Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-02
CHAPTER xxi

TN anticipation of the expedition
around the lake a letter was written
to all Moros as follows:
-. 1.-The Americans have now been in
the Laguna de Janao nearly one wear.
During that time we have constructed
good road from Malablang to the
lake. We have given employment to
many Moros at good wages. We have
established a good market at Bayan.
We have not molested any Moros ex-
cept some who attacked us We have
visited as friends all points on the
south side of the lake from Ganassi
to Gaia. We have gone across the
lake and visited many rancherias there.
We have kept every promise we have
made. We have not interfercd with
the customs, habits, government or re
igion of any Moro.
Therefore we have demonstrated
to the Moros and to the whole world
that we are not here to make war;
not to diSposSess the inhabitants of
l.anao of their lives. property, or any
thing that is theirs, but are here for
the good of the Moros, as representa-
tives of our great government, of which
all Moros are a part. All fair minded
Moros who know have become our
friends because they believe we are
honest and that we can and will help
the people in the Laguna. All sensi-
Bile Moros in the Laguna want peace.
Two or three dattos refuse our friend
ship simply because, as they say, they
do not like Americans.
g To those dattos / say they are OBJ
etructing the establishment of univer-
sal peace in the I4aguna and If they
continue their opposition they must
some day suffer the consequences of
their stubborn Ignorance
Captain John Joseph Pershing set
out on the third of his four memorable
expeditions against the hostile Moros
of Lake Lanao in Mindanao on April
S, 1903.
The story of this third expedition.
like the stories of the first and second
expeditions, is best told In Pershing's
own words. His account is to be found
in the records of the war department.
1t follows:
The command was provided with
ample facilities for boiling water and
each man was furnished an extra can
teen. This was done as a precaution
against cholera. which was prevalent
among the Moros along the west coast
of the lake.
Notice had previously been sent to
all the principal rancherias on the
west. coast, and especially to Raco-
lod. as to the friendly purposes of
this expeditions, and all were caution
ed that they must not modest us or
oppose the march.
The expedition started at : a. m,
April ), 1903, and went into camp at
Madhuhba near a beautiful spring of
water. Friendly Moros in the vicinity
furnished an ample supply of wood
At about l a. IN. that night several
shots were fired at one of the outposts
by Baacolod Moros, who had crept
up in the grass to close range, and
two enlisted men of troop A, Fifteenth
cavalry, We're wounded.
'Resuming the march at an early
hour the next morning many war
flags We're seen displayed on the Bac-
olod stronghold, where opposition was
expected, these Moros having been
openly hostile and defiant for nearly
year Some two miles west of Bac-
olod large party of Moros had as
sembled on the lake shore and We're
brandishing their weapons and firing
an occasional shot in our direction.
but some well directed volleys and two
or three shots from one of the Maxim
guns dispersed them.
The country from Madumha TO
Bacolod is rough and the trails are
difficult, so ii was nearly o'clock
in the afternoon when the head of the
column arrived in the vicinity of Bac-
olod, where the first real resistance
was met although n few shots had
been fired from an insignificant fort
at Linok, which was returned without
delaying the columns.
The plan was TO attack Bacolod
from the north, and to do this 1t was
necessary to rather keep up in the
hills, where we had to work our way
very SLOWLY. After a skirmish. in
which several outlying forts and par
ties of Meros We're either destroyed
or dislodged, the ridge on which Bac-
olod is located was cleared of hostile
Moros and occupied. To reach this
ridge we had to cross a deep defensive
ditch that extended about 500 yards up
the hill from the fort, the crossing be-
Ing made at about 500 yards from the