing the
houses the Cutposts were subjected 70
10 a fierce attack by number OF Mo
ros who were armed with Mausrrs
and Crags and the skirmish lasted for
an hour when the natives ceased. At
5 the next morning the advance Was
again commenced and for four hours
the soldiers were under a constant
fire from bands of Moros who We're
protected behind fences, trees and
bushes. Breakfast was then served
and at O'Clock that morning the
double Gotta OF the Sultan Of Tall
LLAMA was reached. Here hot fight
took place in which Lieut., Merrill vas
wounded in the knee by kris IN the
hands of the Sultan, the latter being
killed bY the lieutenant. The rest of
the natives were put to fight.
By this TINT the ammunition Of the
? constabulary force was running low
and return was made to Camp Ma
laig, which was reached after tramp
of over five hours without further
/ molestation. On this expedition 19
Moros were killed. two wounded
made their escape, one musket in
good condition was captured and p
houses DESTROYED. together with a
large amount Of rice.
About a month before this Lieut..
Merrill was in command of another
, expedition which made a trip into the
, interior and captured a notorious
r slave owner.
The following congratulatory letter
was received by Lieut.. Merrill from
the adiutant Of the Fifth ConsIahu-
larry district +. 4. d. Ford. which is