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MIS Capitol Bataan
It was the first of May 1898, at around five to six o’clock in the morning when thunders of cannon volleys interrupted the tranquil sleep of the people of Bataan. American forces were bombing Corregidor, just off the coast of Mariveles. In less than an hour, Spanish defenses on the island were destroyed and by the afternoon of that same day, six American officials, including a captain, landed on the island from their vessel, Zafiro. The island was surrended.
THE FALL OF MARIVELES
By the end of the month, everything was ready for the conquest of Bataan by the insrurrectos, who had no choice but to raise a rebellion. Otherwise, it was known later, the American forces threatened to bombard the whole province.
Mariveles, therefore, was taken on May 30. Protected by eight regiments under Lieutenant Pavon, the town was attacked at noon when the soldiers were taking lunch. Though unprepared, the soldiers fought bravely – fifty to one. The battle left 16 young Spanish soldiers dead or gravely wounded.
THE FALL OF ORION
Orion was also taken on the 30th. Around 6 o’clock in the morning of the 29th, the infantry stationed in the town split up to survey the town. One division under the Señor Guerra, went northwards in the direction of Pilar. The other, under First Lieutenant Gomez, went southwards towards Limay. Only seven soldiers, under Sgt. Navarro, were left in town.
Soon after the two columns of soldiers left, cannon shots were heard – Balanga came under fire. And in a moment, from the forest of Orion itself, appeared troops of insurrectos. However, they could not approach the church and convent because of the armed soldiers who had taken refuge there.
Organizing themselves, the insurrectos marched towards Limay where they encountered the troops of Lieutenant Gomez – 20 infantry men with two guardias civiles against no less than four thousand rebels. The battle lasted for five hours, until two in the afternoon when the soldiers had used up their ammunition.
Victoriously, the rebels hastened to town where they kept vigil through the night, asking the priests of the parish, Fathers Ulpiano Herrero and Julian Misol, to surrender. In the morning of the next day, May 30, moved by the threats of the rebels to burn down the church and convent, the priests came down from the tower of the church and with them descended the Spanish flag in the town.
THE FALL OF PILAR
In Pilar, trouble also began on May 29. Ten infantry men who sought shelter in the convent found themselves surrounded by men armed with bolos – mostly Aetas who had connived with the few insurrectos in the town to occupy it. Prepared for battle, the soldiers stayed on the first floor of the convent for it was of concrete materials while the second floor was only of wood. Here, they were attacked by a native who had taken his subo, thinking that with it he could kill all the Spaniards in the convent, without getting himself killed. But before he could even reach the convent door, he was felled with a gunshot.
However, the insurrectos were able to set the convent aflame, and the soldiers had to flee to the church located at the other side of the road. In the process, the parish priest, Fr. Francisco Garcia, was wounded in the nose and left arm. And, after having been attacked by another superstitious fanatic, they were able to close the church and climb to the tower. From there, they heard the sound of trumpets from the direction of Orion. Thinking that it was help, they were overjoyed. Later, however, from the tower, they understood and saw that it was but a cry for help from the troops of Sergeant Guerra in Orion, being massacred by the insurrectos.
Hungry and thirsty, Father Garcia and his companions waited for any aid from Balanga or from any other place until the next day, May 30, when, convinced that no help was coming and assured by Gregorio Paguio, the captain of the insurrectos, that they would be treated with respect, they ended Spanish sovereignty in Pilar by surrendering themselves.
THE FALL OF BAGAC AND MORONG
On a Monday, June 7, a surprise attack was made on the 25 infantrymen of Bagac, and all were killed. The same was planned for Morong but the infantrymen of the town readily perceived their plan. They defended the quarters of the town for several days until they ran out of food and ammunitions. They retreated to Subic where, after a heroic defense, they surrendered to the Americans on Isla Grande where they had taken refuge. Admiral Dewey, however, later handed them over to the government of Aguinaldo.
THE FALL OF BALANGA
By May 26, rumors of revolution already permeated the town of Balanga. The day after, a certain Pantaleon, a former capitan of the town, asked for a sung Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin for the failure of the plot of the Katipunan to kill all Spaniards. By the 28th, revolution already started in the town under the leadership of a certain Jaen, a strong though uneducated man. Later, afraid of the anger of his fellow rebels for having advanced the date of the revolution from May 31 to May 28, Jaen committed suicide. His troops tried unsuccessfully to occupy the military quarters of the town.
The Spaniards, who took refuge inside the convent, lasted till the 30th, when their food began to run out. By May 31, they realized that no help was coming from Orani. So Baquero, the military chief in Balanga, negotiated the terms of surrender with the head of the rebels of the town, a man named Cardenas.
THE FALL OF SAMAL
On May 29, Lieutenant Salazar of the Guardia Civil gave instructions for the parish priest of Samal to leave town. Early the next day, the same lieutenant, with 50 men under him, proceeded to Balanga to provide support, passing by Abucay to ask Father Govea to leave. Meanwhile, Don Lucas Francia, the commander of the Bataan-Zambales zone, awaited help from General Monet who was assigned in Pampanga.
Two days, later, 150 Macabebes came. Together with 70 other infantrymen and guardias civiles, they tried to proceed to Balanga. But like the troops of Lieutenant Salazar, they did not enter the town for fear of being trapped inside. Instead, they retreated to Samal. The next day, Francia was informed of the surrender of Balanga. Sending a small troop to Samal, which also later returned, Francia retreated to Pampanga together with the priests of Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa. So that when Lt. Salazar sent him a messenger to ask for instructions, he had already left.
That night, the revolutionaries attacked the town of Samal with arms taken from the Peace of Biak-na-Bato, from the infantrymen of Pilar, Abucay and Balanga which had surrendered, and from the Americans. Lieutenant Salazar wanted to surrender but the Macabebes, hoping for help from Pampanga which had been promised by Francia, refused.
Meanwhile, the insurrectos, having surrounded the Church, were able to dig a hole on the left side of the church, into which they poured petroleum which they later set aflame, burning the main altar. This led the defenders of the town to agree to the surrender provided their lives be spared.
But, afterwards, the rebels decreed that the Macabebes were not included in the agreement since they were Filipinos who turned traitor to their motherland by fighting under the Spanish flag. To regain their freedom, the Macabebes were required to shout, “Muera España, viva Filipinas!” Refusing to do this, the Macabebes answered: “Pensais que vamos a ser como vosotros que ayer jurabais ser eternamente fieles a España para hoy matar a sus hijos u pisotear su bandera?...” Because of this, they were all massacred.
In their honor, Father Ulpiano Herrero wrote:
“Descanded en paz magnanimos hijos de Macabebe! Con vuestro glorioso sacrificio cerrasteis brillantissimamente el libro de la fidelidad de Filipinas a España; y en ese asqueroso monton de traiciones y bellanquerias contra la Patria que dio a los Filipinos religion y cultura, constituis el unico oasis en que, contemplando los sucesos del perfido levantamiento, se recrea la mente del observador, a quien enthusiasman los sublimes cuadros de historia.”
THE FALL OF MARIVELES
By the end of the month, everything was ready for the conquest of Bataan by the insrurrectos, who had no choice but to raise a rebellion. Otherwise, it was known later, the American forces threatened to bombard the whole province.
Mariveles, therefore, was taken on May 30. Protected by eight regiments under Lieutenant Pavon, the town was attacked at noon when the soldiers were taking lunch. Though unprepared, the soldiers fought bravely – fifty to one. The battle left 16 young Spanish soldiers dead or gravely wounded.
THE FALL OF ORION
Orion was also taken on the 30th. Around 6 o’clock in the morning of the 29th, the infantry stationed in the town split up to survey the town. One division under the Señor Guerra, went northwards in the direction of Pilar. The other, under First Lieutenant Gomez, went southwards towards Limay. Only seven soldiers, under Sgt. Navarro, were left in town.
Soon after the two columns of soldiers left, cannon shots were heard – Balanga came under fire. And in a moment, from the forest of Orion itself, appeared troops of insurrectos. However, they could not approach the church and convent because of the armed soldiers who had taken refuge there.
Organizing themselves, the insurrectos marched towards Limay where they encountered the troops of Lieutenant Gomez – 20 infantry men with two guardias civiles against no less than four thousand rebels. The battle lasted for five hours, until two in the afternoon when the soldiers had used up their ammunition.
Victoriously, the rebels hastened to town where they kept vigil through the night, asking the priests of the parish, Fathers Ulpiano Herrero and Julian Misol, to surrender. In the morning of the next day, May 30, moved by the threats of the rebels to burn down the church and convent, the priests came down from the tower of the church and with them descended the Spanish flag in the town.
THE FALL OF PILAR
In Pilar, trouble also began on May 29. Ten infantry men who sought shelter in the convent found themselves surrounded by men armed with bolos – mostly Aetas who had connived with the few insurrectos in the town to occupy it. Prepared for battle, the soldiers stayed on the first floor of the convent for it was of concrete materials while the second floor was only of wood. Here, they were attacked by a native who had taken his subo, thinking that with it he could kill all the Spaniards in the convent, without getting himself killed. But before he could even reach the convent door, he was felled with a gunshot.
However, the insurrectos were able to set the convent aflame, and the soldiers had to flee to the church located at the other side of the road. In the process, the parish priest, Fr. Francisco Garcia, was wounded in the nose and left arm. And, after having been attacked by another superstitious fanatic, they were able to close the church and climb to the tower. From there, they heard the sound of trumpets from the direction of Orion. Thinking that it was help, they were overjoyed. Later, however, from the tower, they understood and saw that it was but a cry for help from the troops of Sergeant Guerra in Orion, being massacred by the insurrectos.
Hungry and thirsty, Father Garcia and his companions waited for any aid from Balanga or from any other place until the next day, May 30, when, convinced that no help was coming and assured by Gregorio Paguio, the captain of the insurrectos, that they would be treated with respect, they ended Spanish sovereignty in Pilar by surrendering themselves.
THE FALL OF BAGAC AND MORONG
On a Monday, June 7, a surprise attack was made on the 25 infantrymen of Bagac, and all were killed. The same was planned for Morong but the infantrymen of the town readily perceived their plan. They defended the quarters of the town for several days until they ran out of food and ammunitions. They retreated to Subic where, after a heroic defense, they surrendered to the Americans on Isla Grande where they had taken refuge. Admiral Dewey, however, later handed them over to the government of Aguinaldo.
THE FALL OF BALANGA
By May 26, rumors of revolution already permeated the town of Balanga. The day after, a certain Pantaleon, a former capitan of the town, asked for a sung Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin for the failure of the plot of the Katipunan to kill all Spaniards. By the 28th, revolution already started in the town under the leadership of a certain Jaen, a strong though uneducated man. Later, afraid of the anger of his fellow rebels for having advanced the date of the revolution from May 31 to May 28, Jaen committed suicide. His troops tried unsuccessfully to occupy the military quarters of the town.
The Spaniards, who took refuge inside the convent, lasted till the 30th, when their food began to run out. By May 31, they realized that no help was coming from Orani. So Baquero, the military chief in Balanga, negotiated the terms of surrender with the head of the rebels of the town, a man named Cardenas.
THE FALL OF SAMAL
On May 29, Lieutenant Salazar of the Guardia Civil gave instructions for the parish priest of Samal to leave town. Early the next day, the same lieutenant, with 50 men under him, proceeded to Balanga to provide support, passing by Abucay to ask Father Govea to leave. Meanwhile, Don Lucas Francia, the commander of the Bataan-Zambales zone, awaited help from General Monet who was assigned in Pampanga.
Two days, later, 150 Macabebes came. Together with 70 other infantrymen and guardias civiles, they tried to proceed to Balanga. But like the troops of Lieutenant Salazar, they did not enter the town for fear of being trapped inside. Instead, they retreated to Samal. The next day, Francia was informed of the surrender of Balanga. Sending a small troop to Samal, which also later returned, Francia retreated to Pampanga together with the priests of Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa. So that when Lt. Salazar sent him a messenger to ask for instructions, he had already left.
That night, the revolutionaries attacked the town of Samal with arms taken from the Peace of Biak-na-Bato, from the infantrymen of Pilar, Abucay and Balanga which had surrendered, and from the Americans. Lieutenant Salazar wanted to surrender but the Macabebes, hoping for help from Pampanga which had been promised by Francia, refused.
Meanwhile, the insurrectos, having surrounded the Church, were able to dig a hole on the left side of the church, into which they poured petroleum which they later set aflame, burning the main altar. This led the defenders of the town to agree to the surrender provided their lives be spared.
But, afterwards, the rebels decreed that the Macabebes were not included in the agreement since they were Filipinos who turned traitor to their motherland by fighting under the Spanish flag. To regain their freedom, the Macabebes were required to shout, “Muera España, viva Filipinas!” Refusing to do this, the Macabebes answered: “Pensais que vamos a ser como vosotros que ayer jurabais ser eternamente fieles a España para hoy matar a sus hijos u pisotear su bandera?...” Because of this, they were all massacred.
In their honor, Father Ulpiano Herrero wrote:
“Descanded en paz magnanimos hijos de Macabebe! Con vuestro glorioso sacrificio cerrasteis brillantissimamente el libro de la fidelidad de Filipinas a España; y en ese asqueroso monton de traiciones y bellanquerias contra la Patria que dio a los Filipinos religion y cultura, constituis el unico oasis en que, contemplando los sucesos del perfido levantamiento, se recrea la mente del observador, a quien enthusiasman los sublimes cuadros de historia.”
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