The Manila Battalion was a military unit within the Philippine Republican Army, composed of enlisted Filipino soldiers from the City of Manila. The battalion started out as a territorial militia during the war of independence from Spain.
It was stationed in the Fourth Zone of Manila under the command of General Pantaleon Garcia and Colonel Enrique Pacheco, and saw action in the Battle of Manila in 1899.
A company of the Manila Battalion under Captain Garcia was present in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija on June 5th, 1899. On that day, they disarmed General Luna's men and conducted them as prisoners, sending them toward Cabanatuan. This occurred on the same day General Luna was assassinated by troops of the Kawit Battalion in Cabanatuan.[1]
Related Units
editAnother Manila-based territorial militia was recorded to have been active in January 1899. The 5th Trozo Battalion was formed by Intramuros resident Julian Santo.[2] The name of the battalion was derived from the vicinity of Trozo in Santa Cruz, Manila and was composed of at least 400 native soldiers from the Spanish infantry. The 5th Trozo Battalion was notably involved in the Second Battle of Caloocan, which was at the time led by Colonel Soriano.[3]
References
edit- ^ Casalmir, Ronnie Miravite. "THE ASSASSINATION OF ANTONIO LUNA". www.philamwar.com. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Worcester, Dean C. (1914). The Philippines Past And Present. Norwood MA: Norwood Press.
- ^ Taylor, John R.M., ed. (1907), Compilation of Philippine Insurgent Records, Combined Arms Research Library, originally from War Department, Bureau of Insular Affairs, retrieved June 3, 2024