On 20 Oactober 1901 a 351 man " Battallion" of Marines was detached from the Asiatic Fleet and attached to the US Army by order of President Theodore Roosevelt to relieve and
… reinforce the 9 th of the US Army under the command of Brigadier General Jacob H. Smith, US Army after the Massacre of Balangiga. Major Littleton T. Waller commanded the Marines who captured the Island's Revolutionary commander General Vicente Lukban pursuant to th following order: .
".
I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn; the more you kill and burn, the better it will please me... The interior of Samar must be made a howling wilderness....
".
- Gen. Jacob H. Smith .
I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn; the more you kill and burn, the better it will please me... The interior of Samar must be made a howling wilderness... http://wiki.answers.com/#cite_note-nyt-2 http://wiki.answers.com/#cite_note-melshen-3 .
".
- Gen. Jacob H. Smith .
(From Wikipedia) Waller did have 11 Fillipino porters shot, was Court Martialed on the charge of Murder by a US Army Court Martial convened by Arthur MacArthur (father of Douglas MacArthur). The March across the Island came later as a mopping up exercise and scouting expedition for a telegraph route. It was a disaster of barefoot hiking and starvation that cost 10 Marines their lives. Waller hiked at least 250 miles during this expedition and those who served on it were forever saluted by the command : "Stand Gentlemen, he served on Samar". Marines today rarely understand the "Why" but come to attention when the Command is given. A Vetran of the Frozen Chosin, Khe Sahn or Con Tien is often honored in this manner by a gathering of Marines. Waller was aquitted at the Court Martial. He reached the rank of Major General but never became the Commandant. General Smith was convicted and retired. (MORE)