▁writer ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁put ▁the ▁figure ▁at ▁about ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁dead ; ▁Filip ino ▁histor ians ▁believe ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁around ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁ab uses ▁out rag ed ▁anti - Im per ial ist ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁when ▁these ▁became ▁known ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁Judge ▁Adv oc ate ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁observed ▁that ▁only ▁the ▁good ▁sense ▁and ▁rest raint ▁of ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁Smith ' s ▁sub ordinates ▁prevent ed ▁a ▁complete ▁reign ▁of ▁terror ▁in ▁Sam ar . ▁▁ ▁As ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁his ▁order ▁in ▁Sam ar , ▁Smith ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁" How ling ▁W ilder ness ▁Smith ." ▁Smith ▁earned ▁another ▁sob ri quet , ▁" H ell - Ro aring ▁J ake " ▁not ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁violence ▁in ▁war , ▁but ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁pen chant ▁for ▁making ▁out rage ous ▁o ath s ▁and ▁the ▁extra v ag ance ▁of ▁his ▁language . ▁ ▁W aller ' s ▁court - mart ial ▁Smith ' s ▁order ▁was ▁not ▁discovered ▁by ▁super iors ▁or ▁the ▁media ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁given . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁only ▁revealed ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁court ▁mart ial ▁of ▁Major ▁Little ton ▁W aller , ▁one ▁of ▁Smith ' s ▁sub ordinates , ▁which ▁began ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁Major ▁W aller