This Battle of Caloocan was a battle fought in the early stages of the Philippine-American War

Philippine-American War

The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...

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Background

After the Battle of Manila

Battle of Manila (1899)

The Battle of Manila, the first and largest battle fought during the Philippine–American War, was fought on 4 and February 5, 1899, between 12,000 Americans and 15,000 Filipinos. Armed conflict broke out when American troops, under orders to turn away insurgents from their encampment, fired upon an...

 on 4–5 February 1899, Filipino forces which had been pushed out of a strong position on the Santa Mesa ridge north of the City regrouped at Caloocan about 12 miles north of Manila. General Arthur MacArthur

Arthur MacArthur

Arthur MacArthur may refer to:*Arthur MacArthur, Sr. , lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and acting governor for four days; United States federal judge*Arthur MacArthur, Jr...

 wanted to attack immediately, but was urged by General Elwell Otis to delay a few days to allow time both for reinforcements to be shifted into position and for the Filipino forces to concentrate into the Caloocan pocket.

Battle

At 4 pm on 10 February, after three hours of preparatory bombardment by the Utah battery of the 6th Artillery and naval gunfire from the USS Charleston

USS Charleston (C-2)

The second USS Charleston was a United States Navy protected cruiser — the first US protected cruiser to be built. Lacking experience in building steel cruisers, the design was commissioned from the British company W. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co...

and the USS Monadnock

USS Monadnock (BM-3)

The second USS Monadnock was an iron‑hulled, twin‑screw, double‑turreted monitor of the in the United States Navy which saw service in the Spanish-American War....

, MacArthur's 1st Brigade under General Harrison G. Otis began the ground attack and overwhelmed the defending Filipino forces. After a short, vicious fight at the town church, Filipino forces retreated towards Malolos, the capital of the insurgent First Philippine Republic

First Philippine Republic

The Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...

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Result

The capture of Caloocan left American forces in control of the southern terminus of the Manila to Dagupan railway, along with five engines, fifty passenger coaches, and a hundred freight cars. After consolidating control of Caloocan, the obvious next objective for American forces would be the insurgent capital at Malolos. However, General Otis delayed for almost a month in hopes that insurgent forces would be deployed in its defense.