February battlefields

In Philippine history, the month of February has been a historically battle-soaked affair. February 3, 1945 marked the beginning of the horror that became known as the Battle for Manila. This year we honored the 65th anniversary of that beginning. Roderick Hall memorialized it well with his donation to the Filipinas Heritage Library of 700+ books on World War II in the Philippines. But, another beginning that slipped under the radar began 111 years ago. On February 4, 1899 the first shot of the Filipino-American War was fired.

The site used to be the San Juan Bridge. In 1940, the Philippine Historical Commission placed a marker there that read: “Here at 9:00 in the evening of February 4th, 1899 Private William Grayson of the First Nebraska volunteers fired the shot that started the Filipino-American War.” But, according to Dr. Benito Legarda the first shots occurred between Sosiego Street and Silencio Street in Sta. Mesa, Manila. So, in 2003 the National Historical Institute recognized the change. No matter where the shots occurred, this sparked the first Battle for Manila, which occurred on February 4 and February 5, encompassing 12,000 American soldiers and 15,000 Filipino. By the end of the Filipino-American War, it has been reported that at least 600,000 Filipinos died; some place the number even higher. From the United States we gained: a democratic system of government, an education system, health and sanitation. Despite the losses (physical and psychological), by the end of the hostilities as Nick Joaquin said: “The Philippines’ love affair with America had begun.”

Details of what lead to the first shots being fired remain relatively unknown. Some reports claim that either one drunken Filipino or more approached the American side, ignored calls to halt and were fired upon; others claim that the Americans slowly encroached on the Filipino side and when told to move back, fired on the Filipinos. A few years ago, a diary of Robert Bruce Payne (a private in the First Nebraska Volunteers) came to light. He had a short description: “…these are the two men who started the war: The sergeant, a Dutch man [Sgt. Joseph De Vriendt], told the guard [Pvt. William Grayson], a man of little character, not to stand the monkey work. There was a lieut. On the Filipino side who had about as much sense as the afore mentioned who had been getting drunk and causing trouble before. He came down and ordered a post of ours moved back which had been moved up to hold one in check which had been pushed up by Filipinos. This had been done during the day and when night came the lieut. came up and was halted by our sentinels. He called back ‘Alto,’ the Spanish for ‘halt’ at which our sentinel fired upon him and it is stated killed him but he was taken back by the native soldiers with him.”

The Americans had high hopes for the Philippines; looking upon us as their grand democratic experiment; in a way their version of Britain’s India. The politics of race then again came to the forefront for the United States; in a time when they were barely on the road to addressing their own internal race issues. As a result, the Filipino was reduced to inferiority to the ‘white man’ in all aspects. Harper’s Weekly said that in “body, mind and soul” the Filipinos and the Americans differed.

To placate groups, like the Anti-Imperialist League who believed the Philippines should be independent, reports were issued that said: “The Filipinos cannot govern the country without the support of some strong nation.” And “…they would certainly abuse such a privilege (self-government).” The shots fired on February 4, 1899 also gave McKinley and others the opportunity to further bring the Philippines under American control. The Filipinos had just become ‘insurgents.’