Siege of Baler

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Baler


caption=The church of San Luis de Tolosa converted into a fort.
partof=the Philippine Revolution, Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War
date=July 1, 1898 – June 2, 1899
place=Baler, Philippines
result=Indecisive;
siege lifted
combatant1=flagicon|Philippines|old Philippine Republic
flag|United States
combatant2=flagicon|Spain|1785 Kingdom of Spain
commander1=
commander2=Juan Alonso Zayas
strength1=800 infantry
strength2=50 infantry
casualties1=
casualties2=14 dead, wounded, or deserted

"Los últimos de Filipinas" (Spanish: "The last ones of the Philippines") is the name given to the Spanish soldiers who fought at the Siege of Baler against Filipino forces during the Philippine Revolution and concurrent Spanish-American War.

The Siege of Baler lasted from July 1, 1898 until June 2, 1899, with the Spanish forces isolated into a fortified position at a church. The Spanish troops consisted of a small Spanish garrison of 50 soldiers from the "2º de Cazadores" under the charge of Lieutenant D. Juan Alonso Zayas, and the besiegers consisted of approximately 800 soldiers. Without provisions, the Spanish troops resisted for 11 months.

From July 1 to September 30, 1898

The first part of the siege started with constant insurgent warnings of their military strength of 3 companies (800 soldiers) and demands for surrender. This psychological tactic was employed every day with the intention of breaking the Spaniards' will, but led to the opposite effect of them gaining willpower. The Spaniards constructed a well, a bakery and prepared for a long siege. Despite inferior numbers and constant artillery bombardment, they were able to launch occasional counteroffensives. A letter with orders from the Civil Governor of Nueva Ecija to surrender came with the news of the loss of the Philippines by Spain, which was interpreted as another attempt at psychological maneuvering.

From October 1, 1898 to June 2, 1899

By October, the besiegers were able to penetrate the church. The Spanish suffered 14 casualties overall, most being caused by disease (11 deaths by beriberi, 1 by dysentery, and 2 by gunshot wounds), and 6 soldiers deserted as well. The Americans attempted to relieve the Spanish garrison but suffered 16 casualties and desisted.

The end of the siege came with the signing of the Treaty of Paris and a report from a newspaper printed in Madrid and brought by the captain “Las Morenas”.

The Return to Spain

As they returned to Spain, the soldiers became known as the "Últimos de Filipinas" or the "last Spanish soldiers of the Philippines", and in the course of time they were remembered in Spain as the symbol of the end and the courage of a past age.

A century after the return of "los últimos de Filipinas" the Spanish Government finally paid homage to them. [Citation
url=http://www.cincodias.com/articulo/Sentidos/Homenaje/ultimos/Filipinas/cdscdi/20050903cdscdicst_1/Tes/
language=Spanish
title=Homenaje a los últimos de Filipinas
date=March 9, 2005
publisher=cincodias.com
accessdate=2007-10-018] .

ee also

*Juan Alonso Zayas

References

External links

* [http://www.eldesastredel98.com/capitulos/pacifico6.htm Los Últimos de Filipinas]
* [http://militar.org/98.htm El desastre del 98]
* [http://html.rincondelvago.com/espana_el-desastre-del-98.html El desastre del 98, (El rincon del vago)]
*Citation
url=http://www.spanamwar.com/Baler.html
title=The Last Action of the Spanish American War: The Siege of Baler
author=Miguel Hernandez
publisher=spanamwar.com
accessdate=2007-10-18

Further reading

*Citation
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=pg-SZanwnuIC
title=America at War: The Philippines, 1898-1913
author=A. B. Feuer
chapter=The Siege of Baler and the Adventures of Lyman P. Edwards
chapter-url=http://books.google.com/books?id=pg-SZanwnuIC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=%22siege+of+baler%22&source=web&ots=XVy69MPL9q&sig=TLlpwvFKOMaVIXcmhHFZP4jDs6M
pages=148-172
year=2002
publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group
isbn=0275968219