Major General William J. Snow

From Wikipedia.

WILLIAM J. SNOW  

(December16, 1868 to February 27, 1947)

Career U.S. Army officer who reached the rank of major general.  Served as Chief of Field Artillery for seven years in the 1920s.

Native of Brooklyn, New York.  Graduated from USMA in 1890 and commenced a long career in the Army's field artillery branch.  Served in New York early in his career, then graduated  from the artillery school at Fort Monroe.  During the Spanish-American War  he was involved with coast artillery in Louisiana.

Served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War before returning to the States to command a battery at Fort Riley (Kansas).  Then spent several years on duty at the Militia Bureau and commanded a battalion at Fort Myer (by Washington D.C.)

He commanded  the 1st Field Artillery Regiment in the period immediately preceding World War I.

--Cooter

USS Zafiro-- Part 3: Busy in the Philippines

Regardless of whether she was a commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy, she accompanied Dewey's fleet when it departed Hong Kong in April 1898 and served as a collier and supply ship during the Battle of Manila Bay and the ensuing Philippines Campaign.

(A collier is a bulk coat ship, also carries supplies, in case you're wondering.

The lack of documents covering her  activities inj1898 and the first half of 1899 precludes any history of her service during that time.  Presumably she plied the waters of the Philippines carrying troops, supplies and dispatches between those points..

Based at Cavite on Luzon, she is known to have performed such missions during the period of time from latter 1899 and June 1904.  Those movements in support of the U.S. Army's suppression of the Philippines Insurrection and campaigns against the Moslem Moro tribesmen took her to a host  of exotic places throughout the islands.

On 10 June 1904, the Zafiro was placed out of commission at Cavite and her name was struck from the  Navy List on 15 January 1906.  On 21 October 1910 she was sold to Mr. J.W. Zeeve of Seattle, Washington.

--Cooter

Blacks Serving in the Military-- Part 4: Spanish American War and Aftermath

In April 1898, following a period of rising tension over Spanish treatment of native Cubans, the United States declared war on Spain.

The Navy had enough manpower, but the Army only had 28,000 soldiers.  Enlistees, volunteers and National Guard units soon added 220,000 more, including 5,000 black men, but the only black troops to fight in the war were the Buffalo Soldiers.

The bloodiest and best-known battle in Cuba was the Battle of San Juan Hill, during which the most difficult fighting was by the Buffalo Soldiers, five of whom received the Medal of Honor for that action.

They would go on to achieve fame and distinction in the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1903), Mexico (1914), World War I (1916-1918) and World War II (1944-1945).

USS Oregon (BB-3)-- Part 4: Service in the Pacific, the Boxer Rebellion, WW I, Pres. Wilson and the Washington Naval Treaty

 After the war, the Oregon had an overhaul and was assigned to the U.S. Asiatic Squadron and participated in the Philippine-American War (Philippines Insurrection).  It also sailed to Japan and reinforced the Eight-Nation Allied Force in China's Boxer Rebellion.  

In 1901, she returned to the U.S. for a refit before returning to her Asiatic Station before being decommissioned in 1906.  During the next several years, the Oregon was modernized and then recommissioned in 1911 and patrolled off the west coast of the United States.

During World War I, the ship saw no action but did  escort troop ships carrying soldiers bound for the Russian Civil War. Afterwards, she was decommissioned for a short time in 1919 before recommissioned for a short time the same year and hosted President Woodrow Wilson during a review of the Pacific Fleet in Seattle, Washington.

In 1920, she was assigned the hull number BB-3 and beginning a year later, a group of naval enthusiasts started a campaign to turn her into a naval museum to be based somewhere in her namesake state.  The Washington Naval Treaty in 1922 required the Oregon to be demilitarized which she was.

By 1924 she had become listed on the Naval register as an "Unclassified Relic."

In 1925, the Navy loaned the Oregon to that state and she was moored in Portland and restored as a museum vessel.

But, That Was Not Her End.  --Cooter

The Court Martial of Major Littleton Waller, USMC for Actions in the Philippines

Major Littleton Waller acted as a major subordinate in carrying out Jacob Smith's orders on Samar and was afterwards court martialed for the executions of  eleven mutinous Filipino porters.

Waller's defense did not mention Smith's orders directly, but used  provisions of the Civil War's  General Order  Number 100 (also called the Lieber Code).  This order dictated how Union soldiers were expected to conduct themselves in relation to enemy military and is considered a precursor to the Geneva Conventions.

The General Order permitted the killing of POWs in reprisal for  violations of the rules of war by the enemy and also provided for the summary execution of spies, saboteurs and guerrilla fighters.

Jacob Smith was called to testify about his orders but perjured himself and denied that he had given any special orders to Waller.  In response, Waller  revealed Smith's order and produced three officers to corroborate it.  Waller said he had been ordered to take no prisoners and to kill every Filipino over the age of ten.

The court martial board voted 11-2 to acquit Waller.  It was later stated that an Army court had no jurisdiction over a Marine officer.

But, this case led to the court martial of Jacob Smith.

--Cooter

Jacob "Howling Wilderness" Smith-- Part 6: A Reign of Terror

The exact number of Filipino civilians killed by U.S. troops will never be known.  Littleton  Waller, the head of the Marines on Samar, in a report said  that over an eleven-day period, he and his men had burned 255 dwellings, shot 13 carabaos (water buffalo) and killed 39 people.

A British researcher in the 1990s made an exhaustive research and put the figure on Samar about 2,500.    Filipino historians put the number around 50,000.

The American abuses on Samar outraged people in the U.S., especially anti-imperialists.  The judge advocate of the Army said that only the good sense of Smith's subordinates kept things from being much worse during the reign of terror.

Because of  this reign of terror, Jacob Smith became known as  Howling Wilderness" Smith.  He also had another nickname, "Hell-Roaring" Smith because of his use of swear words.

Smith would be court-martailed for this.

Don't Mess With Jake.  --Cooter

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

Jacob "Howling Wilderness" Smith-- Part 4: The Belangiga Massacre

Because of his bravery in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, Smith was promoted to the rank of brigadier general by Philippine's  governor William Howard Taft. It was with the thought that Smith would then retire, but that didn't happen.  Smith remained in the Army.

In 1899, Smith boasted to reporters that  he was going to use Indian tactics against the Filipino insurgents and would be really harsh with them.  Then, there was a situation in Luzon where Smith's actions angered the locals.

But, by far the worse thing that happened was the Belangiga Massacre where 51 American soldiers of Company  C of the 9th U.S. Infantry were killed.  This provoked shock and anger in the United States and newspapers called for reprisal.  Military governor of the Philippines, Major General Adna R. Chafee, received orders from President Teddy Roosevelt to pacify the island of Samar where it happened.

He appointed Jacob Smith to do this.  This proved to be a mistake.

And Then It All Happened.  --DaCoot

Gen. Jacob "Howling Wilderness" Smith-- Part 3: A Checkered Past

And, there were other questionable aspects to Jacob Smith's affairs.  there were other military problems as well.  (Read the Wikipedia article for more information on these.)

Then, there were lawsuits for debt against him.  Then, there was a $7 harness case against Smith that dragged on from  1871 to 1901.  In 1885 he was  court martialled for  for "conduct unbecoming and officer and a gentleman."  In 1891 he was charged with using enlisted men as servants in his home.

It was just one thing after another with Jacob Smith.

Then came the Philippine-American War in which Smith was posted to the Philippines.

--CootSue

General Jacob "Howling Wilderness" Smith-- Part 1

Back on May 1st, I wrote about the American reprisal following the Belangiga Massacre, which definitely was not one of our prouder moments, thanks in large measure to the actions of this general.  I had never heard of him before, but his is quite a story.

From Wikipedia.

GENERAL JACOB H. SMITH  (January 29, 1840 to March 1, 1918)

United States Army officer notorious  for ordering an indiscriminate attack on Filipinos in the Philippine-American War  (Philippines Insurrection) following the Spanish-American War.  American soldiers killed anywhere between 2,500 and 50,000 civilians.

His orders included:

"Kill everyone over the age of ten."

"Make the island a howling wilderness."

He was court-martialed for this, but nothing happened.  However, the press took to calling him:  "Hell Roaring Jake" Smith,  "The Monster", "Howling Wilderness Jake"  and "Howling Jake."

--CootHowl

The Belangiga Bells-- Part 3: Taken As War Souvenirs

After the massacre, the town was recaptured on September 29, 1901, by Co. G, 9th Infantry.  They departed town the same day and were replaced by Companies K and L of the 11th Infantry.  When the 11th left the town, they took the bells from the destroyed church and a cannon from the plaza in front of it.

The reason for taking them was that one of them had been used to signal the attack that became the massacre.  The smaller bell was the one that started the massacre and  before the 9th shipped off for home, the 11th Infantry gave it to the 9th and it was taken to the Madison Barracks at Sackets Harbor, New York where a brick pedestal was built to display it.

In 1918, it was moved to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington, and later ended up in South Korea at an army base.

The 11th Infantry had the two larger bells and took them with them when they redeployed to Fort D.A. Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  In 1905, the two bells and cannon were displayed by the fort's flag pole with a sign about their significance.

In 1927, Fort Russell was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren which later became Francis E. Warren Air Force Base.

Next, Recovery Attempts.  --Cooter

The Belangiga Bells-- Part 2: Reprisal, "Howling Wilderness"

The first bell was cast around 1853, the second around 1889 and the third, and smallest, was acquired in 1895.

On 28 September 1901 a group of Filipino villagers from Belangiga ambushed Company C of the 9th U.S. Infantry while they were at breakfast, killing 48 and wounding 22 of the 78 men.  Supposedly, one of the bells had been used as the signal bell to launch the attack.

In reprisal, General Jacob H. Smith ordered Samar to be turned into "a howling wilderness."  Any Filipino above the age of ten was to be shot and this resulted in the most widespread slaying of Filipinos during the entire war.  There was also massive destruction on the island.

The Americans seized all three of the bells as war trophies.

General Smith and Marine Corps Major Littleton Waller  were both court-martialled for the severity of the reprisals.  Both were acquitted.

I'll be writing some more about the general who was quite an interesting character.

--DaCoot

The Belangiga Bells-- Part 1: Taken As War Trophies

Last month I wrote about the Belangiga Massacre which took place during the Philippines Insurrection in 1901.  That was in relation to Fort Russell in Wyoming where two of the bells ended up as war trophies.  That traced back to Francis E. Warren, a powerful senator from that state and a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient.  This was all part of one of my Road Tripping Through History.

From Wikipedia.

The Belangiga Bells are three bells that were taken by the U.S. Army  from the Church of San Lorenzo  de Martir in Belangiga, Eastern Samar, Philippines, as war trophies following the Belangiga Massacre in 1901.  One ended up at base camp of the 9th Infantry in South Korea and two others at the former base of the 11th Infantry at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

People representing the Catholic Church in the Philippines, the Philippines government and the residents of Belangiga have tried since the 1950s to get these bells returned and they were returned on December 11, 2018, after 117 years.

A Story With a Happy Ending.  --Cooter

The Belangiga Massacre-- Part 5: Deaths and Afterwards

The exact number of Filipinos killed is not known and likely never to be.    In the 1990s,  a ten-year study was made on the Belangiga Massacre by British writer  Bob Couttie who put the figure at 2,500.  yet, there are some historians who put the figures closer to 50,000.

When events in Samar became known, there were prompt investigations.  Secretary of War Elihu  Root sent orders to relieve American commanders and to court martial Gen. Jacob Smith.  Jacob Smith and Littleton Waller faced courts martial.  Waller was found not guilty and Smith was found guilty, admonished for his tactics and forced to retire.

What About the Bells?

The Belangiga Massacre-- Part 4: Excessive Retaliation on U.S. Part

Gen. Jacob Smith further ordered that Major Littleton Waller kill all persons who were capable of carrying arms.  When asked about an age limit, Smith replied anyone over the age of ten.

Food and trade to Samar to starve the revolutionaries into submission.  The hope was that the villagers would stop supporting the guerrillas and turn to the Americans for help.  His soldiers began sweeps in the interior looking for guerrillas.

American columns marched across the island destroying homes and shooting people.  At one point Waller wrote that over an 11 day period his men had burned 255 homes, shot 13 carabaos (domestic water buffalo) and killed 39 people.

It was noted later by the Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army that the reason this did not get worse was that junior officers often didn't follow orders fully.  When this destruction was learned in March 1902 back in the United States, this greatly agitated anti-imperialist groups.

I found an article about General Jacob Smith in Wikipedia.  His was quite a story.  I'll be wrting about it in the future.

Not An Honorable Part of American History.

The Belangiga Massacre-- Part 2: Friendly Then Not-So Friendly

The attack and subsequent retaliation remains one of the longest-running and most controversial issues between the governments of the Philippines and the United States.  Conflicting accounts only further the situation.  Some Filipino historians hold that the true "Massacre" occurred took place when American troops burned whole towns during the March Across the Samar.

In the summer of 1901, Brigadier General Robert P. Hughes started an aggressive policy of food deprivation and property destruction to force the end of Filipino resistance.  Samar was a major center of the hemp trade which was financing resistance forces.  Plus, American interests wanted to get control of the lucrative business.

On August 11, 1901, Company C of the 9th U.S. Infantry arrived at Belangiga, the third largest town on the island.  At first, relations between the Americans and villagers were friendly.  The situation deteriorated and the villagers and their leaders decided to attack the Americans.  There is a whole lot more in the Wikipedia article.

--Cooter

The Belangiga Massacre and Bells-- Part 1: What Was It?

In the last post I wrote about two of the Belangiga Bells of the Philippines being at Francis Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and being returned a few years ago.  I'd never heard of this, so....

From Wikipedia.

Date September  29, 1901

Place:  Belangiga, Samor, Philippines

Result:  Filipino victory

Also called the Belangiga Incident and Belangiga Conflict.  Took place during the Philippine-American War.

About 49 members of the U.S. 9th Infantry killed by the townspeople, allegedly aided by Filipino guerrillas.

It has been described as the worst massacre of U.S. troops since  the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.

--Cooter

Francis E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming-- Part 2: Fort Russell

The Air Force base was originally named Fort D.A. Russell when it was established in 1867 to protect workers on the Union Pacific Railroad.   In 1930, the fort's name was changed to Fort Francis E. Warren. In 1949, it became Francis E. Warren Air Force Base.

It was the home of three black regiments, the famed Buffalo soldiers, for much of the late 19th century.  By 1900, Fort Russell was one of the largest cavalry bases in the United States.

In 1898, the Spanish-American War renewed the importance of the post.    Soon afterwards, the 8th Cavalry  left for Cuba.    Later that year, the Wyoming National Guard mustered in at Fort Russell.  In the Battle of Manila, the Wyoming National Guard were the first to reach the city and raise the flag.

In 1901, troops from Fort Russell returned to the Philippines  to put down the insurrection for independence during the Philippine-American War.  They returned with a Queen Mary Tudor cannon forged in 1557 and two of the three Belangiga bells, which had been used by the insurrectionists as a signal to launch an ambush on American troops.

The bells were returned to the Philippines in 2018.  The seven-foot cannon,  the only one of its kind in the U.S. is on display near the base flagpole.

--Cooter

First Americans Killed in WW I Action-- Part 4: Thomas Enright

From Wikipedia

Thomas F. Enright, private.  First Pennsylvanian serviceman killed in action WW I and perhaps the first American to die.  (It is not known in what order the  three men were killed.)

Born May 8, 1887.  His parents were Irish immigrants.  Enlisted in the Army in 1909 and served in the Chinese Boxer Rebellion and the Philippines Insurrection.  In 1914 he was in Vera Cruz, Mexico, with Pershing looking for Pancho Villa.

In 1916, he left the Army and went home to Pittsburgh.  He reenlisted in the 16th Infantry at Fort Bliss, Texas.  On June 26, 1917 he and his regiment disembarked in France.

--Cooter

Today's Marine Corps Came of Age in WW I-- Part 1: Just How Well Would They Perform?

From April 24, 2017 Army Times.com  by Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia (ret).

BELLEAU WOOD SHOWCASED GRIT, GUILE THAT STILL DEFINES THE SERVICE.

(Sgt. Major Brysan B. Battaglia served 36 years in the Marine Corps including as the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2011-1016).  Quite a record for him.

America's initial entry into World War I, which came three years after the war began, was more promise than power for the Allies.  Military experts on both sides of the Atlantic knew that  the Americans had the numbers, but their was little experience as far as combat troops.

The Army had been deployed to the Philippines to fight insurgents and units (and National Guard) had served along the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa times during the Mexican Revolution.

But this service was to be different from what they had faces.

--Cooter