Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-08-19
Moros Construct Ski|fuI De.
lenses and Defend Them
With Great Tenacity
How the. American Comman-
der Mixed Mercy with GAL
.laDtry During Fight
Campaign Against Outlaws Be.
gan Several Months Ago in
the Island Of JOlO

Writing from Manila a correspond
ent to the St. Louis Globe Democrat
gives a graphic account Of the battle
of Bagsak. He says:
The battle Of Bassak will 60 down
in the history Of the Philippine
islands as the fiercest encounter since
American Occupation. There have
been battles In the Moro province
where more men were engaged and
the casualties were greater, but none
where the fanatical Moros had con-
structed their defenses so skillfully
and defended them with such inte]li-
gence and tenacity as was displayed
1t Bagsak.
The man who planned this battle
and Won such a signal victory was
Gen. John ]. Pershing, who is a Mis-
%rourian, having been born in Linn
county, Mo-, in 1860. He not only
showed great personal bravery on the
field, but by a piece of fine strategy
he prevented the women of the say
ages being present and thus merci-
fully saved their lives.
The battle lasted five days and
ended Sunday afternoon, June Is, in
a hand-to-hand fight at the big stone
fort on Bagsak peak, when the two
companies Of Moro scouts, directed
by their white officers, took the for
midable Notifications by assault.
The casualties among the govern
ment forces we're fourteen killed
tCapt. Nichols, two American soldiers
md eleven scouts). and seventeen
wounded, among them Lieut.. Rack
ley, who was shot in the foot. 1t is
believed that all the wounded will
recover. Six scouts were killed dur.
ing the last days fighting. A NOR
tally wounded Moro made the state,
ment that there were about 500 fight
ing men In the various cottas at the
beginning Of the fight. With very
few exceptions these fought to the
death.
Campaign Began Months Ago.
The Bagsak campaign really began
several months ago, when the outlaw
element on the island of Jolo, which
persisted in resting the disarmament
order. c~ongregated at Bagsak. They
composed the, very worst element in
the Sulu archipelago. Among them
were many cattle thieves and muir
derers for whom warrants were out.
Through intimidation and misprepre.
'%sentation many would-be law.abiding
Moros were recruited to their ranks
and unfortunately they all took their
women with them. Every effort was
made to induce these people to turn
in their arms. Many of the peaceably
inclined did 50, but the old piratical
element persistently refused.
Thehothe problem was to get the
women and as many of the non-com.
batants as possible off the hill before
making the final cleanup. This had
to be a waiting game. When the
Moros saw the troops inactive, many
of the. women and taos would be sent
by the leaders to their homes and
fields, but at the first murmur of a
campaign against Bagsak they would
flock back to the mountain. A pecu-
liarity of the Joloano Moro is that
when he makes his last stand he
wants his women with him. Undoubt-
eddy the outlaws had agents in Jolo,
for every time Gen. .Pershing went
to that city there was a stampede
for Bagsak.
Strategy to Save Women.
The general soon saw that to take
Bagsak without Strengthening. hun
dreds Of innocent ome and chill.
dren and a lot Of ignorant taos the
campaign would have to be planned
with the utmost secrecy. And here
Is where he pulled of a very pretty
piece of strategy.
The general kept his plans abso-
lutely to himself, not even taking his
ahlest ~lieutenants into his confidence.
About. June 5 he sent a telegram to
the commanding officer at Jolo call
Ing OF all field operations and rel
connoisances. On June 3 he an
nounced that he would leave Zambo;
that evening for Camp Keithley
to visit his family, and at 6:45 accom-
by his aid de camp, Lieut..
James L. Collins, set sail on the
transport Wright Of Camp Overton.
When well out Of sight of Zambo-
lnga md covered by darkness the
Wright changed her course and head
ID for Isabella de Basilan, where Capt.
Ehariton and his Ffty-frst company
II Moro Scouts were taken aboard.
The Wright then went to Siasi and
up Capt. Nichols and his Fifty
lecond company OF Moro Scouts.
10th Capt. Nichols and Capt. Charl
had bee non Eagsak and the de
III of the campaign were explained
3 them on board the Wright.
With al lights out and the smoke
tack mufled the Wright crept into