The Aftermath of the Colorum Uprising

Details on the Military-Side On the Cofradia Uprising of 1924
BUCAS GRANDE ISLANDS


The armed forces during the US colonial period starting in 1899 consisted of regular American soldiers – from the US Army Philippine Department, Navy and Marines. These were coordinated with their involvements in China and Japan as well.
In 1900, to supplement the American forces, the Philippine Scouts (PS) was organized, officered by Americans. The Philippine Scouts lasted up to 1946, and the latter generations fought the Japanese. Those involved in the Philippine Insurrection, as the US Government calls it, from 1900 to 1937 thereabouts, were referred to as the ‘old Philippine Scouts’.
By 1919-1920, the Philippine Scouts were organized in Batallions and Regiments namely: the 43rd, 45th, and 47th Infantry Regiment PS; the 24th, 25th, Artillery Regiment PS, the 26th Cavalry Regiment PS. Later, there were Service and Support Formations such as the Coast Artillery, Medical Quartermaster, and the Fil-Am MP Company.
The Philippine Scouts is not to be confused with the Constabulary, which was basically a police force consisting of locals, officered by Americans, and later, including Filipinos . At the time of the conflict in Bucas, they were also in charge of health measures (Hurley) to cut down the outbreak of cholera in those times.
The Patrol Gunship USS (PG-19) Sacramento was a brand-new acquisition of the US Navy manufactured 10 years earlier. It saw action in China and the WWII, until finally decommissioned and sold. The designation PG-19 distinguishes her from other ships of the same name. She was supported by the Coast Guard Cutter Polillo.
The ship Commander was FRANK JACK FLETCHER, reporting to the Commander in Chief of the US Asiatic Fleet. The Sacramento fired 148 rounds of 4-inch battery. Fletcher became famous as Admiral of the USS Midway in WWII.
Lt. Col. Clarence H. Bowers led the assaulting team of with 100 elements, aided by a Marine machinegun team. Accordingly, many lives were saved because of “the terror inspired in the colorums by their machine guns”. Bowers was a veteran of the campaigns of Cuba, Jolo and Samar. While major, he was Superintendent of the School for Police Officers, now the Philippine Military Academy.. He retired as Brigadier General and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in California. His wife and daughter in Manila has not been heard of.
The Governor General, Major General Leonard Wood, a doctor by profession, became a veteran scout of the Indian campaigns with his superior Theodore Roosevelt who was President of the United States in 1902. Wood was the first Governor of Mindanao and Sulu – the only area consistently governed by a military governor since 1578. To implement the Residence Tax, he attacked the Moros in the slope of the volcano Bud Dajo in Jolo, killing 600 on record – men, women, children. Today, by a law sponsored by Senator Pimentel, 1000 of those dead are declared Martyrs. Wood prohibited the display of heroes in Mindanao after the Bucas event. He established the Culion Leper Colony. He died shortly in the US of brain cancer to the relief of Filipino officials.
Other elements involved were: the 15th Constabulary Coy, and Col. Ole Waloe, Major Stevens of the Sulu Expeditionary Force boarding the Presidential Yacht “Apo..”