ian ▁up ro ar ▁in ▁central ▁Lu zon . ▁ ▁Sam ar ▁campaign ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁fifty - one ▁ ▁American ▁soldiers ▁of ▁Company ▁C ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁U . S . ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁station ed ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Bal ang iga , ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁southern ▁coast ▁of ▁Sam ar ▁Island , ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁a ▁surprise ▁gu err illa ▁attack . ▁They ▁had ▁been ▁deployed ▁to ▁Bal ang iga ▁to ▁close ▁its ▁port ▁and ▁prevent ▁supplies ▁reaching ▁Filip ino ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁interior , ▁which ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁were ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁Vic ente ▁L uk b án . ▁L uk b án ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁there ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁to ▁govern ▁the ▁island ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Philipp ine ▁Republic ▁under ▁Em ilio ▁Agu inal do . ▁ ▁The ▁attack ▁prov oked ▁shock ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁public , ▁with ▁newsp apers ▁equ ating ▁what ▁they ▁called ▁a ▁" mass acre " ▁to ▁George ▁Arm strong ▁C uster ' s ▁last ▁stand ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Little ▁B igh orn ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁Major ▁General ▁Ad na ▁R . ▁Ch aff ee , ▁military ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁received ▁orders ▁from ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁to ▁pac ify ▁Sam ar . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁Ch aff ee ▁appointed ▁Smith ▁to ▁Sam