Battle of Olongapo

Battle of Olongapo
	Part of the Philippine–American War
Date	18-23 September 1899
Location	Olongapo, Zambales, Philippines
Result	American victory Filipino artillery gun destroyed;
Belligerents
United States	First Philippine Republic
Commanders and leaders
Elwell Stephen Otis	Unknown
Strength
70 marines; 180 sailors; 1 protected cruiser; 1 monitor; 1 gunboat; 1 armed transport	300 soldiers
Casualties and losses
1 wounded	unknown

The Battle of Olongapo was fought September 18–23, 1899, during the Philippine–American War. The battle featured both land and sea fighting, of which the objective was the destruction of the single Filipino artillery gun in Olongapo, a menace to American ships crossing the nearby sea.

Background

During the

Sangley Point. After that, Filipino forces occupied the Olongapo area and installed a gun battery at Kalaklan Point, 1,000 feet (300 m) from sea level, consisting of two artillery pieces: one six-inch and one three-inch.^[1] By 1899, the Americans realized Olongapo's potential as a protecting harbor for vessels steaming between Manila and Hong Kong, so the Asiatic Squadron began patrolling the area during the summer.^[1]

Battle

At first the Filipinos stationed in Olongapo decided not to fire at the American patrol. However, on September 18, 1899, after noticing the routine patrolling by the squadron, the Filipinos fired at the armed transport

Zafiro.^[1] Undamaged, Zafiro withdrew and reported the incident. From Sangley Point, the Americans dispatched the protected cruiser Charleston, which fired at Filipino-held Olongapo with her eight-inch guns, silencing the single enemy battery. She then began to withdraw back to Sangley Point. As the cruiser moved away, the Filipino battery fired a single parting shot, provoking the Americans.^[1]

On September 23, the Americans returned to Olongapo with a stronger force, bringing the

guncotton. As soon as they achieved their mission, the Americans withdrew to their ships. Olongapo remained under the Filipinos, but the battery – badly damaged in the explosion – no longer posed a threat to American intentions in the area.^[1]

Aftermath

With the single Filipino battery gone, trade vessels as well as American patrols were able to freely use the trade route past Olongapo.[1] Emilio Aguinaldo effectively disbanded the regular Filipino army due to continuing American advances by November 13, 1899, which divided the force into bands of guerrillas. On December 10, 1899, an American force of 90 soldiers under Major Robert Spence captured Olongapo. Their force was augmented by the ships Baltimore and Oregon, commanded by Rear Admiral John Watson.^[1]

References

^
ISBN 9781441444523
.

^ "The Week: The War in Luzon". The Outlook. October 7, 1899.
^ Niblack, A. P. "Operations of the Navy and Marine Corps in the Philippine Archipelago, 1898–1902". Navy Department Library. Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

[anderson-1] 
ISBN 9781441444523
.

[2] "The Week: The War in Luzon". The Outlook. October 7, 1899.

[3] Niblack, A. P. "Operations of the Navy and Marine Corps in the Philippine Archipelago, 1898–1902". Navy Department Library. Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

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