The Battle of Bayan and Other Battles Part 1

The Battle of Bayan and Other Battles.

by James Edgar Allen and John J. Reidy.

NOTE BY THE AUTHORS.

The facts, as related in this little volume, actually occurred on the dates herein mentioned, and anyone doubting the authenticity of this statement can easily verify it by communicating with any of the persons mentioned within these pages, or by consulting the files of any leading Newspaper or Magazine, nearly all of which published accounts of the affairs shortly after they occurred.

THE AUTHORS.

_THE SOLDIER'S DEATH IN MINDANAO._

_(By John J. Reidy.)_

_The lone shades of evening have fallen o'er the white tented plain, And the sun has sank deep in the horizon of the watery main.

The Camp is all silent, the banners are waving no more, And the sound of the waves are echoing from the far distant sh.o.r.e._

_The tire-worn soldier, fatigued from the march of the day, Is silently sleeping and dreaming of scenes far away.

Of his own Native Land where he spent many jovial hours, Of the sweetheart with whom he has roved by the shady green bowers._

_He sees in his dreams the cherished home of his boyhood so dear, And the mother he loved as she sits by the fireside in tears.

She is thinking of him who has gone from her side to the war To fight the bold Moros in Mindanao's island afar._

_She is patiently waiting for the bright day of gladness to come, When with arms outstretched she will welcome the warrior home.

But lo, as the darkness grows denser in Mindanao's heights, The loud pealing of cannons is heard in the dark stilly night._

_The trump'ter's call, echoing loud through the hills and ravines, Has aroused the brave soldier from the joy of his whimsical dreams.

He has joined his brave comrades who have formed in line for the fray, Then he thinks of his mother, his sweetheart and home far away._

_The battle commences, loud crashes the bolos and spears And the gleam of the bayonets s.h.i.+ne forth like the stars in the sea.

Colonel Baldwin's command is now heard by the brave and the bold, As onward they charge like lions leaping mad at a fold._

_They meet in hot conflict, they bleed in the midst of the strife, For their country's freedom, for their glory, their honor and life.

The battle is over amid cheers from the victors of war, But alas, one brave hero has fallen with many a scar._

_Bleeding he lays on the field in his anguish and pain, Whose dreams were of home, of the loved one he will never see again.

He pictures, in anguish, his mother in sorrow and gloom, Vainly waiting for him who will never return to his home._

_The black cloud of death darkens o'er the young soldier so brave, Then he dies, and with honor is borne to his rest in the grave.

But the mother waits on, no news from the young hero comes, For he sleeps with the brave where he fell, in a warrior's tomb._

PREFACE.

In after years, especially when one has lived to survive a great battle, it is sometimes a pleasant thing to be able to recall to memory the scenes of by-gone days. But this cannot always be done in the desired form without some outside aid. Accordingly, this little volume is published for that very purpose, and the authors earnestly hope that it will meet with the approval of all those who were fortunate enough to survive those memorable events.

It has been the aim of the authors to give an unbiased description of the Battles, just as they occurred, and it is expressly desired that the public as well may derive some satisfaction from a perusal of the following pages.

THE BATTLE OF BAYAN AND OTHER BATTLES.

THE BATTLE OF BAYAN.

(PART FIRST.)

MEMORIES OF THE PAST.

As I sit here on the demolished walls of Fort Pandapatan, contemplating the magnificent scene spread out before me, my mind reverts to that awful Battle fought on the 2d of May of this year, which was rightfully designated by General Adna R. Chaffee as the hardest fought battle of the entire Philippine insurrection. And as I look down the gra.s.sy slopes of Pandapatan hill, and across the open towards Binidayan hill, on which once stood that impregnable Moro stronghold, Fort Binidayan, I can see in fancy those advancing lines of determined men and hear the awful screech of flying projectiles, just as if that terrible drama of reality were being enacted over again for my own especial benefit.

And while I am in the mood and have the inspiration to do so, I shall endeavor to convey to the reader a slight conception of what the Battle was like, and how it appeared to me on that eventful day, and which will go down in history as one of the most glorious feats of American arms.

I can see again, in fancy, that column of determined fighting men, at the head of which rode General (then Colonel) Frank D. Baldwin, struggling over the slippery mountain trails, fording the swift running rivers, and sweltering in the hot tropical sun, just as they did on April 17, 18, and 19, 1902.

It does not seem that several months have elapsed since General Chaffee issued an ultimatum to the Sultan of Bayan and other leading Moros of the Lake region, demanding the surrender of several Moro tribesmen for the murder of Pvts. Lewis and Mooris of the 27th Infantry, in March last, and for the return of several horses which had been deliberately stolen from Lieut. Forsyth, 15th Cavalry, at Buldoon, a small village in the mountains along the south coast of Mindanao.

When General Chaffee visited the little town of Malabang in the early part of April, inviting the Sultans and Dattos of the Lake region to come in and hold a friendly conference with him, little did he dream that he was taking the first step in what was to be one of the most aggressive campaigns ever inaugurated.

But when, instead of complying with the terms of the ultimatum, the Moros insolently replied to it and defied the Americans to come and fight, General Chaffee realized then that the situation was grave indeed, and accordingly telegraphed to Was.h.i.+ngton immediately for permission to proceed to the Lake region and administer a lesson to the recalcitrant Sultans and Dattos.

But it was not until after much delay that the War Department reluctantly gave permission to proceed against the Moros, and General Chaffee was cautioned not to go to the extreme of warfare, until every peaceful method had been exhausted.

THE FIRST ADVANCE.

Preparations were at once begun; an expedition was formed and got in readiness, and on April 17, 1902, six companies of the 27th Infantry, two troops of the 15th Cavalry, and the 25th Battery of Field Artillery started for the interior of Mindanao, which had, as yet, never been explored by white men.

The troops const.i.tuting that column were, for the most part, raw material, having been organized but a short time previous to the time of which I write, and had as yet seen but little of active service.

But it must not be imagined that they were all inexperienced in warfare, for in its ranks were many who had either transferred from other organizations or who had voluntarily enlisted in these organizations, and who had seen service in more than one war.

It is needless to narrate how the column marched over the first great mountain range which follows along the southern coast in a parallel line, and then on to the enemy infested region about Lake Dapao, which is but a forerunner of a more impregnable region, and which is now gradually resuming its former peaceful aspect, and which in time will develope into one of the most productive regions in the Philippine Archipelago.

THE ENEMY ENCOUNTERED.

Suffice it to say that after three days of hards.h.i.+ps and privation, those troops, const.i.tuting what was known as the "Lake Lanao Expedition," encountered the enemy on a bit of rising ground at a place known as Gadungan, and after two engagements fought, one there, and one at a place known as Fort Pualos, a camp was established in that vicinity and negotiations with the Moros were renewed.