LUKBAN
the other natives .” The distance was about 52 miles across unknown and uncharted jungles . While his earlier victory earned him laurels in the military ’ s high command , this expedition would leave a black mark on his career for the excesses he and his men would commit and send him later to a court martial that would stir up controversy in his own country .
Waller spent most of December in leading an expedition from Basey to the east coast , during which he fought numerous small and successful skirmishes in Quinapundan , Omagonggong , and Pambujan . But these were unexciting and indecisive . “ Unless we meet with something much more serious than we have during this march , I think it safe to say that the southern part of the island of Samar is as quiet as many parts of Luzon , where peace is supposed to reign ,” he wrote in his report to Smith .
In late December , Waller reached Hernani on the coast which was garrisoned by the American Army . There , two Army officers , Capt Pickering and Lt Williams , attempted to talk him out of the proposed march but he could not be dissuaded , “ remembering the General ’ s [ Smith ] several talks on the subject and his evident desire to know the trail and run wires across , coupled with my ( Waller ) own desire for some further knowledge of the people and the nature of this heretofore impenetrable country .”
The expedition took off from Lanang ( now Llorente ) on 28 December , on a day that contrasted strongly with earlier , very heavy rains . Waller took Porter and Bearss , 1 st Lt Williams , 2d Lt Halford , and 2d Lt Lyles , an Army officer assigned by Brig . Gen . Smith . In addition , the force comprised 50 enlisted Marines , two native scouts named Slim and Smoke , and 33 native carriers or cargadores .
They travelled by boats as far up river as they could , which was not very far , but the subsequent march at once hit on a terrain which was tortuous . “ Gritty soil tore through heavy soles of hobnailed marching boots , heavy vines and thorns ripped clothes from the body and dispensed slimy leeches which homed under lacerated skin to produce painful , festering sores . The mountainous country dictated constant fording of the river which , in turn , spelled wet clothing with severe chafing . Then the rains returned .”
Movement got slower and slower . Then two days later , Waller reduced rations ; the next day he cut them to one-half and the number of meals per day to two . “ By 1 January , his maps had been destroyed and he had as yet seen nothing that looked like the alleged Spanish trail . On 2 January the column was reduced to one-third rations ; by 3 January many of the men could no longer keep up .”
Waller now decided to take Lt Halford and 13 men in the best condition , push on to a rendezvous with Capt . Dunlap who was waiting with food and clothing on the Sojoton river , then send back a relief party
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