LUKBAN
expected to help them , had become “ mutinous .” They repeatedly disobeyed orders , refused to scout the trail or gather firewood . When they found edible wild food , they hid it from the Marines . Late in the ordeal , when Williams ordered three of them to search for firewood , one jumped him , stabbed him with a bolo , and bit him in the hand while the rest looked on . “ Although the attack occurred but a few yards from camp , it was at least two minutes before the men came to my assistance , and then the first to come , Sgt McCaffery , was too weak to work the bolt of his rifle .” Pursuit was out of the question . Williams had to let go of the three natives as they escaped into the bush .
Much as he wanted to execute the other natives in his party , it was impossible for Williams and his men in their condition to carry it out . He was afraid that the natives would kill them instead .
Finally , at noontime of 18 January , the Army relief party came upon Williams and the other survivors who literally crawled towards the Army troopers . They reached Lanang by nightfall , and on the 20 th , all of them were in the hospital in Tacloban . He was able to telephone Waller at Basey and told him of their ordeal . The 11 remaining porters were at once arrested and brought to Basey . After their brief interrogation , Waller ordered their execution , which was carried out in the afternoon of the 20 th . The next day , he told Gen . Smith that he had “ expended ” 11 natives . 22
Clouded judgement , needless executions
Ironically , the press and military mythology lionized the affair into an epic tale of courage and glory . So the ensuing historical record of the patrol is not one of botched leadership but of epic perseverance and survival under unimaginable hardship . On closer look , however , it was Waller ’ s poorly planned and executed march across the southern end of the island that led to the loss of 11 Marines to starvation , exhaustion and exposure , not the mutiny or disservice of the native couriers . When the Army patrol came upon them , the survivors emerged from the jungle “ starving , barefoot , covered with leeches and water sores , and clothed in rags .” It was , in fact the Filipino porters , using native ingenuity to forage for roots and fruit , that probably saved the remainder of the Marines from perishing . Except for three who deserted on the fateful journey , the couriers ultimately earned even the soldiers ’ weapons and ammunition because the Marines emerged from the march literally helpless and halfcrazed with fever .
Thus , Waller ’ s decision to execute the 10 porters only made matters worse for him and the Marine survivors , who were convinced that
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