Battle of Makahambus Hill
| Battle of Makahambus Hill | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Philippine-American War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 First Philippine Republic |
 United States | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Pablo Tecson Apolinar Velez |
Albert Laws Thomas Millar | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 200[1]: 271 | 35th Infantry[1]: 271 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
1 Killed 3 Wounded |
20 Killed or Wounded 1 Captured[1]: 271 | ||||||
The Battle of Makahambus Hill was one of the victories won by the Filipinos over the Americans during the Philippine-American War. It was fought on June 4, 1900 in Cagayan de Misamis (now Cagayan de Oro City). The Filipinos were under the command of Colonel Apolinar Velez[2] of the Maguindanao Battalion. Most of them were volunteers apart from some Filipino army men who joined.[3]
Background
Col. Pablo Tecson's Bulacan guerrillas, which included his brothers Alipio and Simon, had constructed a number of fortresses in the mountains.[1]: 271 On 25 May, they ambushed Capt. Charles D. Roberts' 6 man patrol, killing 3, and taking the rest prisoner, including Capt. Roberts.[1]: 271 However, in a humanitarian act, Tecson released the two wounded prisoners, but kept Capt. Roberts captive.[1]: 271 The Americans organized a campaign in an attempt to secure Roberts' release.
Battle
The fort at Makahambus was located on a high and steep hill. The Americans seeing how formidable the fort was tried to negotiate a Filipino surrender. The answer was a volley of cannon and rifle fire that drove the Americans back down the hill. Many were killed not by rifle fire, but by booby-trapped pits bristling with sharpened bamboo spears under a camouflage of foliage. The Americans launched repeated counterattacks, only to be driven back by rifle fire from the defenders.
On 4 June, Company E of the 35th was ambushed, followed by Maj. Albert Laws' battalion encountering the fortified hill.[1]: 271 Lt. Grover Flint tried to flank the hill but was also ambushed, wounding him and two others.[1]: 271 A relief force encountered another concealed trench line, and the Americans realized the fort was impossible to flank, being protected on both sides by gorges.[1]: 271 The battalion was pinned down until the Filipinos withdrew.[1]: 271
Aftermath
The American campaign was able to destroy some supply dumps in the search for Roberts, but failed to recapture him.[1]: 271
American losses totaled as many as 20 dead and wounded. There was also one American prisoner of war. The Filipinos, however, suffered only 1 kill and 3 wounded, making this battle a one-sided victory for the Filipinos during the war.
See also
References