The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-07-20
*1BIsMCK JAKr.
pERSNICNG

end.
In 1899 he became adjutant general,
executive officer of the department Oh
Mindanao and Jolo. In this capacity
he studied the Moros and the Moro
problem. He tried in every honoraoie
way to conciliate the native chle1s anu
Judges or dattos, but the Moros Wouio
not take the word of 4 white man
Later they learned that Pershlngs
word was never broken
Finally, after studying the question
from every possible viewpoint ne ue-
cided that the only way to subdue the
natives was to prosecute a campaign
against them. Washington colncloeo
with this view and Pershing went INTO
the jungle.
Every foot of the way, through mud
DIV roads little better than jungle tralls'
where guns and caissons sometimes
sank hub deep and had to be raised by
planks and levers; through insect IN
tested forests, in an atmosphere
fraught with fever and malaria he
had to fight against crazed Mohamlne-
dan warriors who believed that to ole
shaving Christians insured them or
life in heaven with q white morse ~
ride and beautiful houris TO wait upon
| them.
Against odds like this the expedltion
! fought and cut it's way to the LAKE
Lanao country, where the Moros It"
| gathered in force.
| At Bayan Captain Pershing gave the
| rebels their first taste Of American
fighting. The battle resulted in Dill
liant tactical victory for our troops
and the expedition pressed forward.
Destroyed 40 Forts.
The sultan of MacolOd. one OF the
most powerful of the native rulers, re-
fused to surrender. With a battalion
of infantry, a squadron of cavalry ana
section of guns Pershing moved
against him and threatened to demon
ish his fort unless he gave in.
The sultan was defiant. He dreamed
that his stronghold was impregnapie.
On two days it was memory ana the
American troops had received upon
their bayonets thy last maddeneq
charge Of the Morotband. The Amerl-
cans had two men wounded.
One after the other 40 Moro forts
fell under Pershing's assaults and the
island Of Mindanao was at peace, TWO
Americans having lost their lives.
Then the Pershing smile succeeded
the fighting grimness of his face ana
tha Moros became his friend. Ihey
made a datto of him and they submit
ted to his Judgment in their legal dls-
mites, and the United States made MIN
military governor of the department
For this work he was advanced to the
grade of brigadier general, although
S62 officers had priority over him.
For time Pershing was relieved OF
his Philippine duties because OF Ill
health, but the Moros of JOlo continued
RI make trouble and he was sent back
70 subdue them as he had the reDelS
of Mindanao. 1t was bigger task
and one the magnitude of which has
seldom confronted Il regular army OH
Ger except in time of actual war.
Pershing picked command OF men
every one of whom he knew down TO
the last private. He loved them all as
children and they loved him as BLACK
lack" and "Fighting John" Pershing
There wasn't a man under him whose
face the general didn't know and Whom
he could not call by name.
The Morus-men, women and chill
dren-had taken refuge and fortlneo
themselves in the crater of Bud DaJo
an extinct volcano, on the island OF
Jolo. Pershing announced to his me1
that he was going to drive the rebels
ont of the crater IL it took ten years
to do ii.
There were 600 Moros. everyone OF
them imbued with the faith that eacf
Christian he slew would be his slave
in the Moro heaven, lurking under the
rim of the big hole in the top of the
mountain.
Guerrilla Warfare.
The addition of n band of Filipino
scouts brought the American forces uI
to about one thousand men. Every
inch of the way from the shore of the
island they had to fight against the
hidden enemy.
Outposts were stabbed in the night
bv naked savages, who wriggled
through the tall grass without a sound
Pickets and patrolling parties were
fallen upon and slain by beast-men
who swung from the branches Of tropi
cal trees and palms like panthers, but
The relentless column cut its way fur
tber and further toward the heart OF
the Moro stronghold and at last spread