Gen. Nicolas Capistrano Surrenders

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

MARCH 29, 1901

General Nicolas Capistrano together with 160 men and 9 officers surrendered to American forces in Sumilao, Bukidnon and turned over 187 rifles and 80 shotguns during the Philippine-American War. 

Earlier, on January 16, 1900, leaders of the town signed a pact of resistance against the United States. 

Capistrano was elected to lead and was assisted by Major Apolinar Velez and Captain Vicente Roa. 

On April 7, 1900, he and his men fought U.S. troops in the Battle of Cagayan de Misamis (now Cagayan de Oro City) but ordered a retreat after realizing an imminent defeat. 

He later served in the Philippine Assembly in 1909 and in the Philippine Senate from 1916-1919.

(Design, concept, stamp and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org and filipinoamericanwar.com

The Battle Of Marilao River

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

MARCH 27, 1899

The Battle of Marilao River, a part of the U.S. campaign to capture Malolos was fought between American troops and Filipino forces personally led by President Emilio Aguinaldo in Marilao, Bulacan. 

The combined troops of Gen. Isidro Torres, Gen. Pantaleon Garcia (who came down from Dagupan with 1,000 riflemen and 4,000 men with bolos) and Col. Enrique Pacheco engaged the Americans. 

They destroyed bridges to delay the arrival of U.S. artillery units but the Americans gained superiority in the battle when gunboats were used to fire at the Filipinos' positions. 

The Filipino troops retreated after suffering heavy casualties.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy)

All rights reserved

Photo credit: malacanang.org.ph

Gen. Luciano San Miguel Dies In Morong Battle

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

MARCH 27, 1903

Luciano San Miguel (January 7, 1875-March 27, 1903), a Magdiwang who became one of General Emilio Aguinaldo’s best generals of the Philippine-American War died in the Battle of Corral-na-Bato in Morong (now Rizal). 

A year earlier, as the newly elected Captain-General and the Supreme Commander of what’s left of the revolutionary forces, he launched guerrilla tactics against American forces and was among the most wanted leaders until his death.  

(Design, concept, stamp and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: philippineamericanwar.webs.com

Gen. Arthur MacArthur's Troops Battle Filipino Forces

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

MARCH 26, 1899

Maj. Gen. Arthur MacArthur's forces engaged Filipino troops in Malinta and Meycauayan. 

Malabon was on March 25 to 26, 1899 while some parts of Caloocan, Polo and San Francisco del Monte happened on the 25th. 

MacArthur's objective was to advance along the Manila-Dagupan railway and capture Malolos, the capital of the First Philippine Republic along with Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo. 

The Malolos Campaign began on March 24, 1899 and was carried out by MacArthur's 2nd Division comprising 12,000 men in three brigades under Brig. Gen. Loyd Wheaton, Brig. Gen. Harrison Otis, and Brig. Gen. Irving Hale.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org 

Gen. Frederick Funston Captures Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

MARCH 23, 1901

American General Frederick Funston successfully captured President Emilio Aguinaldo in a house in Palanan, Isabela. 

His capture was a well-planned action that involved 78 Macabebe Scouts who were loyal to the Americans. 

They posed as the added reinforcements to augment Aguinaldo’s forces along with the five ex-Philippine Army officers Gregorio Cadhit, Cecilio Segismundo, Hilario Tal Placido, Dionisio Bato and Lazaro Segovia. 

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

MARCH 22, 1869

Emilio Famy Aguinaldo (March 22, 1869 - February 6, 1964) was born in Kawit, Cavite. 

He joined the Katipunan in 1894 and was known as Magdalo. 

Aguinaldo led the Filipino forces against the Spaniards during the Philippine Revolution (1896-98) and the Americans in the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). 

He was inaugurated as the 1st President of the Philippines on January 23, 1899 in Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Today in Philippine History: Battle of San Fernando

JUNE 16, 1899

Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo gathered his army of around 4,000 with the purpose of retaking the town of San Fernando in Pampanga. The Battle for San Fernando began when Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army attacked U.S. positions in the strategic town and used several pieces of artillery. The American troops under Gen. Arthur MacArthur repulsed the Filipinos who retreated. Earlier on May 5, 1899, the Americans captured San Fernando with the defeated Filipino troops  of Gen. Antonio Luna burning the church, several buildings and railway station before they left.

Photo credit:http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

Today in Philippine History: Battle of Zapote Bridge

JUNE 13, 1899

The Battle of Zapote Bridge was the second largest battle in the Philippine-American War next to the February 4, 1899 Battle of Manila. Gen. Henry Ware Lawton assisted by Generals Loyd Wheaton and Samuel Ovenshine led 3,000 troops to crush the Philippine Revolutionary Army in Cavite. They were repulsed several times by the 5,000-strong infantry force of Gen. Artemio  Ricarte and Gen. Mariano Noriel. Admiral George Dewey unleashed a hundred sailors armed with machineguns that forced the Filipinos to retreat after many in their ranks lay dead. 

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/ 

Today in Philippine History: Last Spanish Troops Finally Surrender

JUNE 2, 1899

Four Spanish officers along with fifty-three of their men ended their stake out at the Baler Church in Nueva Ecija that began a year earlier on June 28,1898. The troops held on despite of hunger, diseases, desertion among their ranks and calls for surrender by the Filipino forces. They finally gave up after being convinced that the Spanish-American War was over and the Filipinos were fighting the Americans. Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo decreed that they be treated as friends not enemies and were given safe-conduct passes. They became heroes upon their arrival in Spain.

Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/ 

Today in Philippine History: Marcela Agoncillo

MAY 30, 1946

Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (June 24, 1860 – May 30, 1946), the Mother of the Philippine Flag died at the age of 86. Doña Marcela or Lola Celay as she was called during her old age greatly mourned the passing of her husband Don Felipe in 1941 that led to her failing health. She was a strong woman who survived the anguish caused by the burning of their house by the Japanese during the war that made her decide to take her children to Taal. Agoncillo’s greatest legacy was the hand-sewn “sun and stars flag” that embodied the aspirations of the Filipino people.   

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Today in Philippine History: Gen. Elwell S. Otis Re-establishes the Audiencia Territorial

MAY 29, 1899

Major General Elwell S. Otis, the military governor of the Philippines re-established the Audiencia Territorial de Manila  (Regional Court of Manila), the highest court in the country next to the Supreme Court of Spain in Madrid prior to the U.S. occupation. This move was made after he consulted with Cayetano Arellano, a pro-American lawyer who held a high position in Emilio Aguinaldo’s cabinet. On August 13, 1898 after the fall of Manila, Gen. Wesley Merritt replaced the Audiencia Territorial with military commissions or court martials or provost courts.

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/ and http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

Today in Philippine History: Felipe Agoncillo

MAY 26, 1859

Felipe Agoncillo (May 26, 1859 – September 29, 1941), known as the first Filipino diplomat was born in Taal, Batangas and married to Marcela Agoncillo. As auxiliary fiscal in his hometown, he gained the ire of corrupt Spanish authorities and church officials who hated his righteous practice of the law and defense of the poor. During the Philippine Revolution, Gen. Emilio Auinaldo made him Minister Plenipotentiary to negotiate treaties with foreign governments. After the end of the Philippine-American War in 1902, he won a seat in the Philippine Assembly.

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Today in Philippine History: Gen. Gregorio del Pilar Heads Peace Panel

MAY 22, 1899

President Emilio Aguinaldo created a commission to negotiate an armistice with the Americans after the Philippine Army suffered several losses in different battlefields and the unrelenting offensives of the U.S. forces. He appointed Gen. Gregorio del Pilar to head the panel that conferred with the Shurman Commission headed by Jacob Shurman from May 22 to 23. The talks however failed with the U.S. insistence that American sovereignty was non-negotiable. Eventually, the Philippine-American War ended in 1902 with Filipino leaders embracing America.

Photo credit: http://tumblr.malacanang.gov.ph/ and http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/ 

Today in Philippine History: Americans Occupy San Isidro

MAY 17, 1899

Col. Owen Summers with a force consisting of a 3-gun section of the Utah Light Artillery Battery, soldiers of the 4th Cavalry and Infantry Regiments of the 22nd, 1st North Dakota, and the 2nd Oregon and Young’s Scouts upon orders of Gen. Lawton marched to capture San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, the headquarters of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo. As the Americans approached the town, 2,000 Filipino revolutionaries opened fire but withdrew. The town was easily occupied by the U.S. forces with 15 Filipinos killed and 3 wounded while only 3 Americans were wounded

Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

Today in Philippine History: Deadly Cholera Gets Mabini

MAY 13, 1903

Apolinario Mabini died of cholera in Manila just weeks when he swore allegiance to the United States after his return from exile. On December 10, 1899, Mabini was captured after months of hiding from the American authorities. While in detention, he was asked to swear allegiance to America and withdraw his support for the Filipino insurgents but he refused. After a year in prison, he was exiled to Guam and was allowed to return in February 1903. Mabini wrote La Revolucion Filipina (The Philippine Revolution) which was published in 1907.

Today in Philippine History: Paterno Replaces Mabini as PM

MAY 7, 1899

The paralytic Apolinario Mabino, head of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo’s cabinet was replaced by Pedro Paterno. This was the result of an internal squabble on the issue whether to continue the war or surrender to the Americans. Mabini who was carried on a hammock fled to Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija but was captured by the Americans. Paterno would later be known as the greatest turncoat of the country. First, he sided with Spain that led to the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, then he became Aguinaldo’s prime minister. Later, he shifted his loyalty to America.

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Today in Philippine History: Isabelo Abaya is Killed in Action

MAY 3, 1900

Major Federico Isabelo Abaya (1854 – May 3, 1900) was killed as he led an attack against a U.S. detachment composed of 30 soldiers from the 33rd Infantry led by Lt. McCleland during the Philippine-American War. Abaya, a member of the revolutionary group Espiritu de Candon was known for declaring a Republic of Candon on March 25, 1898. He led the Cry of Candon that successfully drove away the Spaniards. In the war against the U.S. he joined the revolutionary army under Gen. Manuel Tinio and later commanded guerrilla forces under Col. Juan Villamor.

Photo credits: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/ and http://philippines-islands-lemuria.blogspot.com/

Today in Philippine History: Battle of Quingua

APRIL 23, 1899

The Battle of Quingua was fought during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902) in Quingua, now Plaridel in Bulacan. Gen. Gregorio del Pilar with Col. Pablo Tecson successfully thwarted the advances of the U.S. 4th Cavalry led by Major James Franklin Bell. However, when the 1st Nebraskan Infantry of Col. James M. Stotsenburg arrived to reinforce Bell along with Irving Hale’st 51st Iowa Infantry, 1st South Dakota Infantry and Utah Artillery, the Filipinos retreated. The battle saw Col. Stotsenburg dead with 6 others and wounding 44. Only 13 Filipinos died.

Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/

Today in Philippine History: Gen. Miguel Malvar Surrenders

APRIL 16, 1902

General Miguel Malvar (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) surrendered to U.S. Brig. Gen. James Franklin Bell in Lipa, Batangas. His surrender officially ended the Philippine-American War. Malvar assumed the command of the Philippine Forces after President Emilio Aguinaldo’s capture and exile to Hong Kong in 1901. He then created a new government with him as the head and Commander-in-Chief and conducted guerrilla operations against the Americans.

Today in Philippine History: Luciano San Miguel Dies in Battle

MARCH 27, 1903

Luciano San Miguel (January 7, 1875 - March 27, 1903), a Magdiwang who became one of General Emilio Aguinaldo’s best generals of the Philippine-American War died in the battle of Corral-na-Bato in Morong (now Rizal). A year earlier, as the newly elected Captain-General and the Supreme Commander of what’s left of the revolutionary forces, he launched guerrilla tactics against American forces and was among the most wanted leaders until his death.  

Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/