The Dolores star., 1917-07-13
BI sMK eJACKII
pERSkING

ed to the broad shoulders of the then
Captain Pershing and he straightened
under the burden and carried II to the
end.
In 1899 he became adjutant general.
executive oficer Of the department Of
| llindanao and JOl0. In this capacity
he studied the Moros and the Moro
problem. He tried in every honorable
way to concilinte the native chiefs and
| judges or dattos, but the Moros would
| not take the word Of white man.
Later they learned that Pershing's
word was never broken.
| Finally. after studying the question
from every possible viewpoint. he de-
cided that the only way to subdue the
against them. Washington coIncided
| with this view and Pershing went into
the jungle.
Every foot of the way. through mud
dy roads little better than jungle trails,
| 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 Mohamme-
dan warriors. who believed that to die
| Staying Christians insured them OF
life In heaven with a white horse to
ride and beautiful hours to walt upon
them.
Against odds like this the expedition
fought and cut its way to the Lake
Lanao country, where the Moros had
gathered In force.
At Bayan Captain Pershing gave the
rebels their first taste Of American
fighting. The battle resulted In bril-
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 battalion
of infantry, a squadron Of cavalry and
section of guns Pershing moved
against him and threatened to demol-
ish his fort unless he gave In.
The sultan was defiant. He dreamed
that his stronghold was impregnab!e.
In two days 1t was a memory and the
American troops had received upon
their bayonets the last maddened
charge Of the Moro band. The Ameri-
cans had two men wounded.
One after the other 40 Moro forts
fell under Pershing's assaults and the
island Of Mindanao was ut peace, two
Americans having lost their lives.
Then the PershinR smile succeeded
the lighting grimness Of his face and
the Moros became his friend. They
made n datto OF him and they submit
ted to his Judgment In their legal dis
putes. and the United States made him
military governor OF the department,
For this work he was advanced to the
grade Of brfeadier general. although
962 Officers had priority over him.
For n time pershinR was relieved of
hi. ph,,inn,ne dnties because Of mi
health INT the Moros az Jolo continued
IN ,nota trouhla and no was sent hack
~ suhdue them az no had the rehels
Of Mindanao. II was a bigger task,
and one the magnitude of which has
seldom confronted a regular army OH
Ger except In time of actual war.
pershinp picked a 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
Jack" and "Fighting John" Pershing.
There wasn't man under him whose
face the general didn't know and whom
he could not call by name,
The Moros-men. women and chill
dren-had taken refuge and fortified
Themselves in the crater of Bud DaioI
an extinct volcano on the island of
Jolo persHinp announced tn his men
that no was going 70 drive the rebels
out Of the crater IL IL took ten wears
to do Il
There were eOO Moros. everyone Of
them imbued with the faith that each
Christian ne slew would De his slave