The Second Battle Of Caloocan

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

FEBRUARY 22, 1899

The Second Battle of Caloocan was fought between President Emilio Aguinaldo’s troops against the American forces during the Philippine-American War (Filipino-American War). 

General Antonio Luna, accompanied by General Mariano Llanera led the counter offensive aimed at regaining Manila from the Americans. 

As a result, the attack against the surprised American units led to the burning of Tondo and Binondo upon orders of General Luna. 

American fire brigades rushed to control the flames as the city was in near chaos. 

Filipinos with bolos cut the hoses of the firemen while snipers took shots at the Americans. 

As General Luna’s troops entered Tondo, furious street fighting ensued between the two forces. 

The Filipinos were able to advance until Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) but were repulsed by the U.S. troops. 

Two days later, the Filipinos retreated to Malolos after their offensive failed for lack of coordination among the troops and lack of artillery support. 

60 buildings of stone, 150 buildings of wood and 8,000 nipa homes were burned to the ground. 

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

Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org and tennyson nelly

Battle Of Caloocan

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

FEBRUARY 10, 1899

The Battle of Caloocan, one of the earliest battles during the Philippine-American War also known as the Filipino-American War, began at 4:00 in the afternoon when General Arthur MacArthur’s 1st Brigade under General Harrison G. Otis started to attack the forces of General Antonio Luna and overwhelmed them. 

Three hours earlier, the Filipino troops’ position was bombarded by the Utah battery of the 6th Artillery accompanied by naval gunfire from the USS Charleston and the USS Monadnock. 

After the fight at the town’s church, the Filipinos retreated towards Malolos, Bulacan. 

The Americans captured Caloocan and took control of the southern terminus of the Manila to Dagupan railway, along with five engines, fifty passenger coaches, and a hundred freight cars. 

Unarmed Filipino prisoners were shot by Colonel W. S. Metcalfe, an accusation made by his men during a congressional investigation, which Metcalfe vehemently denied. 

General Frederick Funston was also accused of interfering in the investigation. 

General Arthur MacArthur, the father of General Douglas MacArthur, became the military governor-general of the Philippines in 1900.

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

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Gen. Antonio Luna

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

OCTOBER 29, 1866

Antonio Luna de San Pedro y Novicio-Ancheta (October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899), a pharmacist, writer and general, was born in Urbiztondo, Binondo, Manila. 

He was an active member of the Propaganda Movement and wrote for La Solidaridad under the pen name Taga-Ilog. 

Antonio, like his brother Juan, did not join the Katipunan because they believed in reforms, not in a revolution. 

However, the brothers were accused and arrested as revolutionaries in 1896. 

Luna joined the 2nd phase of the revolution and became a general in Emilio Aguinaldo’s army.

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

Photo credit: malacanang.gov.ph