The Third Sulu ExpeditionApril 21, 1905

April 21, 1905, pursuant to telegraphic instructions from Department Headquarters, a provisional battalion was organized for service on Jolo.
The battalion was formed of Companies A, D, and E, totalling 160 men, 1st Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Orville G. Brown, one sergeant
and five privates of the Hospital Corps. At the same time a provisional company was sent to Jolo from Cudurangan.

The Provisional Battalion, 22nd Infantry, under Major Abner Pickering, left Camp Keithley at 5:40 P. M. April 21, concentrated at Camp Overton
April 22, and left the latter station the same day on the steamer Romulus, accompanied by two troops of the 14th Cavalry under Major F. H. Hardie.
This was officially known as the Third Sulu Expedition. Two days later the command disembarked at Jolo, and, marching to Asturias Barracks,
went into camp. On the 26th the Provisional Company from Cudurangan arrived on the steamer Sabah and joined the expedition.
The operations which followed were of considerable importance, and for that reason the names of the officers accompanying the expedition
are here listed in full:

Major Abner Pickering, Commanding.
1st Lieut. and Battalion Adjutant Henry L. Harris, Jr. Adjutant.
2nd Lieutenant and Battalion Q. M. and Commissary E. L. Ball, Q. M.
1st Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Orville G. Brown, Surgeon.
Company A; 2nd Lieutenant R. V. Venable and 56 men.
Company D; Captain Orrin R. Wolfe, 2nd Lieutenant Charles B. Moore, and 61 men.
Company E; Captain George N. Bomford, 2nd Lieutenant Morton Russell, and 55 men.
Provisional Company; Captain Daniel G. Berry, 1st Lieutenant Sydney Smith, 2nd Lieutenant J. J. Burleigh,
2nd Lieutenant M. H. Thomlinson, and 97 men.

The total strength of this force was 13 officers and 279 men. The Commanding General of the Philippine Department took personal command
of the expedition, and divided it into four columns, the Provisional Battalion of the 22nd Infantry constituted the entire third column.

Soldiers of the 22nd Infantry in the Philippines.
Standing, 4th from right holding shotgun is LT Parker Hitt

Early on the morning of May 1, the command marched out toward Ipil, the first objective. At 8:30 A. M., in the Tambang Market,
the troops were fired upon by hostile Moros, and Private Samuel Weaver, of the Provisional Company, was mortally wounded.
This resistance was quickly overcome and the march resumed to Suliman, where camp was made for the night.
The march was again taken up the next morning with the Provisional Battalion acting as rearguard. At 1:00 P. M., firing being heard from the right
and rear of the column, Major Pickering was sent back with Companies A and D, 22nd Infantry. Pickering found Scott's Cavalry
engaged in a skirmish with the Moros, ordered the cavalry withdrawn, and sent Lieutenant Harris with Company D, to cover the withdrawal.
The latter mission was made particularly difficult by the nature of the terrain, which made intelligent reconnaissance practically impossible.

In the meantime General Leonard Wood reached the scene with the Provisional Company of the 22nd Infantry and a field gun.
Companies A and D of the 22nd, and Troop I, 14th Cavalry, were moved off to the right of the position in order to cut off a possible line of retreat
for the enemy. The single field piece was brought into action without delay, but the thickness of the woods completely prevented any observation
of the effect of its fire.

At dusk, Companies A and D were recalled, and orders issued for Major Pickering to take the enemy's position by assault.
The troops designated for the attack were Companies A and D, 22nd Infantry, supported by Troop I, 14th Cavalry,
with the Provisional Company, 22nd Infantry, in reserve. Lieutenants Venable and Thomlinson led Company A; Captain Wolfe
and Lieutenant Moore, Company D; Captain Berry and Lieutenants Smith and Burleigh, the Provisional Company. A slow, but steady advance
through the thick underbrush was carried on until resistance was met in the form of a bamboo fence, which had been erected by the Moros
as part of their defences. Company A took up a position parallel to this fence and opened a heavy fire on the enemy's line, while Company D
was placed in the firing line at right angles to Company A, this in order to outflank the enemy's left. About thirty minutes after the action commenced,
the enemy's fire weakened perceptibly, and it became apparent that the time had arrived for an assault in force.

Accordingly the provisional company was brought up and placed in line. As soon as the troops began moving forward the Moro defense broke,
and the fight was brought to a decisive conclusion. The body of Utig, with those of fifty-three of his followers, was found in the underbrush
near his foremost defensive position. The American loss in the action totaled two killed and thirteen wounded.

On June 4, 1905, orders were issued heartily commending the services of the provisional battalion of the 22nd Infantry during the expedition.
Lieutenant Harry L. Harris, Jr., the battalion adjutant, was mentioned for conspicuous gallantry in action, and Sergeant (First Class) James C. Gunn,
Hospital Corps, received a recommendation for the Certificate of Merit.

(Ed., In 1932 Abner Pickering would be awarded a Silver Star Medal for his actions at Peruka Utig's cotta on May 3, 1905.
The award of the medal was based on a citation for gallantry to Pickering in the engagement at Utig's cotta which was published in
General Orders No. 43 Department of Mindanao dated December 31, 1905.)

Following are the casualties suffered by the 22nd Infantry in the course of the expedition:

Killed in Action:
Private Eary E. Sansoucie, Company A.
Corporal Daniel Newport, Company F.

(Note: In the 1922 Regimental history the name of Private Eary E. Sansoucie
was incorrectly entered as Eary E. Lanconcy.)

Died of Wounds:
Private Elick Howell, Company B.
Private Howard Glasgow, Company C.
Private Samuel Weaver, Company G.

Wounded:
First Class Sergeant James C. Gunn, Hospital Corps.
Private Nelson R. Hughes, Company A.
Private William Ayer, Company A.
Private Elmer E. Gore, Company A.
Private George C. Buck, Company B.
Private Joseph A. Adams, Company B.
Private James W. Wild, Company C.
Private James J. Stamates, Company D.
Musician Jacob Orken, Company I.
Corporal Luther Jessup, Company L.
Corporal Frederick K. Paul, Company M.

Years after the event, 1st Lieutenant Henry L. "Harry" Harris, Jr. , mentioned above for conspicuous gallantry in action,
was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the 3rd Sulu expedition.

Henry L. Harris Jr.

Graduation portrait U.S. Military Academy 1899

Looking very much like he would have at the date of his
actions for the award of the D.S.C.

The Distinguished Service Cross

Henry Leavenworth Harris Jr. was the third in his family to graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point. His grandfather
Nathaniel Sayre Harris graduated in 1825 and his father Henry Leavenworth Harris graduated in 1869. Henry L. Harris Jr. was born on
August 20, 1875 and graduated in 1899 when he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 20th Infantry. After his promotion to 1st Lieutenant
of the 10th Infantry in 1900, he commanded four companies of Ilocano Scouts in the Philippines in 1901. He was transferred to the 22nd Infantry
on February 4, 1903, and at the end of that year sailed with the Regiment to the Philippines. He served with the 22nd Infantry until July 17, 1905,
when he tendered his resignation from the Army. On June 18, 1907 he was offerred a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Field Artillery,
which he accepted on July 23 of that year. In 1908 he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in the 3rd Field Artillery, and while in command of a work detail
he met with an accident which resulted in the loss of his left leg. He was retired from the Army as a 1st LT with a disability in the line of duty on June 16, 1909.
In September 1917 he was recalled to active duty at the recruiting station at Scranton, PA. He was detailed to Quartermaster duty in 1918 with the
temporary rank of Captain, and served as the Executive Officer of the Quartermaster General Supply Depot at Newport News, VA, until October 15, 1919,
when he was ordered to Scranton, PA., as assistant to the Recruiting Officer there, until March 31, 1920. He was again recalled to active duty
from March 3 to July 18, 1921. Harris was carried on the unlimited retirement list until June 21, 1930, when he was fully retired with the rank of Captain.
He died on November 6, 1957.

In 1922 a battery of two 16 inch guns at Fort Tilden, New York, was named for Henry L. Harris, Jr.
For photos and details of Battery Harris, click on the following link:

The citation for the award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Henry L. Harris, Jr., reads:

June 4, 1905, after burying the dead with appropriate honors, the command marched to Ipil, and the following day proceeded to Pala's territory.
His cotta was captured and Companies A and B and the provisional company established in camp as a guard over the equipment and supplies.
Company E was dispatched as a guard over an intrenched crater.

A great deal of hardship was encountered by the troops at this time on account of the difficulty in obtaining suitable drinking water.
One hundred and fifty filled canteens were sent by the men left at Ipil to those in the forward positions. Of these, only seventy were recovered,
and a terrible shortage of water for the former troops resulted, many of the men becoming completely exhausted from the enforced lack of water.
June 6, the march was resumed to Tubig Bilaam, and on the 9th to Kansukan, where Orangcay Hatai surrendered forty-two rifles
and one hundred and eighty men. The rifles were taken over by Captain Berry with detachments of the provisional company, 22nd Infantry,
and the provisional company, 17th Infantry.

The return march to Jolo was made via Liet lake, where camp was made on the night of the 12th of June. The following night was spent at Suliman,
and on June 14th, the command went into quarters at Asturias barracks.

Companies A and E embarked on the 20th, and sailed the next day for Malabang. Thence they marched to Vicars,
and from there proceeded on the gunboats Flake and Almonte to Camp Keithley, arriving June 24.
The provisional company, in the meantime, remained at Jolo.

The day following the arrival of the column at Camp Keithley, Quartermaster Sergeant John C. De Ginther was killed in a personal quarrel
with two Moros, both the Moros being wounded. This was the only item of interest occurring during the remainder of the month of June and in July.
The provisional company was relieved from duty at Jolo July 5, proceeded immediately to Camp Keithley and was disbanded on the 8th.

September 1, 1905, forty native convicts, employed at hard labor on the Pouton-Marahui road, overpowered their guards and made their escape.
Troops were ordered in pursuit of these men and two detachments of the 22nd Infantry were organized for this purpose. The first of these
consisted of Captain Lawrence A. Curtis, Second Lieutenant Venable and twenty men from each of Companies A and F. The second
was made up of Second Lieutenants Max B. Garber and B. B. McCroskey, and twenty men from each of Companies L and G.
The search for the escaped convicts was carried on for three days, at the end of which time, no trace of them having been found,
the troops were returned to their station.

During the month of September, 1905, a great amount of triangulation and surveying was completed by a detachment of twelve men
of the 22nd Infantry under First Lieutenant Solomon B. West. This had to be done under an almost incessant fire from parties of hostile Moros,
and great credit is due Lieutenant West and his men for their successful efforts in this direction.

On June 22, 1905, orders were received directing the relief of the 22nd Infantry by the 15th Infantry.
Events of the near future, however, prevented the order from taking effect.

Soldiers of the 22nd Infantry inside a Moro cotta.
Note the bamboo, mud brick and earth construction, and the fixed bayonets of several of the Soldiers.
On the far left, half out of the picture is a lantaca, a small caliber smooth bore cannon used by the Moros.