Jacob "Howling Wilderness" Smith-- Part 5: "I Want No Prisoners"

With orders to suppress the uprising, Smith had carte blanche to do as he pleased, and he intended to make the Filipinos on Samar live in a "howling wilderness."  they were to be hurt in excess.

He gave orders to Major Littleton Walker of the USMC, who commanded a battalion of Marines sent to help Smith these orders:  "I want no prisoners.  I wish you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn the better it will please me.  I want all persons killed who are capable of bearing arms in actual hostilities against the United States."

When asked  at what age did Filipinos pose a threat, Smith replied:  "Ten years.  Persons of ten years  and older are those designated as being capable of bearing arms."

A sustained and widespread massacre of Filipino civilians followed.  Food and trade to Samar were cut off.  Widespread destruction was used to try to turn the civilian population away from supporting the guerrillas..  Troops were used in sweeps across the interior of the island.  Americans columns marched inland destroying homes and shooting people and draft animals.

--Cooter