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Filipino-American Hostilities

Emilio Aguinaldo agreed to hold a peace conference between Filipino and American
leaders. The conference lasted from January 9 to 29 in 1899. It ended without d
efinite results, because the Americans were actually just biding time, waiting f
or more reinforcements to arrive from the US. Hostilities finally exploded betwe
en the Filipinos and Americans on February 4, 1899 in San Juan. An American sold
ier named Robert Grayson, saw 4 armed Filipino men on San Juan Del Mote Bridge a
nd ordered them to stop, but they ignored him. This prompted Grayson to fire at
the men, who immediately fired back. The following day MacArthur ordered his tro
ops to openly engage the Filipinos in battle. The Filipino American War was on.
From San Juan, American soldiers marched on to Pasig and nearby areas. In a matt
er of days, they were able to overrun Guadalupe, Pateros, Marikina, and Caloocan
.
General Antonio Luna and his men showed great heroism when they attacked Manila
on the night of February 24, 1899. They burned the living quarters of the Americ
ans in Tondo and Binondo, and reached as far as Azarraga Street (now Claro M. Re
cto Avenue), where they met by formidable American troops. Luna was forced to re
treat to Polo, Bulacan two days later. When American reinforcements arrived in t
he Philippines, General Elwell Otis immediately attacked the northern part of Ma
nila, while General Henry Lawton went to the south. General Arthur MacArthu, Jr.
marched to Malolos, which was then the capital of the Philippine Republic. Malo
los was taken on March 31, 1899. By this time, however, Aguinaldo had already mo
ved his headquarters to San Fernando, Pampanga. General Fredrick Funston crossed
the Pampanga River in April 1899 and entered San Fernando. On May 5, the Americ
ans had gained control of Pampanga. Fortunately, Aguinaldo was able to flee to S
an Isidro, Nueva Ecija.
General Antonio Luna, military strategist during the Philippine RevolutionThe de
ath of Antonio Luna. A significant event that greatly weakened Aguinaldos forces
was the death of General Antonio Luna, acknowledged as the best and most brillia
nt military strategist of the Philippine Revolution. He was brave, intelligent,
and well educated; but he also had a fiery temper, and was a strict disciplinari
an. His harsh and rough manner earned him a lot of enemies, who latter plotted t
o kill him. In June 1899 Luna was at his command post in Bayambang, Pangasinan w
hen he received a telegram allegedly sent by Aguinaldo. The telegram instructed
him to proceed to Aguinaldos headquarters in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. On June 5,
Luna arrived at the headquarters, a convent on the town plaza in Cabanatuan, but
was told that Aguinaldo left for Tarlac. Angry, Luna went out of the convent an
d was met and killed by Captain Pedro Janolino with Kawit, Cavite troops. Genera
l Luna was buried at the nearby churchyard. Aguinaldo s role on his death is not
clear and his killers were never charged or investigated.
Aguinaldo Flees. Philippine military strategies began to fail with the death of
Antonio Luna. The generals started to disagree among themselves, and the Filipin
os began losing battles. On November 13, 1899, General Emilio Aguinaldo fled to
Calasiao, Pangasinan with his wife, son, mother sister, and some Cabinet members
. The Americans followed in hot pursuit; but Aguinaldo still managed to elude th
em. However, he soon realized that being constantly on the run put the women in
his group at great disadvantage. So, on December 25, 1899, he surrendered them t
o the American Aguinaldo then continued his march from Pangasinan to Palanan, Is
abela. There he stayed for some time, since the place was mountainous and diffic
ult to approach. Aguinaldos loyal men guarded all roads leading to the area

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