Chapter 8 - The Lake Lanao Campaigns
Life at Camp Vicars
The newly-established Camp Vicars in mid-1902
The tent-city encampment was established May 4, 1902 on the high grassy plain south of and nearby to Lake Lanao, less than 1,000 yards from the site of the Battle of Bayan, near a fresh water supply. It was named in honor of 1st Lt. Thomas A. Vicars, who was killed in the assault on Fort Pandapatan. Shortly after its establishment, General Chaffee ordered Col. Baldwin back to Malabang, in order to leave Captain Pershing as the senior officer in charge of the camp, and gave Pershing a wide mandate to continue his efforts to forge relationships with the Lake Lanao Maranaos and convince them to accept U.S. sovereignty. Top - camp headquarters. Middle - larger tents housing 4-6 men, generally the cavalry and artillery. Bottom - two-man pup tents for the infantry.
(Photos: Pershing Collection: Library of Congress)