List of battles of the Spanish–American War

During the Spanish–American War, the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy fought 30 significant battles against the Spanish Army and Spanish Navy.^[a] Of these, 27 occurred in the Caribbean theater and three in the Pacific theater. The Caribbean theater consisted of two campaigns — the Puerto Rico campaign, which had ten battles, and the Cuba campaign, with 17 battles — while the Pacific theater had one campaign — the Philippine campaign, with two battles — and the capture of Guam.

Overview

The United States Navy battleship Maine was mysteriously sunk in Havana harbor on 15 February 1898;^[b] political pressures from the Democratic Party pushed the administration of Republican President William McKinley into a war that he had wished to avoid.^[3] Spain promised multiple times that it would reform the government of Cuba, but never delivered. The United States sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it surrender control of Cuba on 20 April. After the ultimatum was sent, Madrid declared war on 23 April and Washington responded with its own declaration two days later.^[4]

The main issue was

lift this blockade, succeeding on the second attempt in June.^[8] The U.S. Marines also cut telegraph lines under the bay of Cienfuegos, but suffered heavy losses from Spanish fire.^[9] The U.S. also captured the port of Guantánamo Bay after a four-day battle, which ended on June 10.^[10]

U.S. expeditionary forces landed in Cuba on 22 June and skirmished successfully at

Mani-Mani, which was west of Havana, but were repulsed by the Spanish.^[20]

On 23 July, Americans landed close to the port of

Battle of Asomante, the US forces took Asomante and captured many Spanish prisoners.^[25] At the same time, American forces also captured Manila. These two battles led to an armistice agreement, which quickly led to the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish–American War.^[26]

The 1898

independent republic in 1902.^[28] The Philippines also rebelled against U.S. control, which led to the Philippine–American War lasting from 1899 to 1902.^[29] The Spanish also sold the rest of their Pacific islands to Germany under the German–Spanish Treaty.^[30]

Pacific Theater

Philippine campaign


Battle	Date	Conclusion
Battle of Manila Bay	May 1, 1898	Decisive American victory, destruction of Spanish Navy′s Pacific squadron.^[7]
Battle of Manila	August 13, 1898	American-Filipino victory, capture of Manila.^[25]

Capture of Guam


Battle	Date	Conclusion
Capture of Guam	June 20–21, 1898	US victory, capture of Guam from the Spanish.^[12]

Caribbean Theater

Cuba campaign


Battles	Date	Conclusion
Battle of Matanzas	April 25, 1898	US victory, blockades of the Spanish port of Matanzas.^[5]
First Battle of Cardenas	May 8, 1898	American victory, Spanish attempts to lift the blockade on Cuba thwarted.^[6]
Second Battle of Cardenas	May 11, 1898	Spanish victory, loosening of the blockade on Cuba.^[6]
Battle of Cienfuegos	May 11, 1898	Inconclusive. Americans cut telegraph cable, but suffered heavy casualties.^[9]
Battle of Guantánamo Bay	June 6–10, 1898	American victory, capture of Guantánamo Bay.^[10]
Battle of Las Guasimas	June 24, 1898	American victory, town of Sevilla captured.^[11]
Battle of Tayacoba	June 30, 1898	Spanish victory, Americans fail to land troops.^[13]
First Battle of Manzanillo	June 30, 1898	Spanish victory, American gunboats fail to capture Manzanillo harbor.^[16]
Battle of El Caney	July 1, 1898	Inconclusive. American forces succeeded on capturing El Caney fort and protecting the right flank at San Juan Hill, but suffered delays and heavy casualties.^[15]
Second Battle of Manzanillo	July 1, 1898	Spanish victory, a second attempt to capture Manzanillo harbor fails.^[16]
Battle of San Juan Hill	July 1, 1898	American/Cuban victory, capture of San Juan heights.^[14]
Battle of Aguacate	July 1, 1898	Cuban victory, many Spanish forces continue retreat to Santiago.^[31]
Battle of Santiago de Cuba	July 3, 1898	American victory, destruction of six Spanish ships escaping from Santiago harbor.^[17]
Siege of Santiago de Cuba	July 3–17, 1898	American/Cuban victory, surrender of the city of Santiago de Cuba.^[18]
Third Battle of Manzanillo	July 18, 1898	American victory, destruction of Spanish squadron in Manzanillo harbor.^[16]
Battle of Nipe Bay	July 21, 1898	American victory, sinking of two Spanish ships.^[19]
Battle of Mani-Mani	July 23, 1898	Spanish victory, American landing fails.^[20]

Puerto Rico campaign


Battle	Date	Conclusion
Bombardment of San Juan	May 12, 1898	Spanish defenses damaged.^[8]
Second Battle of San Juan	June 22, 1898	US victory, Spanish attempts to break U.S. blockade fails.^[8]
Third Battle of San Juan	June 28, 1898	Spanish resupply attempts succeed.^[8]
Battle of Yauco	July 25, 1898	US victory, Spanish forces retreat and fail to destroy rail lines.^[21]^[32]
Battle of Guayama	August 5, 1898	US victory, capture of Guayama^[22]
Battle of Coamo	August 8–9, 1898	US victory, capture of Coamo.^[23]
Battle of Fajardo	August 8–9, 1898	Inconclusive.^[24]
Battle of Silva Heights	August 10, 1898	US victory, capture of Silva Heights.^[5]
Battle of Mayaguez	August 11, 1898	US victory, Spanish forces retreated before the US forces arrived.^[5]
Battle of Asomante	August 9–13, 1898	US victory, capture of Asomante. This led to the end of the war in Puerto Rico and the end of the Spanish–American War.^[26]

References

Notes

^ This list only includes the significant battles of the Spanish–American War and not minor skirmishes.
^ The cause of the Maine was later attributed to the spontaneous combustion of coal in the engine.^[1] However, at the time, the Board of Inquiry believed the sinking was caused by a mine or torpedo, and the American "Yellow Press" attributed the sinking to Spanish actions, which encouraged the public to go to war.^[2]

Citations

^ The Destruction of the Maine (2013)
^ Marolda (2001), p. 9.
^ Beede (1994), p. 148.
^ Beede (1994), p. 120.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Tucker (2009), p. 385.
^ ^a ^b ^c Richard (2001), p. 96.
^ ^a ^b Grant (2008), pp. 241–243
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Beede (2013), p. 364.
^ ^a ^b Beede (2013), p. 104.
^ ^a ^b Tucker (2009), p. 265.
^ ^a ^b Algers (1901), p. 110.
^ ^a ^b Rivera (2014), p. 6.
^ ^a ^b Taussig (2009), p. 9.
^ ^a ^b Tucker (2009), pp. 400–402.
^ ^a ^b Tucker (2009), pp. 398–400.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Everett (2010), pp. 140–143.
^ ^a ^b Grant (2008), p. 239.
^ ^a ^b Algers (1901), pp. 213-215.
^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), p. 115.
^ ^a ^b Beede (2013), p. 365.
^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), p. 146.
^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), pp. 147–148.
^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), pp. 151–155.
^
OCLC 2480810
. Retrieved 27 November 2014.

^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), p. 161.
^ ^a ^b Everett (2010), p. 156.
^ Beede (2013), p. 289.
^ Edelstein (2010), p. 178.
^ Tucker (2009), p. 479.
^ Schmidt-Brucken & Schuster & Wienburg (2016), p. 204.
^ Muller, Juan (1899). Battles and Capitulation of Santiago de Cuba: (Completed). Government Printing Office.
^ "Battle of Yuaco: Described". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Garnett Company. 25 September 1898. p. 37.