ANCESTORS OF THE FAMILY AND THE FILIPINO AMERICAN WAR
 THE BOY GENERAL GREGORIO DEL PILARMy grand uncle General Gregorio del Pilar monument THE BOY GENERAL, HERO OF THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN WAR |
The Battle of Tirad Pass, sometimes referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae", was a battle in the Philippine-American War fought on December 2, 1899, in northern Luzon in the Philippines, in which a 60-man Filipino rear guard commanded by a young Brigadier General Gregorio del Pilar succumbed to over 500 Americans, mostly of the 33rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Major Peyton C. March, while delaying the American advance to ensure that President Emilio Aguinaldo and his remaining troops were able to escape.
Ika-dalawa ng Disyembre sa taong 1899 dito na sumiklab ang labanan sa pagitan ng hanay ni Del Pilar at ang hanay ni Peyton March sa kabunsukan ng Tirad,Ang The Battle of Tirad Pass
Ang US Army 33rd Infantry Regiment, sa pamumuno ni Major Peyton March kinuha ang bayan ng Concepción sa paanan ng bundok ng Tirad noong ika-isa ng Disyembre 1889,minadalian nila na tawirin ang kabundukan ng Pasong Tirad upang putulin ang komonikasiyon ni Aguinaldo sa mga brigada ni Heneral Manuel Tinio na nasa ilog ng Abra at gayundin upang madaling mahuli sa Aguinaldo
Ngunit hindi madalian at nahihirapan ang mga sundalong amerikano na maakyat ang Pasong Tirad dahil denedepensahan ito ng hanay ni Del Pilar na nasa taas ng bundok na ito,maka ilang ulit nila itong sinubukan ngunit bigo sila
On my mother side our ancestors are more famous than my paternal ancestors above. My mother below Angeles del Pilar.....
My mother above niece of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, our national hero and grand uncle a younger brother of my maternal grandma., and Marcelo H. Del Pilar an uncle of grandma.
The first important fighting of MacArthur's northward movement was at Quingua (now Plaridel), Bulacan Province, on April 23. It was a two-part battle. The first phase was a brief victory for the young Filipino general Gregorio del Pilar over the American Cavalry led by Major (later Maj. Gen.) James Franklin Bell, West Point class 1878, where Bell's advance was stopped. But in the second phase, Bell was reinforced by the 1st Nebraskan Infantry and the Nebraskans routed the Filipinos, but not before they repelled a cavalry charge that killed Colonel John M. Stotsenburg.
Scouts commanded by Major James Franklin Bell. Photo was taken in 1899, somewhere in Central Luzon.
The battle began when Bell (LEFT, 1899 photo) and his men, while on a scouting mission, were attacked by a strong force of about 700-1,000 Filipinos led by General Gregorio del Pilar.The Americans were forced to withdraw to a defensive position. Swarms of Filipino troops began to attack from different directions.Bell saw that he was in a badly exposed position, and if he did not receive help soon his force risked being captured or killed.
Mountains of Tirad
Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, P.A.
From morning till noon he repelled charge after charge he held on tenaciously with a handful of men through the heat and agony of battle till he himself fell dead among his slained soldiers. It was on this mountain summit overlooking the plains and the shores of his country a massive tremendous altar.....
THE ANCESTORS ON MY FATHER SIDE AND THE FAMILY
Captain Atanacio Catambav PA survivor of the Death March in WWII in white dinner jacket. My grandma Lola Pansing rightmost lady with my father on her lap. Kids floor seated are my father's siblings from left Maria, Sergio eldest and Magdalena.
Papa and his various duty assignments in the 60's who left our midst Feb. 2010. Early in his career as a naval officer, seldom we see him for a decade as he was out to the Southern seas in Mindanao fighting the banditry and secession movements of the Moros. He will go on to higher positions, to take command of his own ship, then a number of ships as a task force commander, then Chief of Staff of the Philippine Coast Guard, a professor in academia at the National Defense College of the Philippines, Dean at the Command and General Staff College, a base commander at the Manila Naval Station and Cavite Naval Base at Sangley Pt. But what I remember most was him on the bridge of RPS 1133, and I a pre school kid, looking at a young Lt. taking his ship out to the open seas, out of Manila Bay.
It is abundantly documented that President Franklin Roosevelt led the Filipinos to believe that America was quickly coming to their aid. What’s more, Roosevelt continued to deceive General MacArthur, the Filipinos and our American soldiers for months—while they were being slaughtered!
Never before was the U.S. hated more intensely by every citizen of a friendly nation!
Every Filipino Deceived
Courtney Whitney served under MacArthur in the Philippines. Here is a quote from his biography, MacArthur (pp. 27-29, emphasis mine throughout): “On December 28, after three weeks of World War II, President Roosevelt issued a message addressed and broadcast to the people of the Philippines. ‘News of your gallant struggle against the Japanese aggressors,’ it said, ‘has elicited the profound admiration of every American. As President of the United States, I know that I speak for all our people on this solemn occasion…. I give to the people of the Philippines my solemn pledge that their freedom will be redeemed and their independence established and protected. The entire resources in men and materials of the United States stand behind that pledge….
“‘I give you this message from the Navy,’ the broadcast went on. ‘…The United States Navy is following an intensive and well-planned campaign against Japanese forces which will result in positive assistance to the defense of the Philippine Islands.’
“MacArthur accepted the message at face value. It said simply and plainly that the U.S. Navy was following a campaign that would ‘result in positive assistance to the defense of the Philippine Islands.’
“If MacArthur was misled by this message, he was far from alone. When President Quezon read it in his quarters in Corregidor’s Malinta Tunnel, where he fought against his tuberculosis, he came to the same conclusion. His elation at the news is recorded in his memoirs, The Good Fight. ‘On reading the message,’ he writes, ‘I was instantly electrified and thrilled. The dungeon, where my sick body was lying, lost its depressing gloom. I asked to be taken out to the open space, for the world was too small to contain the emotions that almost burst my heart…. I held a cabinet meeting and read it to them. Giving vent to my feelings, I told my colleagues that the sacrifices our country was making were not in vain…. The Philippines would not only be independent and free, but its independence and freedom were to be protected and safeguarded by the “entire resources in men and materials of the United States.”‘
MY GRAND UNCLE ON MY FATHER SIDE NAMED ATANACIO CATAMBAY WAS PART OF THIS BATTLE AND LATER WAS A SURVIVOR OF THE DEATH MARCH.
“In order to reassure the worrying Filipino people, Quezon issued a proclamation: ‘The President of the United States…solemnly pledged that the freedom of our country will be preserved…. You are therefore fighting with America because America is fighting for our freedom…. America will not abandon us. Her help will not be delayed…. We must resist further advance of the enemy until assistance arrives, which will be soon.’ The significance of this proclamation could not possibly have been lost on Washington. Had the message intended to hedge on this vital point, had President Roosevelt meant even to suggest that help might be delayed, someone in the government should have informed MacArthur or Quezon that the message had been misinterpreted. No one did.
“Even if this was an oversight, the administration had enough further opportunity to correct any misinterpretation. U.S. High Commissioner Sayre, in a statement broadcast from Manila by the National Broadcasting Company and carried in the American press, made the same positive declaration that the government had promised reinforcements. ‘Help is surely coming,’ Commissioner Sayre announced, ‘help of sufficient adequacy and power that the invader will be driven from our midst and he will be rendered powerless to ever threaten us again.’ This was the statement of the official representative of President Roosevelt in the Philippines. But no one in Washington indicated that Commissioner Sayre had been misled.
“If this was a misinterpretation of the President’s message, it was repeated right at home, in the New York Times of December 29. The Times story ran under a banner headline that read: ‘All aid promised. President pledges protection. Navy says our fleet is not destroyed and will help defense.’”
Grandpa Eutiquio
The little boy, my father Capt. Amado.............PN, GSC
The Sixties
Flower power:
Summit at the Battle of Tirad Pass Gen. Gregorio del Pilar rear guard Commanding P.A.
The death of Del Pilar is something more than a soldier's death. It was the sublime protest of a patriot against the decree of adverse fate. He had yearned for death when he saw that all was lost for the Republic. He had wished for it when long before the battle of Tirad, he proposed to meet the pursuing enemy after the disaster at Caloocan. He felt its obsession when at midnight on the bank of the river at Aringay he woke up his soldiers and pointedly asked them this question: "Brothers, which do you prefer, to die fighting or to flee like cowards? |
From morning till noon he repelled charge after charge, he tenaciously held on with his handful of men through the heat and agony of battle, till he himself fell dead among his slain soldiers. And well chosen and most fitting was the place where he offered the sacrifice of his life. It was on the mountain summit, overlooking the plains and the shores of his country, a massive and tremendous altar, built as it were for Titans, caressed by the rolling clouds of morning, lighted by the stars of dusk.
Summit at the Battle of Tirad Pass Gen. Gregorio del Pilar rear guard Commanding P.A.
Gregorio Del Pilar ( PHOTO, ABOVE) was born in San Jose, Bulacan, on Nov 14, 1875 to an illustrious ilustrado (middle class) family. In his early years, he aided his uncle, Marcelo H. del Pilar, in distributing his anti-friar writings. He was a member of the revolutionary forces in Bulacan even when he was studying at theAteneo de Municipal. When the revolution broke out on Aug 30, 1896, he joined the forces of Heneral Dimabunggo (Eusebio Roque). In the battle at Kakarong de Sili, Pandi, Bulacan, on Jan 1, 1897, he almost lost his life.
General Gregorio del Pilar (front, dark trousers) and Filipino army officers in 1898 photo
The Dec 14, 1897 Truce of Biyak-na-Bato temporarily halted the revolution. Gen. Emilio F. Aguinaldo brought Del Pilar to Hong Kong (LEFT, photo taken in Hong Kong in early 1898). On May, 19, 1898, Aguinaldo and the other exiles returned to the country and renewed the revolution.Del Pilar was promoted to general either in June or July 1898 at the age of 22. (He was the second youngest general in the Philippine army, after General Manuel Tinio). He besieged the town of Bulacan and forced the colonial forces there to capitulate on or about June 30, 1898.
The Filipino-American War found Gen. Del Pilar in the frontlines once again. In the April 23, 1899, battle at Quingua (now Plaridel, Bulacan), he nearly defeated Major (later Brig. Gen.) James Franklin Bell; the cavalry commander, Col. John Stotsenburg, was killed.
Toward the latter part of May 1899, with the Philippine army reeling in the face of unrelenting American offensives, President Emilio Aguinaldo created a peace commission to negotiate an armistice. He appointed Del Pilar to head the Filipino panel. For two days, on May 22 and 23, the Filipinos conferred with the Schurman Commission. The talks failed, owing to the Americans' insistence that US sovereignty was non-negotiable. In addition, the Filipino army had to surrender unconditionally. [RIGHT, photo of General Del Pilar taken on May 22-23, 1899 in Manila].
Mt. Tirad at Concepcion, Ilocos Sur Province. PHOTO was taken in the early 1900s.
Tasked to delay US troops pursuing President Aguinaldo, Del Pilar and 60 of his men formed a blocking force at 4,500-foot (1,372 m) Tirad Pass, Concepcion, Ilocos Sur Province (Concepcion was renamed "Gregorio del Pilar" on June 10, 1955). They constructed several sets of trenches 
and stone barricades, all of which dominated the narrow trail that zigzagged up towards the pass.
and stone barricades, all of which dominated the narrow trail that zigzagged up towards the pass.On Dec. 2, 1899, Major Peyton Conway March (LEFT, as First Lt. in 1896-1898) led 300 soldiers of the 33rd Infantry Regiment of U.S. Volunteers, up the pass. A Tingguian Igorot, Januario Galut, led the Americans up a trail by which they could emerge to the rear of the Filipinos. Del Pilar died in the battle, along with 52 subordinates. The Americans lost 2 men killed.
The Americans looted the corpse of the fallen general. They got his pistol, diary and personal papers, boots and silver 
spurs, coat and pants, a lady's handkerchief with the name "Dolores Jose," his sweetheart, diamond rings, gold watch, shoulder straps, and a gold locket containing a woman's hair.
spurs, coat and pants, a lady's handkerchief with the name "Dolores Jose," his sweetheart, diamond rings, gold watch, shoulder straps, and a gold locket containing a woman's hair.Del Pilar's body was left by the roadside for two days until its odor forced some Igorots to cover it with dirt.
On his diary, which Major March found, Del Pilar had written: "The General [ Aguinaldo ] has given me the pick of all the men that can be spared and ordered me to defend the Pass. I realize what a terrible task has been given me. And yet, I felt that this is the most glorious moment of my life. What I do is done for my beloved country. No sacrifice can be too great."
Peyton Conway March (LEFT, as General) graduated from West Point in 1888, in the top quarter of his 44-member class. He rose to Major General and became Army Chief of Staff on May 20, 1918. He held that post until June 30, 1921.In World War I, John J. Pershing and Peyton C. March were the American generals who gave the edge to Allied victory over Germany. Pershing was the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) of two million men in France while, during the last eight months of the war, March was in Washington, D.C., as the chief of staff who oversaw the logistics and general development of the army, and the shipment of some 1.8 million troops across the Atlantic. As Secretary of War Newton D. Baker noted shortly after the war, "Together they wrought...victory."
March was born on Dec. 27, 1864 in Easton, Pennsylvania; he died on April 13, 1955 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The St. Paul Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, Dec. 10, 1899
Monument to General Gregorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass ("Pasong Tirad" in Filipino).
Monument to General Gregorio del Pilar at the Philippine Military Academy, Fort Gen. Gregorio M. del Pilar, Loakan, Baguio City.
Dec. 7, 1899: US Army Realizes End To "Insurrection" Not In Sight
Dec. 11, 1899: Gen. Daniel Tirona surrenders the Cagayan Valley
Soldiers of the 16th US Infantry Regiment (Regulars) haggling with Filipina vendors at their camp in Aparri, Cagayan Province, Cagayan Valley, northeastern Luzon Island. The regiment occupied the valley after the surrender of General Daniel Tirona. Photo taken in 1900.
Battle of Quingua, April 23, 1899
The first important fighting of MacArthur's northward movement was at Quingua (now Plaridel), Bulacan Province, on April 23. It was a two-part battle.
The first phase was a brief victory for the young Filipino general Gregorio del Pilar over the American Cavalry led by Major (later Maj. Gen.) James Franklin Bell, West Point class 1878, where Bell's advance was stopped.
But in the second phase, Bell was reinforced by the 1st Nebraskan Infantry and the Nebraskans routed the Filipinos, but not before they repelled a cavalry charge that killed Colonel John M. Stotsenburg. Scouts commanded by Major James Franklin Bell. Photo was taken in 1899, somewhere in Central Luzon.
The battle began when Bell (LEFT, 1899 photo) and his men, while on a scouting mission, were attacked by a strong force of about 700-1,000 Filipinos led by General Gregorio del Pilar. The Americans were forced to withdraw to a defensive position. Swarms of Filipino troops began to attack from different directions. Bell saw that he was in a badly exposed position, and if he did not receive help soon his force risked being captured or killed.
1st Nebraska Volunteers crossing a river during their advance against the Filipinos at Quingua
Bell sent for reinforcements, and the 1st Nebraskans came to his aid under Colonel Stotsenburg.
Col. John M. Stotsenburg (2nd from left) and some staff officers of the 1st Nebraska Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Photo was taken at his field headquarters in March 1899.
Col. John M. Stotsenburg in the field. Photo was taken on March 26, 1899.
Once he entered the field, Stotsenburg ordered a charge, and the Nebraskan Infantry—Stotsenburg at their lead with a dozen or so cavalrymen—rushed the Filipinos' position. Stotsenberg, taking into account that the Filipinos previously had displayed poor marksmanship, perceived that a charge from such a force would dislodge and route them, which on most occasions, had been done before rather easily.
Instead, the Filipinos held their ground and opened a heavy accurate fire into the charging cavalrymen. Stotsenberg fell, along with 6 of his men. Several of the cavalrymen's mounts were also slain. The Filipinos sustained the heavy fire, forcing the cavalry to retreat.
The Nebraskan infantry advanced under withering fire. Soon the two forces clashed in close range combat. After a stiff fight in which both sides suffered heavy casualties, the Filipinos were driven into their secondary defenses.
Brig. Gen. Irving Hale (LEFT) ordered an artillery bombardment on the Filipinos' secondary defensive lines. Two artillery pieces were brought up, which fired 20 shots into the Filipino positions. The powerful artillery barrage forced the Filipinos to retreat.
Casualties: 15 Americans killed, 43 wounded; 100 Filipinos killed and wounded.
In 1902, a large US military reservation, Fort Stotsenburg, was created in Pampanga Province and named in honor of Colonel Stotsenburg. It was originally set up as a facility for various US Army Cavalry units. In 1919, a US Army air force base, Clark Field, was carved out of Fort Stotsenberg. [The US Air Force became a separate branch of service only in 1947.]
In 1949, the two military facilities were combined and renamed Clark Air Base. It was the largest overseas U.S. military base in the world, with 156,204 acres (63,214 hectares). It played a major role during the Cold War, but was closed following extensive damage from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption on June 15, 1991. On November 27, 1991, the United States turned over Clark Air Base to the Philippine government.
Men of Company D, 3rd US Infantry Regiment, at captured Filipino breastworks that commanded the main entrance to Quingua (now Plaridel), Bulacan Province
Guardhouse of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment at Quingua (now Plaridel), Bulacan Province
Battle of Calumpit, April 25-27, 1899
Issue of April 25, 1899
Brig. Gen. Arthur C. MacArthur, Jr. pushed 5 miles (8 km) farther north of Malolos to Calumpit, where he faced the forces of Gen. Antonio Luna--commander-in-chief of all Filipino forces--and Gen. Gregorio del Pilar.
April 24, 1899: Thirty-eight Filipinos were found dead in this trench near Pulilan, Bulacan Province
Filipino soldiers behind their trenches; photo taken in 1899, probably in Calumpit
Luna ignored Aguinaldo's orders to retreat and burn the railway bridge spanning the Bagbag River at Calumpit. Worst, when the Americans were about to attack, Luna, together with his foot soldiers, cavalry, and artillery left Calumpit to punish General Tomas Mascardo for his insubordination. Mascardo was then in Guagua, Pampanga Province and dillydallied in obeying Luna's order to send reinforcements. Mediators managed to avert a violent confrontation between the two generals.
Bagbag River railway bridge thrown down by Gen. Gregorio del Pilar. The US Army engineers corps built steps for the troops to cross and assault the Filipinos beyond.
During April 23-24, General del Pilar was left to fight the Americans; he threw down a section of the railway bridge. He actually planned to wreck the American artillery transport train; his men cut the girders of the iron bridge, intending to have the structure fall with the train, but it collapsed prematurely of its own weight. The US troops advanced to the edge of the river, a hundred yards beyond which the Filipinos were entrrenched.
The 20th Kansas Volunteers were on the right side of the road and the Utah Volunteer Light Artillery and the 1st Montana Volunteers on the left. In the center was an armored train mounted with six pounders and rapid fire guns.
Chinese porters employed by the US Army in its Central Luzon campaign
The train was pushed by Chinese porters to the mouth of the bridge and a vigorous response was made to the fire of the Filipinos. Col. Frederick Funston, along with 6 men, crawled across the ironwork of the bridge under heavy fire. When they reached the broken span, they dropped into the water and swam ashore.
An armored train with gun used by the Americans at Calumpit
The War in 1900-1901: African Americans in the Fil-Am War
Companies from the segregated Black 24th and 25th infantry regiments reported to the Presidio of San Francisco in early 1899. They arrived in the Philippines on July 30 and Aug. 1, 1899. The 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments were sent to the Philippines as reinforcements, and by late summer of 1899, all four regular Black regiments plus Black national guardsmen had been brought into the war against the Filipino "Insurectos." The two Black volunteer infantry regiments -- 49th and 48th -- arrived in Manila on January 2 and 25, 1900, respectively.
African American soldiers of Troop E, 9th Cavalry Regiment before shipping out to the Philippines in 1900. Up to 7,000 Blacks saw action in the Philippines.
African American soldiers of Troop C, 9th Cavalry Regiment, at Camp Lawton, Washington State, before shipping out to the Philippines in 1900
9th Cavalry soldiers on foot, somewhere in Luzon Island.
The U.S. Army viewed its "Buffalo soldiers" as having an extra advantage in fighting in tropical locations. There was an unfounded belief that African-Americans were immune to tropical diseases. Based on this belief the U.S. congress authorized the raising of ten regiments of "persons possessing immunity to tropical diseases." These regiments would later be called "Immune Regiments".
Many Black newspaper articles and leaders supported Filipino independence and felt that it was wrong for the US to subjugate non-whites in the development of a colonial empire. Some Black soldiers expressed their conscientious objection to Black newspapers. Pvt. William Fulbright saw the U.S. conducting "a gigantic scheme of robbery and oppression." Trooper Robert L. Campbell insisted "these people are right and we are wrong and terribly wrong" and said he would not serve as a soldier because no man "who has any humanity about him at all would desire to fight against such a cause as this." Black Bishop Henry M. Turner characterized the venture in the Philippines as "an unholy war of conquest".
African American soldiers during the Philippine-American War in undated photo. Many Black soldiers increasingly felt they were being used in an unjust racial war. One Black private wrote that “the white man’s prejudice followed the Negro to the Philippines, ten thousand miles from where it originated.”
The Filipinos subjected Black soldiers to psychological warfare. Posters and leaflets addressed to "The Colored American Soldier" described the lynching and discrimination against Blacks in the US and discouraged them from being the instrument of their white masters' ambitions to oppress another "people of color." Blacks who deserted to the Filipino nationalist cause would be welcomed.
One soldier related a conversation with a young Filipino boy: “Why does the American Negro come to fight us where we are a friend to him and have not done anything to him. He is all the same as me and me the same as you. Why don’t you fight those people in America who burn Negroes, that make a beast of you?” Another Black soldier, when asked by a white trooper why he had come to the Philippines, replied sarcastically: “Why doan’ know, but I ruther reckon we’re sent over here to take up de white man’s burden.”
The Black 24th Infantry Regiment marching in Manila. Photo taken in 1900.
One of the Black deserters, Private David Fagen of the 24th Infantry, born in Tampa, Florida in 1875, became notorious as "Insurecto Captain". On Nov. 17, 1899, Fagen, assisted by a Filipino officer who had a horse waiting for him near the company barracks, slipped into the jungle and headed for the Filipinos' sanctuary at Mount Arayat. The New York Timesdescribed him as a “cunning and highly skilled guerilla officer who harassed and evaded large conventional American units.” From August 30, 1900 to January 17, 1901, he battled eight times with American troops.
Brig. Gen. Frederick Funston put a $600 price on Fagen's head and passed word the deserter was "entitled to the same treatment as a mad dog." Posters of him in Tagalog and Spanish appeared in every Nueva Ecija town, but he continued to elude capture.
Hunters with indigenous Aetas, circa 1898-1899 On Dec. 5, 1901, Anastacio Bartolome, a Tagalog hunter, delivered to American authorities the severed head of a “negro” he claimed to be Fagen. While traveling with his hunting party, Bartolome reported that he had spied upon Fagen and his Filipina wife accompanied by a group of indigenous people called Aetas bathing in a river.
Page 1, issue of Dec. 9, 1901
The hunters attacked the group and allegedly killed and beheaded Fagen, then buried his body near the river. But this story has never been confirmed and there is no record of Bartolome receiving a reward. Official army records of the incident refer to it as the “supposed killing of David Fagen,” and several months later, Philippine Constabulary reports still made references to occasional sightings of Fagen.
The Indianapolis Freeman, issue dated Oct. 14, 1899, features Edward Lee Baker, Jr., an African-American US Army Sergeant Major, awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Cuba. Founded in 1888 by Edward C. Cooper, it was the first Black national illustrated newspaper in the US.The article at right, included in this issue although datelined Aug. 18, 1899, describes the movements of the 24th Infantry Regiment while campaigning in the Philippines.
A Black newspaper, the Indianapolis Freeman, editorialized in December, 1901, "Fagen was a traitor and died a traitor's death, but he was a man no doubt prompted by honest motives to help a weakened side, and one he felt allied by bonds that bind."
The Scranton Tribune, Page 1
During the war, 20 U.S. soldiers, 6 of them Black, would defect to Aquinaldo. Two of the deserters, both Black, were hanged by the US Army. They were Privates Edmond Dubose and Lewis Russell, both of the 9th Cavalry, who were executed on Feb. 7, 1902, before a crowd of 3,000 at Guinobatan, Albay Province.
Black and white American soldiers with Signal Corps flag
Nevertheless, it was also felt by most African Americans that a good military showing by Black troops in the Philippines would reflect favorably and enhance their cause in the US.
The sentiments of most Black soldiers in the Philippines would be summed up by Commissary Sergeant Middleton W. Saddler of the 25th Infantry, who wrote, "We are now arrayed to meet a common foe, men of our own hue and color. Whether it is right to reduce these people to submission is not a question for soldiers to decide. Our oaths of allegiance know neither race, color, nor nation."
Although most Blacks were distressed by the color line that had been immediately established in the Philippines and by the epithet "niggers", which white soldiers applied to Filipinos, they joined whites in calling them "gugus". A black lieutenant of the 25th Infantry wrote his wife that he had occasionally subjected Filipinos to the water torture.
Capt. William H. Jackson of the 49th Infantry admitted his men identified racially with the Filipinos but grimly noted "all enemies of the U.S. government look alike to us, hence we go on with the killing."
The Black 24th Infantry Regiment drilling at Camp Walker, Cebu Island. Photo was taken in 1902.
Jan. 6, 1900: US Newspaper Reports Record Incidence of Insanity Among Americans In The Philippines
The Guthrie Daily Leader, Guthrie, Oklahoma, Jan. 6, 1900, Page 1
Jan. 7, 1900: Battle of Imus, Cavite Province
Photo taken in 1900
On Jan. 7, 1900, the 28th Infantry Regiment of US Volunteers, commanded by Col. William E. Birkhimer, engaged a large body of Filipinos at Imus, Cavite Province.
Original caption: "Filipinos firing on the American out-posts, P.I." Photo was taken in 1900, location not specified.
Original caption: "The rude ending of delusion's dream ---Insurgent on the Battlefield of Imus, Philippines."
Four soldiers of Company M, 28th Infantry Regiment of US Volunteers. Photo was taken in 1900. The regiment arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 22 and 23, 1899. It was commanded by Col. William E. Birkhimer.
The St. Paul Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, Jan. 8, 1900, Page 1
The Americans suffered 8 men wounded, and reported that 245 Filipinos were killed and wounded.
Licerio Topacio, Presidente Municipal (Mayor) of Imus, with two Filipino priests. PHOTO was taken in 1899.
January 14-15, 1900: Battle of Mt. Bimmuaya in Ilocos Sur
US artillery supporting the infantry. Photo taken in 1900, location not specified
On Jan. 14-15, 1900, the only artillery duel of the war was fought in Mount Bimmuaya, a summit 1,000 meters above the Cabugao River, northwest of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur Province. It is a place with an unobstructed view of the coastal plain from Vigan to Laoag. The Americans -- from the 33rd Infantry Regiment USV, and the 3rd US Cavalry Regiment -- also employed Gatling guns and prevailed mainly because their locations were concealed by their use of smokeless gunpowder so that Filipino aim was wide off the mark.
It was believed that General Manuel Tinio, and his officers Capt. Estanislao Reyes and Capt. Francisco Celedonio were present at this encounter but got away unscathed.
Elements of this same 33rd Infantry unit had killed General Gregorio del Pilar earlier on Dec. 2, 1899, at Tirad Pass, southeast of Candon, llocos Sur.
The Battle of Mt. Bimmuaya diverted and delayed US troops from their chase of President Emilio Aguinaldo as the latter escaped through Abra and the mountain provinces. After the two-day battle, 28 unidentified fighters from Cabugao were found buried in unmarked fresh graves in the camposanto(cemetery).
On Dec. 11, 1899, Gen. Daniel Tirona surrendered in Aparri to Capt. Bowman H. McCalla of the US Navy cruiser USS Newark.
The USS Newark in 1899. General characteristics: Length- 311 ft 4 in (94.89 m).....Beam- 49 ft 2 in (14.99 m).....Draft- 18 ft 8 in (5.69 m).....Displacement- 4,083 long tons (4,149 t).....Speed- 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).....Armament- 22 guns [twelve 6 in (150 mm) guns, four 6-pounders, four 3-pounders, two 1-pounders].
Sixteen months earlier, on Aug. 25, 1898, Tirona, a native of Kawit, Cavite Province, had seized Aparri from the Spaniards. Aguinaldo then appointed him as the military governor of the Cagayan Valley (comprised of the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya).
Tirona's surrender was with the honors of war. Captain McCalla (RIGHT, in 1890) reviewed the Filipino troops, and Tirona reviewed the US naval units. The Americans presented arms while the Filipinos were stacking theirs; a total of 300 rifles were turned over.
Captain McCalla appointed Tirona as the temporary civil governor of the Cagayan Valley pending further orders from Maj. Gen. Elwell S. Otis, 8th Army Corps Commander and military governor of the Philippines.
The Linao Point lighthouse at Aparri, Cagayan Province, 1903. Built by the Spanish in 1896, it was destroyed by a storm and has never been rebuilt.
Manila burns: US soldiers firing at Filipinos, Feb. 23, 1899
The fire, the blare of guerrilla bugles and the shooting confused the Americans. They made their stand on Calle Iris near the Bilibid Prison and waited for reinforcements.
Chinese quarters and business street in Manila. Photo taken in 1898 or 1899.
By now the Binondo market was on fire, but Lucio Lucas --another Luna officer--and his men failed to reach the Meisic police station, his prime objective ((Meisic derived from "Maintsik", which today is Manila’s Chinatown).
The Americans had learned of the planned attack earlier, and were prepared to meet him. Lucas's men retreated towards Calle Azcarraga. In hand-to-hand combat they broke through the American detachment there and disappeared into the night.
The Americans counter-attacked the next day with fresh troops and gunboats. They pushed the Filipinos into Tondo (LEFT, dead Filipinos on a Tondo street). At the tramway station, Paco Roman's men resisted until late in the morning. Others were able to hold a blockhouse but had to withdraw for lack of ammunition.On February 24, General Luna reported to Aguinaldo that had it not been for the refusal of the Cavite soldiers to attack when ordered, "our victory would have been complete."
General Otis, horrified by Luna's bold plan, admitted that the attack was "successful in its inception and primary stages."
Aguinaldo took propaganda advantage of the small victory even as Luna accused him of holding back the Cavite soldiers (Aguinaldo's provincemates).
The troops composing the US Eighth Army Corps under General Otis's command by this time were of regulars 171 officers and 5,201 enlisted men and of volunteers 667 officers and 14,831 enlisted men, making an aggregate of 838 officers and 20,032 enlisted men.
Filipino dead at Tondo.
American photograper's caption: "At the battle of Tondo ---work of Minnesota men."
Original caption: "An old man killed while picking chicken in the Filipinos' headquarters in Tondo during the insurgent outbreak."
Luna's attack plan, though a good one, failed for lack of coordination and sufficient firepower. General Luna managed to provide artillery support by using a single Krupp breech-loading cannon firing a six-inch projectile weighing 80 pounds. It was manned by Spanish prisoners with MacArthur’s Headquarters at the house of Engineer Horace L. Higgins as target. Higgins was the general manager of the English-owned Manila Railway Company. This singular artillery piece was neutralized by American counter-battery fire.
A Chinese shop near the carhouse of the Manila Railway Company at Tondo, where the Filipinos barricaded the streets. They fought from inside the wall to the left with the lamp on top.
Bridge in eastern Tondo, fortified by the Filipinos with stone blocks, behind which they fought.
The Annual Report of the U.S. War Department listed 5 Americans killed and 34 wounded; 500 Filipinos killed and wounded.
Original caption: "Minnesota & 23rd Infantry guarding burned district."
Company I, 13th Minnesota Volunteers, at mess, 1899.
Photo published in The St. Paul Globe, Feb. 26, 1899.
"Bomberos" of the Manila Fire Department, Photo taken in 1899. An American artist wrote at the back of this photograph: "Never known to get there on time."
Ruins of Tondo.
Ruins of Tondo; photo includes the American photographer's original caption.
Terra Basta Street in ruins.
Refugees from the fighting and fire at Tondo.
Market scene outside ruins of old market.
Combats between Manila and Lake Laguna de Bay
1899 US Army map of the district between Manila and Lake Laguna de Bay (lower right corner)
With fresh troops from the U.S. mainland, Maj. Gen. Elwell S. Otis ordered the clearing of the country between Manila and Lake Laguna de Bay, and a push to the north and capture Aguinaldo.
He believed that this move will stretch a line of American troops across Luzon island, thus cutting all communication between the northern and southern wings of Aguinaldo's army.
1899: Review of Company I, 12th US Infantry Regiment, at the Luneta, Manila
U.S. troop strength was 20,851 at the start of hostilities on Feb. 4, 1899; the average strength was 40,000 during the 40-month war (peaking in 1900 to 2,367 officers and 71,727 enlisted men). By war's end, a total of 126,468 American soldiers had served in the Philippines. Also, beginning in September 1899 Macabebe Filipinos --- and in the next two years --- Ilocanos, Cagayanos, Boholanos, Cebuanos, Negrenses and Ilonggos were recruited and served as scouts for the US Army. These regional Filipino scout units were integrated and organized as the Philippine Scouts on Feb. 2, 1901. The Philippine Constabulary was inaugurated on Aug. 8, 1901.
The 3 rifles used in the Philippine-American War by US services---Above, the Winchester Lee, used by the Navy and Marine Corps; in the Center, Springfield, used by most of the Volunteers; Below, the Krag Jorgensen, the weapon of the Regulars. PHOTO taken in 1899.
Twenty-six of the 30 American generals who served in the Philippines from 1898 to 1902 had fought in the Indian Wars. Sixteen graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point died in combat against the Filipinos. Eighty Americans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Filipino strength at the start of the war was about 20,000 soldiers with 15,000 rifles. In succeeding months, it ranged between 20,000 - 30,000. The number of rifles dwindled as the war dragged on, as many malfunctioned, or were captured by American troops. Ammunition ran low; the Filipinos were forced to manufacture their own cartridges and powder. The makeshift gunpowder lacked power and released thick black smoke that revealed their positions.
The Filipino infantry was tough and hardy, requiring few supplies, and had demonstrated its competence by easily overrunning Spanish garrisons. However, it was relatively poorly trained and the officer corps was weak.
Worst, among the Filipino military and political leaders, disunity caused divisions, usually along regional lines. Although they faced a common enemy who enjoyed vastly superior military training and resources, they still found time to engage in personal, and often bitter quarrels, with disastrous and tragic consequences to the First Philippine Republic.
This color-tinted photo of US soldiers was taken in 1899, somewhere in Luzon Island.
Original caption: "There goes the American soldier and all Hell can't stop him, P.I."
Two members of a US cavalry unit
Americans bury their dead at a graveyard near Fort San Antonio de Abad, Malate district, Manila
The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Virginia, issue of March 17, 1899, Page 1
Battle of Guadalupe Church, March 13, 1899
The Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church and convent before destruction
Brig. Gen. Loyd Wheaton (LEFT) led five American regiments against Filipino forces entrenched in the area surrounding the church at Guadalupe, San Pedro de Macati (now Makati City).The official US report listed 3 Americans killed and 25 wounded; it estimated Filipino losses at 200 dead and wounded.
1st California Volunteers positioned near the Guadalupe Convent
US gunboat Laguna de Bay bombards Guadalupe Convent. The side-wheeled steamer used to be a passenger boat that plied the Manila - Lake Laguna de Bay route; Maj. Gen. Elwell S. Otis purchased her from a Spanish firm. Capt. Frank A. Grant of the Utah Volunteer Light Artillery armored the boat and mounted eight guns upon her. The gunboat was about 125 feet long and 37 1/2 feet wide.
Filipinos killed at Guadalupe
The Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in Makati City has been renamed as Nuestra Señora de Gracia. The church was completed in 1629. The masonry roof of the church collapsed in the earthquakes of 1880 and the structure was rebuilt in 1882.
Battle of Pateros, March 14, 1899
A battalion of the 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Maj. John J. Weisenburger attacked Pateros on March 14, 1899.
From Taguig, the Americans crossed a channel in cascos and by swimming and stormed the Filipino entrenchments at Pateros. The town took fire and burned. The Filipinos withdrew.
The Americans suffered 1 killed and 5 wounded. Filipino casualties were undetermined.
2nd Oregon Volunteers at lunch near General Wheaton's headquarters, near Pateros, March 17, 1899
Battle of Pasig, March 15, 1899
Pasig: Battery A, Utah Volunteer Light Artillery, commanded by Capt. Richard W. Young, West Point Class of 1882. Brig. Gen. Loyd Wheaton, sitting among the bananas, and Captain Young, at his back, are watching the progress of the advancing American troops.
Brig. Gen. Loyd Wheaton attacked the town of Pasig with a Provisional Brigade consisting of: a gunboat, 20th Infantry; 22nd Infantry; two battalions 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry; seven companies 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry; one platoon 6th Artillery, and three troops 4th Cavalry.
The Pasig expedition was the first organized campaign against the Filipinos. General Wheaton's instructions were to "drive the enemy beyond Pasig, striking him wherever found".
American losses were 1 killed and 3 wounded. TheNew York Times reported that the Americans found 106 dead Filipinos and 100 new graves near Pasig, and that the 20th Infantry took 175 prisoners. [A separate American report estimated Filipino dead at 400].
Reserves of the 22nd Infantry Regiment awaiting their call to the firing line. They are taking their rest just before the general advance on Pasig.
The 22nd US Infantry awaiting orders for the general advance upon Pasig. The original black and white photo was color tinted in 1902, but the artist incorrectly gave the soldiers blue uniforms; in fact, they were khaki.
Original caption: "The wall of fire. Part of the firing line near Pasig, March 15, 1899. It represents volley-firing in clock-like order at the insurgent intrenchments. The picture was taken just before the general advance." Colorized photo shows 2nd Oregon Volunteers --- armed with 45-70 caliber Springfield "trapdoor" rifles --- correctly portrayed in their blue uniforms.
Skirmish line of 2nd Oregon Volunteers at Pasig
2nd Oregon Volunteers at Battle of Pasig
Original caption: "This shows effect of first smokeless powder used by Americans in the Philippines. The guns are the old Springfield model. Photograph taken during heat of the action at Pasig. In this instance it is long distance firing." This is a colorized version of preceding photo of 2nd Oregon Volunteers.
Skirmish line of 1st Washington Volunteers at Pasig
Skirmish line of 1st Washington Volunteers at Pasig
Original caption: "Taking of Pasig --- In the distance to the left the city is seen, and in front the puffs of smoke from the insurgents' rifles, while half way down the open field the American line is returning the fire, being reenforced by others who are hurrying from the boat on the other side of the river. In the background are the reserve troops who have been protecting the advance."
Original caption: "Driving the insurgents through the jungle near Pasig."
Original caption: "Driving the insurgents through the jungle near Pasig."
Dead Filipino soldiers at Pasig
St. Paul Daily Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, issue of March 16, 1899, Page 1
US troops in front of church at Pasig
Another view of the church at Pasig. American soldiers, barely visible in the photograph, are seen in the lower left and right corners.
The Pasig Catholic church in 2006. Photo by Elmer I. Nocheseda
Original caption: "The Church Saint Sat On By A Washington 'Johnnie', Pasig, P.I."
American bivouac at Pasig, March 1899.
Two Americans guard a bridge on the main highway at Pasig
US troops returning to Manila after the battle of Pasig
Original caption: "The Washington Boys repulsing an attack of Insurrectos on March 26, 1899, at Pasig, P.I."
Following their defeat in the main battle, the Filipinos occasionally harassed the American garrison at Pasig.
Original caption: "Expecting a Filipino Attack behind the Cemetery Wall, Pasig, Phil. Islds."
Company G of the 1st Washington Volunteers in action at Pasig
Company G of the 1st Washington Volunteers in action at Pasig
Cainta, March 16, 1899
20th US Infantry men returning with their dead; 1899 photo, unspecified location
On March 16, 1899, Maj. William P. Rogers, CO of the 3rd Battalion, 20th US Infantry Regiment, came upon the Filipinos in Cainta, about 1,000 strong, and forced them to retreat. He burned the town. Two Americans were killed and 14 wounded, while the Filipinos suffered about 100 killed and wounded.
The 3rd Battalion, 20th US Infantry Regiment, is drawn up in the main street of Pasig after the fight at nearby Cainta.
Upon the approach of the Americans, Exequiel Ampil, the Presidente Municipal of Cainta and a former agente especial of the Katipunan who had become a pronouncedAmericanista, strongly advised the Filipino soldiers to surrender. Instead, they shot him. Although wounded, Ampil managed to escape.
Issue of March 3, 1902, Page 1
On March 3, 1902, major American newspapers, including the New York Timesreported: “…Felizardo, at the head of twenty-five men armed with rifles, entered the town of Cainta…and captured the Presidente of Cainta, Señor Ampil, and a majority of the police of the town. Señor Ampil has long been known as an enthusiastic American symphatizer, and it is feared that he may be killed by the enraged ladrones. A strong force of constabulary has been sent to try to effect his release.” [Timoteo Pasay was the actual leader of the guerilla band that kidnapped Ampil on Feb. 28, 1902].
A village in the town of Morong, Morong Province. PHOTO was taken during the period 1899-1901.
On March 4, 1902, near the hills of Morong town, Ampil found an opportunity to escape. A detachment of constabulary was taken from the garrison at Pasig and stationed at Cainta for his protection. He survived the war.
[ A considerable number of the population of Cainta are descended from Indian soldiers who deserted the British Army when the British briefly occupied the Philippines in 1762 to 1764. These Indian soldiers, called Sepoys, were recruited from among the subjects of the Nawab of Arcot in Madras, India. They settled in Cainta and intermarried or cohabited with the native women. The Sepoy ancestry of Cainta is very visible in contemporary times, particularly inBarrio Dayap near Barangay Sto Nino. Their distinct physical characteristics --- darker skin tone and taller stature --- set them apart from the average Filipino who is primarily of Malay ethnicity, with admixtures of Chinese and Spanish blood. ]
Battle of Taguig, March 18-19, 1899
The 22nd US Regular Infantry Regiment, 1st Washington Volunteers and 2nd Oregon Volunteers, all under the overall command of Brig. Gen. Loyd Wheaton, engaged Filipino troops led by General Pio del Pilar in the town of Taguig. The Americans suffered 3 dead and 17 wounded; Filipino losses were 75 killed in action.
March 19, 1899: Companies D and H, 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry Regiment, firing at Filipinos from behind the stone wall of the church at Taguig
Some US troops form a skirmish line just outside the church compound
Moments later, the rest of the Americans break out from the church compound to advance across an open field -- Filipinos 800 yards in front.
Original caption: "The Open Field Over Which The Washington Boys Charged The Filipinos From The Church Tower. Taquig, P.I."
March 1899: Company D, 1st Washington Volunteers, at Taguig church.
March 19, 1899: Company H, 1st Washington Volunteers, at Taguig church.
The church at Taguig; US soldiers are positioned behind the stone wall, with lookouts on the roof and bell tower. Photo taken in November 1899.
On Dec. 21, 1899, Otis directed the 16th US Infantry Regiment (Regulars), commanded by Col. Charles C. Hood, to proceed to Aparri. On the same day, Colonel Hood was appointed as the military governor of the Cagayan Valley.COLONEL JOHN H. WHOLLE
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Y, COMMANDING OFFICER, 1ST WASHINGTON VOLUNTEER INFANTRY REGIMENT; HE GRADUATED FROM THE US MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT IN 1890.THE LOST GENERATION OF DEL PILARS: GOYO’S NOBLE BLOOD LINE
TO RECAP, I FOUND GOYO’S BAPTISMAL RECORD IN THE LIBRO DE BAUTIMOS OF THE OUR LADY OF ASSUMPTION PARISH WHILE I WAS WORKING ON THE SEMPIO CLAN, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE GOYO’S MATERNAL LINE. BAPTISMAL ENTRIES FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY OFTEN INDICATED THE CHILD’S GRANDPARENTS, AND SO WAS THE CASE WITH GOYO’S RECORD.
One of his hands, pressed to his heart, from which blood flowed, clutched a silk handkerchief embroidered with the name of his sweetheart. GENERAL GREGORIO DEL PILAR: BATTLE OF 'TIRAD' PASS. Therefore, I had him always at my side until he died. General Gregorio del Pilar (1875-1899) Hero of Tirad Pass. Troops surrounded Concepcion's headquarters and sentries were replaced by the presidential guards. I could trust him with everything. Gregorio del Pilar was 24 when he died at Tirad Pass. Tirad Pass: The Last Stand of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar recounts the early days of American occupation of the Philippines with one of the earliest resistance of the American government which is the infamous Battle of Tirad Pass which took place on December 2, 1899 in Tirad Pass, Ilocos Sur where … During that time, General Jose Alejandrino, a close friend of General Luna, was doubting on Luna’s death.
Gregorio del Pilar/Emilio Jacinto (55) Emilio Aguinaldo/Apolinario Mabini (41) Gregorio del Pilar/Vicente Enriquez (23) Felicidad Aguinaldo/Remedios Nable Jose (21) Gregorio del Pilar/Remedios Nable Jose (20) Gregorio del Pilar/Joven Hernando (14) José Alejandrino/Evaristo Ortiz (14) Joven Hernando/Julian Sempio Hilario del Pilar (11) He was promoted to General de Brigada on Nov 11, 1897 when he was only 20 years old (PHOTO, right). First, John McCutcheon, the war correspondent that was with the American troops at Tirad Pass. The trip ended in Singapore, where Aguinaldo conferred with American consul E. Spencer Pratt, learning of the American declaration of war against Spain. It was the sublime protest of a patriot against the decree of adverse fate. Gregorio del Pilar, being the protagonist, is of course one, if not the most important characters of the film. As we anticipate the release of "Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral" movie, let's pay tribute to the real Gregorio del Pilar, an intriguing historical figure who blurs the line between a hero and a villain. [3], After the Americans defeated the Spanish in the Battle of Manila Bay, Aguinaldo, del Pilar, and other exiled leaders returned to the Philippines. The Manila Freedom wrote this of Del Pilar:[3], "It is said that in the battle against Major March's troops, Mr. Gregorio del Pilar, surrounded by the dead and the wounded falling by his side, fought a valiant defense, inspiring his troops by his example and, though gravely wounded, had stood atop the trench to animate then when a bullet pierced his heart and he fell among his comrades. Born of well-to-do parents, Marcelo is the younger brother of the father of another A-lister here, General Gregorio delPilar. It's also said that Gen. Gregorio del Pilar was responsible for their deaths. Gregorio del Pilar circa 1899 Main article: Battle of Tirad Pass. link to 11 Things You Never Knew About Gregorio Del Pilar. [5], Del Pilar finished his bachelor of arts in March 1896 and had intended to enroll at the School of Arts and Trades and study to become a maestro de obras;[3] however when the revolution broke out in August of that year his plans of further study were thwarted. A Mauser bullet grazed my forehead. In an article published by the Boston Evening Transcript, McCutcheon details that Gregorio del Pilar and Dolores Nable José were set to be married around mid-November 1899. He was promoted to brigadier-general after this event. I passed the night in the barrio of Manatal.