▁his ▁servants ▁in ▁his ▁home . ▁ ▁Philipp ine – American ▁War ▁ ▁Smith ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Philippines ▁during ▁the ▁Philipp ine – American ▁War . ▁ ▁Smith ▁describes ▁his ▁tact ics ▁to ▁the ▁media ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁Jacob ▁H . ▁Smith ▁( now ▁a ▁colon el ) ▁bo ast ingly ▁informed ▁rep or ters ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁that , ▁because ▁the ▁n atives ▁were ▁" wor se ▁than ▁fighting ▁Indians ", ▁he ▁had ▁already ▁adopted ▁appropriate ▁tact ics ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁learned ▁fighting ▁" s av ages " ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁West , ▁without ▁waiting ▁for ▁orders ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁from ▁General ▁El well ▁S . ▁Ot is . ▁This ▁interview ▁prov oked ▁a ▁head line ▁announ cing ▁that ▁" Col onel ▁Smith ▁of ▁ 1 2 th ▁Or ders ▁All ▁Ins urg ents ▁Sh ot ▁At ▁Hand ", ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁end ors ed ▁Smith ' s ▁tact ics ▁as ▁" long ▁over due ." ▁ ▁Prom otion ▁by ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft ▁Because ▁of ▁Smith ' s ▁ ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War , ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁civil ian ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁decided ▁to ▁promote ▁Smith ▁to ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁with ▁a ▁cave at . ▁T aft ▁wrote ▁that ▁Smith ▁" had ▁reached ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁promotion ▁to ▁a ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ship ▁would ▁worth ily ▁end ▁his ▁services , ▁for ▁I ▁believe ▁it ▁is ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁ret ire ▁upon ▁promotion