Battle of Makahambus
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Makahambus Hill was one of the few 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
of the Maguindanao Battalion. Most of them were volunteers apart from some Filipino army men who joined.
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 counter attacks, only to be driven back by rifle fire from the defenders.
American losses totaled as many as 20 dead and wounded. There was also one American prisoner of war. The Filipinos, however, suffered only 1 killed and 3 wounded, making this battle the most one-sided victory for the Filipinos during the 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...
. It was fought on June 4, 1900 in Cagayan de Misamis (now Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro; , officially the City of Cagayan de Oro, is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines...
). The Filipinos were under the command of Colonel Apolinar Velez
Apolinar Velez
The late Apolinar Velez y. Ramos was the Mayor of Cagayan de Misamis From 1928 to 1931 and also the Governor of the Misamis Provinces from 1906 to 1909. He led the Filipinos during the Battle of Makahambus that resulted in the victory of the Filipinos.-Early Life & Education:He was born on Jan 23,...
of the Maguindanao Battalion. Most of them were volunteers apart from some Filipino army men who joined.
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 counter attacks, only to be driven back by rifle fire from the defenders.
American losses totaled as many as 20 dead and wounded. There was also one American prisoner of war. The Filipinos, however, suffered only 1 killed and 3 wounded, making this battle the most one-sided victory for the Filipinos during the war.