PDA

View Full Version : Searching for "17th Company, 6th Battalion, Philippine Scouts"


Capt. Cheatham
21-07-07, 03:24
This is my first post here, so I hope I don't violate any of the rules of the site. I am a real military history nut, so I am very happy to have found the forums.

I have a request to make. I am researching one of my ancestors who was an officer in the 'old' Philippine Scouts. For those who are not familiar with the old Scouts, this was the first special forces unit to be organized by the US Army and fought a war of insurrgency in the Philippines very similar to today's war in Iraq.

My great great uncle was the commanding officer of the 17th Company, 6th Battalion, of the Philippine Scouts. My uncle was a sergeant in the 3rd US Artillery, Battery K, and participated in the Battle of Manila during the Spanish American War, for which he awarded the Certificate of Merit. He was then promoted to lieutenant and transferred to the 11th Cavalry USV, then received a Presidential appointment as a 1st lieutenant 1901, as one of the original officers in this unit when it was formed. He was promoted to captain in 1909 and given command of the 17th Company, which was stationed at Augur Barracks, Jolo Island, Moro Province, Philippine Islands. In 1912, he rotated back to the Presidio in San Francisco, where he retired, until recalled back to active service in 1917, training recruits for service during WWI at Camp Kearny, San Diego, CA, in the use of field artillery. He was Capt. Lindzy E. Cheatham, and I have posted a picture of him below:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/CaptLindzyE.CheathamPhilippineScouts.jpg

The photo that I am trying to find, is the one below:

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/17thCompany6thBattalionPhilippineSc.jpg


This is a scan from the original photo that I have in my possession. It is a group photo of the 17th Company, circa 1910, taken at Augur Barracks. As you can tell, it is in horrible condition, having been folded up years ago and stuffed into an old college yearbook of my Dad's. I can deal with the bad condition, but the most important person of all, is missing! Right in the very center, at the bottom, the only image of him left is his crossed boots - the rest of him has disappeared and have no idea how to recreate him in the photo in order to restore it.

I am really hoping that someone here may see my post and know something about this photo and where I can find a complete copy of it. I have already tried the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, but they are really geared more to the history in the Philippines in the late 30's & 40's during the war. I also contacted the Univ of Cal at Berkley, Bancroft Library, where I found Capt. Cheatham's personal photo, but no luck, there either.

Since this photo is almost 100 years old, I may not find another one. I have never even seen another of this photo, either.

Here's hoping someone here may be able to help. Any help at all will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

John A Silkstone
21-07-07, 09:00
Hi Capt Cheatham,

Welcome to the site, I’m sorry to say that I cannot help you, but if you're lucky you may have better luck with some of the other chaps. I wish you well in your endeavours and I think the photos are fantastic.

Silky

Bombardier
21-07-07, 13:57
Yes welcome to Mi.Net Capt Cheatham, I will keep a look out for the photo and any other information i can find.

Glad you found us and chose to share your pics sal;camo;

Bombardier
21-07-07, 14:00
Found this poem

To the Philippine Scouts



The desperate fight is lost; the battle is done.
The brown lean ranks are scattered to the breeze.
Their cherished weapons rusting in the sun.
Their moldering guidons hidden by the leaves.
No more the men who did not fear to die
Will plug the broken line while through the din
Their beaten comrades raise the welcome cry,
“Make way, make way, the Scouts are moving in!”

The jungle takes the long defended lines
The trenches erode; the wires rust away,
The lush dank grasses and the trailing vines
Soon hide the human remains of the fray.
The Battle ended and the story told
To open to the Scouts as they unfold
The tired little soldiers enter in.

The men who were besieged on every side
Who knew the dissolution of retreat
And still retained their fierce exultant pride
And still were soldiers—even in defeat,
Now meet the veterans of ten thousand years
Now find a welcome worthy of their trade
From men who fought with crossbows and with spears
With bullet and with arrow and with spade.

The grizzled veterans of Rome built upon
The Death-head horde of Attila the Hun
The Yellow Horror of the greatest Khan
The guardsmen of the First Napoleon
All the men in every nameless fight
Since first Man strove against Man to prove his worth
Shall greet the tired Scouts as is their right
No finer soldiers ever walked the Earth.

And then the Scouts will form to be reviewed
Each scattered unit now once more complete
Each weapon and each bright crisp flag renewed
And high above the cadence of their feet
Will come the loud clear virile welcoming shout
From many throats, before the feasts begin,
Their badge of Honor mid their comrades rout—
“Make way, make way, the Scouts are moving in!”


Written by 1st Lt. Henry Lee, 12th Military Police Company, during the Battle of Bataan. Lt. Lee was taken prisoner when Bataan fell and perished in the sinking of a Japanese “Hell Ship” Oryoko Maru transporting American POWs to Japan towards the end of WWII.

Capt. Cheatham
21-07-07, 16:57
Thanks, guys. Yep, plenty of stuff out there about the 'new' Philippine Scouts, but the 'old' ones that were organized at the end of the Spanish American War in 1901, that's tough to find. In 1917, the unit and all the battalions were reorganized and incorporated into the US Army as an infantry division as their role had changed from counter insurrgency to defense of the Philippine Islands, and these are the Philippine Scouts most people know about. The original Scouts only had 2 weapons - the Krag-Jorgenson Rifle and the Bolo Knife. Here are a couple of the other photos that I have been able to locate on the net about them.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/0303crop.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/0008Phil.Scouts39thCompany.jpg

Officers & men of the 39th Company, PS

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/0007PhilScouts39thCompanyOfficersan.jpg

Officers & NCO's of the 39th Company

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/gg32068/0003aPhilippineScout1904artprint1.jpg

Dress Uniform of Officers of the PS, appx 1904