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barroom gambling debts , and finally , his apparent trademark of making false official statements . His service record amply reflects his propensity for making imprudent and intemperate remarks , both written and oral , and a recurring pattern of blatant disregard for veracity . He was dogged by creditors and civil courts for bad debts throughout his entire career , leading to excessive absences from duty for court appearances and culminating in a years ’ absence on sick leave for “ marked nervous prostration and depression .” 6
According to some American historians , the selection of Smith for promotion to Brigadier General and assignment as the military commander of Samar and Leyte must have been one of the gravest blunders of the entire war . But in so far as his superior Gen . Chaffee was concerned , he was most effective for the situation when diplomacy and tact did not work , when the time for leniency was over .
Immediately after his appointment , he gave his subordinates carte blanche authority in the application of Abraham Lincoln ’ s 1863 General Order 100 . This order , in brief , authorized the shooting on sight of all persons not in uniform acting as soldiers and those committing , or seeking to commit , sabotage . Early in the campaign , Smith directed several of his garrison commanders and in particular , Marine Major Littleton Waller who replaced Capt . Bookmiller in Basey , “ I want no prisoners ....! I wish you to kill and burn . The more you kill and burn , the more you will please me . I want all persons killed who are capable of bearing arms in actual hostilities against the United States .... the interior of Samar must be made a howling wilderness .”
When Waller sought clarification of the age limit to respect , Smith quickly tagged every Filipino boy ten years and older as capable of bearing arms and , accordingly , combatants . 7
Smith made no secret of his deep dislike and mistrust of the Filipino natives . Even prior to his Samar stint , Smith told his officers to remember that “ many [ Filipinos ] who apparently are friendly to the Americans [’] rule are guilty of the blackest treachery and all officers are warned not to allow their suspicions to be lulled to sleep by friendly association and social intercourse with the native inhabitants .” That was probably one of the lessons he learned from the Balangiga experience .
General Smith regularly complained about the excessive leniency of Ameri can officers . For example , following the arrest of several Filipinos suspected of attacking a group of U . S . soldiers with bolos , Smith lamented , “ I only wish that I could have been there to have sum marily dealt with them , but it is difficult to get officers to take prompt measures under G . O . 100 . . . . A few killings under G . O . 100 will aid very much in making the enemy stop these assassinations .” 8
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