The Battle of Tirad Pass, sometimes referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae",

[1]
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 rearguard commanded
by Brigadier General Gregorio del Pilar [Gregorio S. Del Pilar] succumbed to 500
Americans of the 33rd Infantry Regiment under Major Peyton C. March, while
delaying the American advance to ensure Emilio Aguinaldo's escape.

Tirad Pass, RP’s Battle of Thermopylae (Dec.

2, 1899)
December 7, 2010 By jcc 37 Comments
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I should have posted this bit of historical note five days ago, to
enliven our search for our nation’s soul and for us to reminisce, that once in the life of our
nation, we have something to be proud of our past. That one glorious moment of our past
happened 111 years and five days ago today.
The Battle of Tirad Pass at Candon, Ilocos Sur , is our local equivalent of the great Battle of
Thermopylae, where approximately 7,000 Greek soldiers blocked the pass in the Summer of 480
B.C. to repel a far superior Persian army numbering in millions. The greeks were subdued, just
like our 60 defenders in the pass under the command of 24 year old general, Gregorio Del Pilar,
to allow President Aguinaldo to escape to the mountains from the pursuing U.S. soldiers
numbering about 300 with superior arms and limitless ammunitions.
Our forebears fought foreign invaders and painted our souls with a sense of a nation. Let us
continue to fight against a more insidious enemy today - ourselves, our ignorance, our disunity,
our poverty and our betrayal of the ideals which our elders had sanctified with their blood. Let
the Battle of Tirad Pass refresh our memory of our illustrious past.
American war correspondent, Richard Henry Little described the battle at Tirad Pass, this way:
“We had seen him cheering his men in the fight. One of our companies crouched up close under
the side of the cliff where he had built his first entrenchment, heard his voice continually during
the fight, scolding them, praising them cursing, appealing in one moment to their love of their
native land and the next instant threatening to kill them if they did not stand firm. Driven from
the the first entrenchment, he fell slowly back to the second in full sight of our sharpshooters
and under a heavy fire. Not until every man around him in the second entrenchment was down
did he turn his white horse and ride slowly up in the winding trail. Then we who were below saw
an American squirm his way out to the top of high flat rock, and take deliberate aim at the figure
on the white horse. We held our breath, not knowing whether to pray that the sharpshooter
would shoot straight or miss. Then came the spiteful crack of the Krag and the man on
horseback rolled to the ground, and when the troops charging up the mountainside reached him
the ‘boy general’ of the Filipinos was dead”.
We went up the mountain side. After H company had driven the insurgents out of their second
position and killed Pilar, the other companies rushed straight up the trail. Just past this a few
hundred yards, we saw a solitary figure lying on the road. The boy was almost stripped of
clothing, and there were no marks of rank on the blood-soaked coat.
“We got his diary and letters and all his papers, and Sullivan of our company got his pants, and
Snider got his shoes, but he can’t wear them because they’re too small, and a lieutenant got the
other, and somebody swiped his cuff button and his collar with blood on it”.
So this was the end of Gregorio del Pilar. A private sitting by the fire was exhibiting his
handkerchief. I’ts old Pilar’s It’s got Dolores Hoses on the corner. I guess that was his girl.
Well, it’s all over with Gregorio.
“Anyhow” said Private Sullivan, ‘I got his pants. He won’t need them anymore.
The man who had the general shoes strode proudly past. A private sitting on a rock was
examining a gold locket containing a curl of a woman’s hair. Got the locket off his neck, said the
soldier.
As the main column started its march for the summit of the mountain, a turn in the trail brought
us again in sight of the insurgent general below us. There had been no time to bury him. Not
even a blanket or a poncho had been thrown over him
And when Private Sullivan went by in his trousers, and Snider his shoes, and the other man who
had the cuff buttons, and the sergeant who had the spur and the lieutenant who had the other
spur, and the man who had the handkerchief, and another that had his shoulder straps, it
suddenly occurred to me that his glory was about all we had left him.

Philippine Declaration of Independence

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article
by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (June 2010)
For Main article Independence Day (Philippines). For more information History of the
Philippines (1946–1965), Treaty of Manila (1946).
Philippine Declaration of
Independence
Created May–June 1898
Ratified June 12, 1898
Location National Library of
the Philippines
Author(s) Ambrosio Rianzares
Bautista
Emilio Aguinaldo
Signatories 98 delegates
Purpose To proclaim the
sovereignty and
independence of the
Philippines from the
colonial rule of Spain
The Philippine Declaration of independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite II el Viejo
(now Kawit), Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of
independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the
sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain, which
had been recently defeated at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.
The declaration, however, was recognized by neither the United States nor Spain. The Spanish
government later ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris that
ended the Spanish-American War. The United States finally recognized Philippine independence
on July 4, 1946 in the Treaty of Manila.[1] July 4 was observed in the Philippines as
Independence Day until August 4, 1964 when, upon the advice of historians and the urging of
nationalists, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into law Republic Act No. 4166 designating
June 12 as the country's Independence Day.[2] June 12 had previously been observed as Flag Day
and many government buildings are urged to display the Philippine Flag in their offices.
The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in the
Philippines, where Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo
(later to become the Philippines' first Republican President) proclaimed before the
crowd in Cavite el Viejo (now Kawit the sovereignty and independence of the
Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain following the latter's defeat at the
Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. The declaration was based
on the Act of the Declaration of Independence which was prepared and written by
Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish.
Battle of Manila Bay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Battle of Manila Bay
Part of the Spanish-American War
 Commodore George Dewey aboard the cruiser Olympia.
Date 1 May 1898
Location Near Manila, Philippines
Result Decisive U.S. victory
Belligerents

United States Kingdom of Spain

Commanders and leaders

George Dewey Patricio Montojo y

Pasarón
Strength
Engaged Forces:[cn 1]
2 protected cruisers
4 unprotected cruisers
Engaged Forces:[cn 1]
2 gunboats
4 protected cruisers
Unengaged Forces:
2 gunboats
1 cruiser
Unengaged Forces:
3 gunboats,
1 revenue cutter
1 transport
2 transports
Shore defenses
6 batteries
3 forts
Casualties and losses
1 dead (due to 161 dead,
heatstroke),[5] 210 wounded,
9 wounded, 2 protected cruisers sunk,
 5 unprotected cruisers
1 protected cruiser
sunk,
damaged
1 transport sunk

[show]
• v
• d
• e
Pacific Theater: Spanish American War
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The
American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the
Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón. The engagement took
place in Manila Bay in the Philippines, and was the first major engagement of the Spanish-
American War.

Discovery of The May 7, '08 1:36 AM

Katipunan by emilio for everyone

A. Spanish Suspicion Aroused

• More and more Filipinos were becoming members of KKK

• Although this is advantageous for Bonifacio, it also became a disadvantage
for the organization because the new members were impatient.
emiliojacintokkk • Due to their impatience, they met nightly and this aroused the Spanish
suspicion that a rebellious organization existed which has the goal of over
throwing the Spanish government
• Rumors and news of the meetings of the KKK members reached Manila
which caused anxiety for the Spanish population particularly the Spaniards.

B. Betrayal
• The discovery of the Katipunan was because of an unfortunate incident that
took place between two katipuneros who was working in the Spanish owned
Diario de Manila
• Apolonio dela Cruz and Teodoro Patino had a misunderstanding and to get
revenge, Patino revealed the secretsof the society to his sister Honoria.
• Honoria, informed Sor Teresa, madre portera of the orphanage where she
worked, and later suggested that Patino confess to Father Mariano Gil
• In the afternoon of August 19, Patino revealed what he knew of the secret
society
• The discovery of the KKK was immediately followed mass arrests of
Filipino suspects.

C. Wealthy Filipinos Implicated

• Bonifacio thought that in order to force the wealthy Filipinos to join the
 KKKmovement, they had to make it appear that they were deeply involved in
the movement
• This led to the arrest of Luis R. Yangco, Francisco L. Roxas, and other
wealthy Filipinos denied being part of the organization
• Roxas was executed and Yangco alog with others, bribed the officials and
they were eventually set free.

Trial and execution

Historians have condemned the trial of the Bonifacio brothers as unjust. The jury was entirely
composed of Aguinaldo's men; Bonifacio's defense lawyer acted more like a prosecutor as he
himself declared Bonifacio's guilt and instead appealed for less punishment; and Bonifacio was
not allowed to confront the state witness for the charge of conspiracy on the grounds that the
latter had been killed in battle, but later the witness was seen with the prosecutors.[72][73] Teodoro
Agoncillo writes that Bonifacio's declaration of authority in opposition to Aguinaldo posed a
danger to the revolution, because a split in the rebel forces would result in almost certain defeat
to their united and well-armed Spanish foe.[70]
In contrast, Renato Constantino writes that Bonifacio was neither a danger to the revolution in
general for he still planned to fight the Spanish, nor to the Revolution in Cavite since he was
leaving; but Bonifacio was definitely a threat to the Cavite leaders who wanted control of the
Revolution, so he was eliminated. Constantino contrasts Bonifacio who had no record of
compromise with the Spanish with the Cavite leaders who did compromise, resulting in the Pact
of Biak-na-Bato whereas the revolution was officially halted and its leaders exiled, though many
Filipinos continued to fight (though Aguinaldo, unofficially allied with the United States, did
return to take charge of the revolution during the Spanish-American War).[74]
Historians have also discussed the motives of the Cavite government to replace Bonifacio, and
whether it had the right to do so. The Magdalo provincial council which helped establish a
republican government led by one of their own was only one of many such councils in the pre-
existing Katipunan government.[75][76] Therefore, Constantino and Alejo Villanueva write
Aguinaldo and his faction may be considered counter-revolutionary as well - as guilty of
violating Bonifacio's constituted authority just as they considered Bonifacio to violate theirs.[75][77]
Aguinaldo's own adviser and official Apolinario Mabini writes that he was "primarily
answerable for insubordination against the head of the Katipunan of which he was a member".[39]
Aguinaldo's authority was not immediately recognized by all rebels. If Bonifacio had escaped
Cavite, he would have had the right as the Katipunan leader to prosecute Aguinaldo for treason
instead of the other way around.[78] Constantino and Villanueva also interpret the Tejeros
Convention as the culmination of a movement by members of the upper class represented by
Aguinaldo to wrest power from Bonifacio who represented the middle and lower classes.[77][79]
Regionalism among the Cavite rebels, dubbed "Cavitismo" by Constantino, has also been put
forward as motivation for the replacement of Bonifacio.[80][81][82] Mabini considered the execution
as criminal and "assassination...the first victory of personal ambition over true patriotism." He
also noted that "All the electors [at the Tejeros Convention] were friends of Don Emilio
Aguinaldo and Don Mariano Trías, who were united, while Bonifacio, although he had
established his integrity, was looked upon with distrust only because he was not a native of the
province: this explains his resentment."[39]
There are differing accounts of Bonifacio's manner of execution. The commanding officer of the
execution party, Lazaro Macapagal, said in two separate accounts that the Bonifacio brothers
were shot to death, which is the orthodox interpretation. Macapagal's second account has
Bonifacio attempting to escape after his brother is shot, but he is also killed while running away.
Macapagal writes that they buried the brothers in shallow graves dug with bayonets and marked
by twigs.[1]
However, another account states that after his brother was shot, Bonifacio was stabbed and
hacked to death. This was allegedly done while he lay prone in a hammock in which he was
carried to the site, being too weak to walk.[44] This version was maintained by Guillermo
Masangkay, who claimed to have gotten this information from one of Macapagal's men.[1] Also,
one account used to corroborate this version is of an alleged eyewitness, a farmer who claimed
he saw five men hacking a man in a hammock.[44] Historian Milagros Guerrero also says
Bonifacio was bayoneted, and that the brothers were left unburied.[83] After bones said to be
Bonifacio's - including a fractured skull - were discovered in 1918, Masangkay claimed the
forensic evidence supported his version of events.[1] Writer Adrian Cristobal notes that accounts
of Bonifacio's captivity and trial state he was very weak due to his wounds being left untreated;
he thus doubts that Bonifacio was strong enough to make a last dash for freedom as Macapagal
claimed.[44] Historian Ambeth Ocampo, who doubts the Bonifacio bones were authentic, thus also
doubts the possibility of Bonifacio's death by this manner.[1]

The Naik Military Agreement, 19 April 1897

Signed by Andres Bonifacio and other members of the Magdiwang council of the
Katipunan, the Naik Military Agreement declares that several Filipino revolutionaries
have committed treason against the nation and the revolution by forging a peace
pact with the Spanish colonial forces. The signatories resolve that they are no
longer bound to recognize the authority of the traitors and that all revolutionary
forces shall be unified under the command of Pio del Pilar.

Execution of Bonifacio
In the morning of May 10, 1897, a sealed order was received by Maj. Lazaro Makapagal from
General Noriel. The latter further ordered Makapagal to take four soldiers and escort the
Bonifacio brothers to Mount Buntis. Noriel insisted that only upon arrival at said location would
Makapagal open the sealed orders and follow the instructions. Makapagal, four soldiers, and the
Bonifacio brothers marched along a trail leading to Mount Buntis. At the foot of the mountain,
Andres Bonifacio asked Makapagal to open the sealed order. After reading the content, the
Bonifacio brothers were shot and buried in a shallow grave marked only by a few twigs and
leaves.