The Philippine Scouts: A Case Study in the Use of Indigenous Soldiers, Northern Luzon, the Philippine Islands, 1899
Abstract
This study attempts to investigate how the Philippine Scouts originated and how they were used during the Philippine Insurrection. It focuses on determining the precedence for the U.S. Army's use of indigenous soldiers prior to 1899. Given this background and the situation in the Philippines during the first year of the Insurrection, this study examines the operational tactics employed by the U.S. Army, particularly Generals Lawton and Young, in utilizing Macabebe scouts to defeat the Philippine revolutionary army under Emilio Aguinaldo during the conventional portion of the fighting. Findings reveal that the original Philippine Scouts were instrumental in supporting the defeat of the Filipino revolutionary army, nearly capturing Aguinaldo in November 1899. This they would accomplish in March 1901. Their performance was so impressive that Congress enacted legislation to institutionalize the Scouts as an official element of the U.S. Army Garrisoning the Islands. The results of this study are compared to the Kit Carson Scout program during the Vietnam War with a view toward determining if the U.S. Army applied any lessons learned from the Philippine Scouts experience. Although the situations were similar, at first glance does not support the conclusion that the U.S. Army remembered the successes of the Philippine Scouts during the Vietnam War.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA138032
Entities
People
- Allan D. Marple
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College