Early Years of American Period

EARLY YEARS OF AMERICAN OCCUPATION

The first American to reach Davao on December 14, 1899 was General James Bates of the 23rd Infantry, Commanding General of the Mindanao-Jolo forces stationed in Zamboanga. The occupation of Davao by the Americans started with the arrival on December 20, 1899 of Major Hunter Liggett of the 21st Company of Volunteers on an expedition mission. Others who came with Liggett were Captain Burchfield of the Kentucky Volunteers, Jerry Roscom and a handful of other American-volunteers-soldiers (most of the regiments that came to fight in the Philippines were composed of volunteers constituting a cross-section of American society). These soldiers marched through forests and ravines campaigning and fighting hostile tribes to achieve their mission of extending American sovereignty in this part of the Philippine archipelago. Davao then was still wilderness.

By the time the Americans came to Davao as a new colonial power at the turn of the 20th century, Davao was already peopled by indigenous ethnic tribes found in the interior or hinterland; by Muslim settlers found along the coasts of Davao river; by Christian Filipino descendants of Davao’s first Filipino Christian settlers of 1848, by Christian Filipino migrants from Luzon and the Visayas who migrated to Davao to escape political persecution in their provinces in the late 1800s, by army disorders, by few fugitives, and by the foreign migrants (Indonesians, Chinese, Hindus, Bombays,Syrians, and Lebanese) who inhabited the cabecera or town proper.

The first American settlers in Davao were the soldiers who were attracted to the place while campaigning. These soldiers-turned-settlers appeared as unwelcomed guests to the native inhabitants composed of different native ethnic tribes (Mindanao society was still tribal even after more than three hundred years Spanish rule).

The second group of Americans to appear in Davao was made up to the members of the Taft Party – the second Philippine Commission. In a written account of this group’s visit to Davao, Mrs. Bernard Moses who was the wife of one of the Commissioners mentioned an example of what would become of the situation of the soldiers. She said, “American soldiers, despite the hardship of campaigning were favorably impressed with the countryside and its people and were already making plans to return as civilians.” She further mentioned that “three of the army officers will settle in Davao when they are discharged and going to the business of cattle raising and farming. There is certainly a chance to make money here if one is willing to exile himself from civilization.”

Most of the volunteer-soldiers returned home when their regiments were disbanded but a handful of them, challenged by the new environment, took their discharge and stayed. One such volunteer-soldier was Captain James Burchfield. He came as a captain of volunteers and upon his discharge, sent his company home and stayed in Davao. He began encouraging others to stay, like the engineers who came to build bridges and roads, captains of boats who became infatuated with the lure of hemp, merchants and professionals who fell victims to the attraction of Davao. These early pioneer settlers, with the help of some native tribes cleared the “jungle” from the swamp and settled in t he land most of them armed with nothing but only strong determination.

The other Americans who came projecting the region and settled in Davao were veterans who had taken their discharge in the Philippines after the Spanish-American War of 1898. They were encouraged to settle in Davao by General Leonard Wood who was that the military governor responsible for most of Mindanao.

During the early years of the American occupation (1899 to 1901) the pioneer settlers faced hardships, deprivations and loneliness. There arose problems such as the task of clearing their acquired land, facing hostile tribes, and having illnesses with no available doctors and medicines. There were times when they worked and lived like animals. Wild animals inhabit the place. It was said that Davao then had a reputation as the “White Man’s Grave”. Those who survived the different crises later became the successful planters and plantation owners.

At first military rule under the Americans prevailed and military administration was established followed by civilian administration. The military governors were Major C. Cowles, Frank Carpenter and Edward Robert Bolton (a quasi-civil governor) who was assassinated after a week of appointment. The first appointed Filipino governor was Eulalio Causing, a Cebuano.