THE U.S. ARMY AND THE MORO WARS (part 3/4) - "AN ARMY FOR EMPIRE" -

[Mike]

LIGHTNING FROM THE CLOUDS:
THE U.S. ARMY AND THE MORO WARS

By Dirk deRoos

MAP AND UNIFORM DRAWINGS

BY GREG ROSE



"AN ARMY FOR EMPIRE" ; U.S. FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES, c. 1900

From 1899 to 1916 a large number of regular and volunteer U.S. troops were rotated through tours of duty in areas inhabited by the Moros. No effort is made here to list all of these united, although specific reference will be made to some in the course of the following discussions.

At the end of the 19th Century a U.S. regular infantry regiment consisted of eight lettered companies armed with Krag-Jorgensen 0.30 caliber smokeless powder magazine rifles. Volunteers were usually armed with the older single-shot black powder Springfield 0.45/70 caliber rifle. A cavalry regiment comprised ten troops or half-squadrons, while each artillery regiment had 12 batteries. The battery was the basic tactical unit for artillery. American field pieces were 3.2" quick firing breechloaders, and 3" mountain pack howitzer. Hotchkiss machine guns, improved gattling guns, and other miscellaneous types of rapid-fire weapons were in use attached to infantry regiments.

As the 20th Century proceeded through its first decade this armament and organization evolved and altered somewhat. One of the main changes in armament was the replacement of the 0.38 caliber service revolver by the 0.45 caliber automatic pistol. The 0.38 couldn't stop a determined Moro warrior in time to prevent him from wreaking havoc before he fell. The change to the 0.45 pistol was a direct result of the Moro war.

The 0.45 Colt automatic threw a slug that would stop a galloping horse in its tracks and could even slow down a "juramentado" rush.

The Philippine Scouts were raised at the turn of the century and officially designated in 1901. By 1904 the Scouts wore standard U.S. Army dress with a brass "P" on the front of their slouch hats. They were armed with the Springfield carbine. At least some Moros served in the scouts. In all, over 30 companies of scouts were raised. Captain (later General of the Armies) John J. Pershing began his meteoric rise within the American military while serving with the Philippine Scouts.

Perhaps even more famous than the scouts was the Philippine Constabulary officially authorized late in 1901. Technically the Constabulary was a civil police force officered initially by Americans and European adventurers. In reality it was a hard fighting strike force numbering about 7,000 men. Dispersed in company unites or smaller groups it was often the spearhead of the attack. "Outnumbered, always; out fought, never!" was its well-chosen motto. Over 1,000 casualties in its first five years of existence pointedly demonstrates that it was often in the thick of it. Some Moros served along with the pagan tribesmen that filled the ranks of the "P.C.".

A typical expeditionary force moving against the Moros would consisting of a battalion or two of infantry, several troops of cavalry (mounted or dismounted depending on the country) a battery of mountain guns, a pack train, a few companies of Scouts or Constabulary and native or Moro auxiliaries or guides (usually few in number).