Matthew Westfall's Blog, page 2

October 21, 2012

The General Summers Album – Manila, 1898

Studio portrait, while at the rank of colonel.

Local boys watching a war artist sketch in the field.

At rest along Escolta, Manila's main commercial street.

Portions of Manila burned by insurgents.

Burying the dead. (And let's be clear: Filipinos who gave their lives in a valiant fight for freedom.)

Another album from my collection of Philippine-American War photographs. This album was put together by Owen Summers, a Civil War veteran and prominent merchant from Portland who commanded the 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry. He arrived in Manila on June 30, 1898, received its surrender from the Spanish two months later, and was quickly promoted to brigidier general. After relations with Philippine forces deteriorated, the 2nd Oregon saw actions in the Battle of Manila and forty other engagements. Here is a selection of images from this wonderful album of images.

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Published on October 21, 2012 14:28

The Curious Case of the Unpaid Laundry Bills at Baler, 1902

A portrait of some of the women of Baler, circa 1900. Over the two and one-half year presence of a US Army garrison at Baler, from February 1900 through mid-1902 (when policing was handed over to civilian control), a number of local women were contracted by the American soldiers to wash their laundry. What follows here is a detailed record found at the US National Archives that documents the issue of unpaid laundry bills at Baler, and the laughably bureaucratic response by the US Army and civilian authorities in Manila to settle the thorny issue.

The first US soldiers to arrive at Baler were with the 34th Infantry, who arrived in February, 1900 with General Frederick Funston. A year later, they were replaced with a company of 22nd Infantry under the command of Captain Detchemendy. Here, another image of women taking laundry to the Baler River for washing.

For a final, abbreviated 3-month period, Company B, 24th Infantry, comprised of black enlisted men under the command of white officers, was assigned to Baler, under the command of 1st Lieutenant James D. Taylor Jr. By oversight or design, some 20 of these soldiers managed to slip out of Baler on their return to the United States without paying local debts amounting to $78.93 (which in today's dollars would be about $2,200 in equivalent purchasing power). The payments, due to some 20 laundry contractors for washing clothes ($59.68) and the Spanish priest who was apparently running a small-time

In order to get the $78.93 postal money order cashed and paid out to the people at Baler, the documents took a series of convoluted turns through the US Army bureaucracy. Here we see the first of 11 separate endorsements. The 1st endorsement was by Major Millard Watz, Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of Luzon, on Jan 16, 1903, followed by a 2nd endorsement a day later from his superior, Brigadier General James Franklin Wade, Commanding General of the US Army's Department of Luzon. Unable to figure out how to get the funds to Baler to be paid out since the US Army no longer had a post there, Captain George Tayloe Langhorne, 11th Cavalry and Acting Assistant Adjutant General of the US Army's Headquarters Division of the Philippines, referred the matter to the civilian Governor General's Office for action in a 3rd endorsement.

The documents were received at the Executive Bureau, Government of the Philippines by Beekman Winthrop, the 27-year-old acting executive secretary to Governor General of the Philippines (and future US President) William Howard Taft. Notably, the Harvard-educated Winthrop was directly descended from the first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop (who first served from 1629) and the first governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, the Younger (who first served in 1657). And while he didn't know it just yet, the wealthy, well-connected Beekman would be appointed the following year by his personal friend Teddy Roosevelt to serve as Puerto Rico's first Governor-General. In this endorsement, Beekman agreed to have Captain Harry W. Bandholz, the Governor of the Province of Tayabas, handle the payments but noted the postal money order had not been endorsed for encashment. Therefore, Winthrop coursed the check back to the Adjutant General, Headquarters Department of Luzon, for the attention of Major General George Whitefield Davis (4th endorsement), who through Captain Langhorne send it back to the Department of Luzon (5th endorsement) on January 27, 1903.

Two more rounds of endorsements, signed by Brigadier General Wade and Captain Langhorne on behalf of Major General Davis, debate who should and can endorse the postal money order.

On February 3, 1903, Beekman Winthrop, acting on behalf of Governor General Taft, forwarded the endorsed postal money order to the Governor Bandholz, along with a list of individuals at Baler who were owed money (8th endorsement). Some six weeks later, on March 16, Governor Bandholz returned the list along with a letter of certification of payment and individual hand-signed receipts by the 20 women as well as the Spanish priest (9th endorsement).

Once this was received at the Governor General's office in Manila, Winthrop forwarded the package to the US Army headquarters in the Philippines on March 19, 1903 (10th endorsement).

Captain Langhorne, Adjutant General's Office, US Army Headquarters Division of the Philippines, finally forwarded the package back to Lieutenant Taylor at Fort Harrison, Montana on March 20, 1903 (the 11th and final endorsement).

Included in the package: A certification dated March 8, 1903 that Deputy Treasurer of Tayabas Province, William Mason paid all the people in Baler owed money as instructed, signed by 2nd Lieutenant Harry Coleman, Philippine Constabulary, and witnessed by a (Felix?) Bitong, the Presidente (Mayor) of Baler.

What follows here are a series of 'chits' and signed receipts, each carefully spelling out the unpaid laundry charges, the enlisted soldier's name, and the amount paid. These first two receipts are from Tesiana Angara and Paulina Armada for $1.50 each washing of laundry, issued to Privates Harry Brooks and Sumner Smith.

Receipt from Gabina Sinda in the amount of $1.75 for washing to Private Robert Howard.

Three receipts from Regina Morada totaling $3.20 from Privates Harold Gorins and William Gilbert. In addition to laundry, a charge of 70 cents is for the purchase of cigars.

Receipt for a payment of $1.00 for washing, signed by Hipolita Gonzales , to Private Frank W. Creasy.

Receipts for payments totaling $1.95 for washing signed by Crispina Crehera to Privates Frank Creasy and Elija Goodwin.

Receipt for a payment of $2.40 for washing, from Felisa Sinda to Private Jonathan Moore.

A receipt of payment from Felisa Sinda for $1.50 for washing, to Private Frank Benson.

Two receipts totaling $3.00 for payment to Segunda Priginal (later Friginal?) for washing, issued to Privates Marshall Black and Julius Jackson.

Receipt for a payment of twenty cents (!) to Christa Magno for washing, to Private Frank W. Creasy.

Two receipts for a total payment of $3.00 signed by Demetria Gonzales for washing, to Privates Silas Smith and Richard Kairson.

and Feliza dela Cruz, until all the women at Baler were paid in full.

Finally, the deputy treasurer of the province paid out cash owed to one of the survivors of the 'Siege of Baler', the Spanish Priest Juan Lopez, who had lent $19.25 to the soldiers of Company B. Interestingly, when the Americans brought together the three liberated priests in June, 1900, the garrison commander found them destitute and bedraggled and ordered each man a new set of clothes (at a cost of $5.00 per set.) Here, Lopez had the equivalent of $425 in 2012 dollars in play with the men of the 24th Infantry as part of an apparent money lending operation.

The amounts lent ranged from 75 cents to $7.50, spread across six soldiers.

The final typed list of the people of Baler, noting that they had been finally paid the amounts owed to them by the soldiers of Company B.

Incredibly, over the course of five months, this painstaking effort to pay $78.93 -- with some 'chits' as small as twenty and twenty-five cents -- ultimately involved a range of senior officers of the US Army, including a major general, a brigadier generals, a major, two captains and a lieutenant, and on the civilian side, the governor general, his executive secretary, the provincial governor, the provincial deputy treasurer, the mayor of the town of Baler and the chief of the police (Philippine Constabulary) in the valley. A curious case indeed!

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Published on October 21, 2012 13:06

Corporal Kwiatkoski’s Album – Tayabas and Lucena, 1908

Presenting a few more selected images from my collection, these from an album assembled by Joseph W. Kwiatkoski, a corporal with Company D, 9th Infantry. Kwiatkoski enlisted at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on January 8, 1908, and sailed for the Philippines shortly thereafter. While the Kwiatkoski album dates outside the Philippine-American War era, it offers a series of stunning, a large format photographs taken in and around Tayabas and Lucena in southern Luzon some six years after the insurrection was officially declared over by the Americans.

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Published on October 21, 2012 08:39

A Soldier’s Souvenir Photo from the Philippines

An unidentified bugler, photographed at Centro Artistico, Manila circa 1899.

Notes on the back of this card identify the soldier as William D. Welsh of Brooklyn, New York, photographed on September 22, 1898.

A unnamed soldier of the 16th US Volunteer Infantry, photographed at the Ting-Sang & Company studio on Arsenal Street, Iloilo.

A soldier with his rifle, photographed at Centro Artistico, Manila.

Two soldiers, photographed at Centro Artistico, Manila.

A soldier with his Krag and mounted bayonet, photographed at Centro Artistico, Manila.

Charles E. Callan, August 26, 1898, photographed at Manila.

Another US Army bugler, photographed at Fotografia Pertierra, a studio located at Calle Corriedo 2, Manila.

John H. Kennedy, Troop C, 1st US Cavalry, photographed at Lucena, Philippines, 1900.

Notations on the back of this card explain that this is James Merle Dabney of Company G, 1st California Volunteers, who died in the Philippines in 1899.

Robert E. Greene, 37th Infantry, photographed in Manila on December 1, 1899.

Keen to send pictures home to family from the exotic Philippines, many American soldiers and sailors visited the portrait studios found in Manila’s bustling commercial district. The more popular studios at the time included Centro Artistico at 9 Escolta and Fotografia Pertierra at 2 Carriedo Street. Here are a few selected images from my collection.

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Published on October 21, 2012 06:37

A Flag from the Philippine-American War

An extremely rare example of an early Philippine Revolutionary flag, made of cotton and silk, and depicting a hand-painted mythical sun with a face, a symbol common to several former Spanish colonies. Based on an crude inscription along the back border, the flag was captured by Corporal Alden Carpenter, 39th Infantry, after an engagement with Filipino forces at Lipa, Batangas on January 14, 1900.

A wonderful detail. Official records reveal that elements of the 38th and 39th Infantries and 5th Artillery encountered a group entrenched insurgents near Lipa, Batangas and drove them through the town on that date, killing 8, wounding 13 and liberating 130 Spanish prisoners in the process. Corporal Carpenter apparently seized the flag as a souvenir, which returned with him to the United States at the end of his tour of duty.

The incredible detail of the sun's face. Also fascinating is the use of a 5-pointed star in this flag, possibly relating to a faction of the Katipunan. The modern design of the Philippine flag as we know it today, conceptualized by Emilio Aguinaldo during his exile in Hong Kong and first flown on May 28, 1898, depicted 8 rays of the sun, representing the provinces placed under martial law by Spain.

Acquired a decade ago from a military collectibles dealer in the US, I have since had the flag professionally restored by a team who works with the collections at the Smithsonian and other museums. One really has to wonder: How many other such incredible artifacts from the Philippine-American War are stored away and forgotten in attics and basements across America?

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Published on October 21, 2012 05:53

October 14, 2012

Frankfurt Book Fair 2012 – The Short Tour

The Frankfurter Buchmesse 2012: The world's largest, legendary international book fair, showcasing 7,000 exhibitors, 3,200 events, and four conferences spread out across eight massive exhibition halls just wrapped up today.

The HarperCollins booth. A subsidiary of News Corp, with over 30 imprints.

In snazzy, backlit photo displays, HC showcases a handful of their bestselling authors.

Established by Andrew Wylie, this is the only literary agency to set up shop on the main hall of the Frankfurt Book Fair to promote their roster of authors.

The awesome Wylie catalogue, highlighting 221 of their over 700 clients. My favorites: Chinua Achebe, William S. Burroughs, David Byrne, Henry Crumpton, Maurice Sendak and gonzo road tripper Hunter S. Thompson.

This year Phaidon launched a cool graphic design archive presented in a neat box. They always do great stuff.

Phaidon also offered a wonderful review of 20th century architecture.

The Penguin Group. I'm looking forward to the release of Thom Hatch's THE LAST OUTLAWS: The Lives and legends of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, under their New American Library imprint, on February 5, 2013.

New Zealand was this year's Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Bonnier, part of a privately-held Swedish media group controlled by 75 family members, including seventh-generation descendants. In the US, Bonnier owns 40 magazines including such staples as Field & Stream and Popular Photography.

Globe Pequot Press. which owns the Lyons Press imprint.

I bumped into a Gruffalo in Hall 3. Knowing he was a hit on the West End, I was waiting for him to break into song.

Hachette UK, part of Hachette Livre, the largest publisher in France. Hachette is a subsidiary of a massive conglomerate, the Lagardère Group, which holds a 7.5% stake in the aerospace and defense firm EADS.

Interesting follow-up by the author of the breakaway Christian bestseller, The Shack, which sold an incredible 18 million copies. Released by Faith Words, a Hachette imprint, with a pub date of November 13, 2012.

Little Brown, another Hachette imprint. Whisky Beach will be Nora Roberts 204th novel, adding to the 450 million books she already has in print. How is that humanly possible?

Toronto-based Kobo, with their cool e-reader.

The Macmillan Group, part of the Stuttgart-based Holtzbrink holding company. To the right we see the upcoming installment of Bad Kitty: School Daze, where the trouble-seeking feline will grapple with obedience school, adding to the 4 million copies already in print.

Lots of kids' stuff this year, as always. Kids devour books.

Osprey Publishing, the destination for military history. I was able to pick up a great monograph on the M1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun.

The Perseus Books Group offers a number of imprints: Avalon Travel, Basic Books, BasicCivitas, Da Capo, PublicAffairs, Running Press, Seal Press, Vanguard Press, and Westview Press.

Random House, the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. An awesome booth. The next thing you know they'll be introducing a water feature behind the counter. I picked up two great galleys here: Alex Kershaw's THE LIBERATOR (November, 2012), and John Geoghegan's OPERATION STORM (May 2013). Can't wait to read both!

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Published on October 14, 2012 14:07

October 6, 2012

The Baler Petition – April 10, 1902

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During my research for The Devil’s Causeway, I was completely stunned to find this incredible document buried in the files at the US National Archives. As the war in the Philippines was drawing to a close, the US Army command for Northern Luzon asked the hundreds of military garrisons across the region to survey local residents as to whether a military force should be maintained in their respective areas of control. Dated April 10, 1902, this petition was initiated by Mayor Tomas Amasona and signed by all 249 men of legal age at the town of Baler, District of Principe, who unanimously expressed “their keen desire to have a detachment of soldiers stay in their town in order that the peace and tranquility which has marked it since the arrival of troops in this district may remain…” The wonderful signatures that follow are a priceless genealogical treasure trove for Balerians. By my count, the largest family name representation is Angara (14), followed by Sindac (8), Friginal (7), Gonzales (7), Morillo (6), Valenzuela (6) and Bitong (5), among others. We can also see the signature of Felisiano Rubio, the trusted translator and guide for the US Army garrison. How cool is this?

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Published on October 06, 2012 16:47

A 3rd Cavalry Officer’s Photo Album – The Philippines, 1899-1900

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We stumbled across this great photo album at the US National Archives in Washington DC, assembled by an officer in the 3rd Cavalry. The album, covering his tour of duty in the Philippines from 1899 – 1900, documents his arrival in Manila, a number of local landmarks and people, and his unit’s movements into northern Luzon. Later images cover his arrival in Baler with General Funston. Fascinating stuff!

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Published on October 06, 2012 15:07

September 23, 2012

Parker Hitt’s Sketch of Venville’s Grave

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A copy of the original sketch by 2nd Lieutenant Parker Hitt, 22nd Infantry, of the gravesite of Naval Apprentice Venville. After more than a year of searching for the remains of the murdered sailor, soldiers from the Baler garrison discovered the grave on September 5, 1901, located along the Diatt River in San Jose de Casignan (known today as Maria Aurora). The soldiers built an impromptu memorial of stones, marked it with a wooden cross, and carved an inscription into a nearby tree. Later, the sailor’s remains were disinterred and returned to Venville’s family in Sellwood, Oregon, where they rest today.

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Published on September 23, 2012 10:29

Laguna Lake’s Malahi Island Military Prison

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It doesn’t look like much now, but this little goldfish cracker-shaped spit of land in the foreground, Malahi Island, was the site of a notorious US Army Military Prison during the Philippine-American War. Nestled off the tip of Talim Island in the middle of Laguna de Bay, the Malahi Military Prison Post served as a tropical Alcatraz of sorts for captured insurgents, hardcore criminals and other high-value detainees. After languishing in Manila’s Bilibid Prison for more than three years, Baler’s rebel leader, Teodorico Novicio, was transferred to Malahi in September 1904 to serve out his life sentence at hard labor. Within a month, Novicio had formulated his deadly plan of escape.

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Published on September 23, 2012 10:06

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