The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-10-10
UE STORY OF THE
BATTLE OF bAGSAK
tBY J. HUDSON CURRY
Iloilo, P. l., August, 1913.

necessary at the Datlle or MI. DaJo, d
few years ago, in the same vicinity
when women dressed the same as
men engaged in the fighting and were
of course, killed, and wheE babies in
arms were thrown on fixed bayonets
while the bearer Of the bayopet
would be killed by the father or moth
er. 1t was desired to get the women
and children, the sick, lame and lazy
out of the way before the fight start
ed. This was a poser. The only
thing to do was to wait. This wait
ing, while making the Moros more
! valient, eventually served its pur-
pose. The outlaws finally came to the
conclusion that the American troops
and Scouts were afraid to attack.
They commenced sending their WON
en- and children to their homes in the
low country. Those women and child
rem would, however, upon the first
lsign of a hostile movement on the
part of the American troops, slip
back to their husbands and fathers
to be present when the fight would
come off. There is no question that
the outlaws had agents and spies in
the city of Jolo and elsewhere, be-
cause Immediately after the arrival
of General Pershing from Zambeanga
| his headquarters, or the mastering
of a supposedly fighting column,
these non-combatants would STAN
pede back to the mountains. 1t was
thus seen that in order to avoid the
slaughter of hundreds of women,
children and innocent laborors it
would be absolutely necessary to OBJ
Serve the greatest precautions and
secrecy with regard to the movement
of the troops Right here is where
General Pershing managed a coup
which resulted in the saving of sever
al hundred lives.
Gen Pershing kept his plans en-
tirely to himself It is said he did not
even take his personal aides de camp
into his confidence. On the fifth in
slant he cabled the commanding
officer at Jolo to- abandon all hostile
movements and to withdraw what
ever troops he had in the field. He
announced, on the ninth, that he
would go to Camp Keithley to visit
his family. At quarter to seven,
D. m. he, with Lieutenant James /.
Collins, a. d. c., boarded the trans
port Wright, ostensibly for Kiethley.
When out of sight of Zambeanga' dur
ing the darkness of moonless night,
the Wright had her course changed
and was headed for Isabella de Gag
avian where the 51st company OF
Philippine Scouts, commanded by
CAPTAIN Charlton, was stationed
From there the transport went to
SLASH and picked up the % Company
Of Scouts, commanded by Captain
Nichols. The details of this mid
night embarcation of troops, after
the hurried call to arms, upon the
arrival of the commanding general,
taking these commands entirely by
surprise, and the entire preparedness
of the officers and men for lmmedl-
ate action. speaks volumns for the
efficiency of the Phillips Scouts
under American officers. moro
Scouts. however, in this caseD Both
Captains Charlton and Nichols had
been on Mount Bagsak and General
Perishing lost no time in explaining
his plans for the campaign to them.
All lights aboard the transport were
extinguished. the smoke-stack muir
fled. the Wright crept into Jolo har-
bor the night Of the 10th instant,
about eight o'clock. No one in Jolo
knew Of the movement The officers
were al dinner or the club. The en-
listed men were walking around
wing down or at the cinematograph
Call to arms were sounded and within
a very short period OF time the hyihe
column was aboard OF launches and
en- route TO the scene OF the future
battle. The officers were ordered to
proceed TO Bun Bun. on the beach
from where the attack was to be
made. as follows: The mountain gun
detachments commanded by Leuten-
ants Mckinney and Van Malta were
to be placed in sapits and towed be-
hind the Wright. The 29th Company
OF Scouts. under Leuitenants Wright
and Brewer, wwere loaded on the
launch Jewell. The 10th Company OF
Scouts, Leutenants Sperbeck and
Walker, (Leut. Walker belonging 10
the sth U. s. Infantry, and attached
20 Scouts for dutyl on the Launsh
Geary. The 21st Company Of Scouts,
Captain Dixon commanding, Lieut..
4 . 10