# Battle of Pateros

vtePhilippine Revolution :
Luzon
Pugad Lawin
Pasong Tamo
1st Manila
San Juan del Monte
Noveleta
San Francisco de Malabon
Kawit
Nueva Ecija
Imus
Talisay
Nasugbu
Balayan
Lian
Batangas
Binakayan and Dalahican
Calero Bridge
Sambat
Morong
Bulacan
Pampanga
Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur
San Rafael
Motin de Manila
Bataan
Bacoor
Pateros
Tarlac
Kakarong de Sili
Zapote
Silang
Naik
Perez Dasmariñas
Montalban
Mount Purog
Aliaga
Paombong
Biak-na-Bato
Camalig
Alapan
Calamba
Santa Cruz
Bolinao
Baguio
Tayabas
Lipa
Baler
Dagupan
Vigan
2nd Manila
Masbate
Nueva Cáceres
Visayas
Aklan
Capiz
Cebu
Talamban
Balisong
Batan
Lincud
Iloilo
Negros
Antique
Oton
Pilar
Sara
Jaro
Visayas Expedition
Mindanao
Calaganan
Zamboanga
Misamis
Davao :
The Battle of Pateros refers to a series of skirmishes between Spanish troops and revolutionary forces in the towns of Las Piñas, Taguig and Pateros in Manila. These skirmishes occurred shortly after the execution of José Rizal and are considered the renewal of hostilities in Luzon after a period of ceasefire from the Battle of Binakayan to the Rizal execution.

## Background

After the failed Spanish attempt to recapture several towns in Cavite, a short period of desperate fighting occurred. The central Luzon revolutionaries in the north were heavily depleted and were on the verge of losing their war. Andrés Bonifacio's men in Morong were hard pressed by the Spaniards. But as things began to settle, the revolutionaries had successfully liberated all of Cavite and most of Laguna, Batangas and Tayabas provinces. In the period following the battle at Binakayan, several townsfolk from all over the provinces raced to settle in the territory of Cavite, bringing with them their town bands, their patron saints and so on. This period of temporary peace saw what the settlers of Cavite called "Ang Panahon ng Tagalog". Meanwhile, a new governor, Camilo de Polavieja, was put in power and began to suppress the rebels in Cavite, with Manila newspapers reporting the arrival of 40,000 cazadores (marksmen) from Spain.

## Advance on Pateros

Strategically located along the Pasig River, Pateros and other cities in the area were ideal for controlling trade in and out of Laguna, as Emilio Aguinaldo slowly advanced on Pateros, the generals of Laguna planned to liberate the rest of the province as well. Just before these incidents, an unofficial ceasefire was being observed in Cavite. Upon hearing of the execution of Rizal, Aguinaldo and several other generals ordered for the renewed struggle for independence. The first major target for the revolutionaries was Pateros and its surrounding towns. The advance began on land with the Aguinaldo forces marching towards Pateros, after noticing rebel activities in the area, Spanish troops pleaded for reinforcements as Aguinaldo moved forward, the reinforcements would arrive one day too late.

### First Battle

On December 31, Aguinaldo engaged the Spanish loyalist garrison at Pateros, the Spanish forces was caught completely by surprise and surrendered immediately, meanwhile, Mariano Noriel advanced on Taguig and Pio del Pilar on Las Piñas and Silang respectively. By nightfall of the 31st, Pateros, Taguig, Las Piñas and Silang were under rebel control.

### Spanish reinforcements arrive

Starting on January 1 until January 2, a large contingency of Spanish reinforcement troops from Laguna arrived.
General Aguinaldo, after sustaining heavy casualties from the previous engagement, was forced to order a tactical withdrawal out of Pateros and Noriel, out of Taguig to avoid unnecessary casualties. Spanish troops began to probe rebel activities in Pateros, while the revolutionary forces shifted their attention to Las Piñas.

### Skirmishes

On January 3, rebel forces under General Pio Del Pilar skirmished with Spanish fortified strongholds put up by Governor-general Ramon Blanco in Las Piñas, Perez Dasmariñas and Silang in an attempt to disrupt Spanish forces, by the afternoon of the 3rd, General del Pilar had withdrawn his forces from Las Piñas into Cavite.

## Aftermath

Though successful in the initial part of the battle, the Filipinos took crippling losses in this battle, and with such loss, this meant that they are not going to hold their positions near Manila for long. They retreated in the nearby provinces to avoid further rout by the Spanish. For the latter, their advances after the battle meant that the road to the Katipunan faction of Magdalo's capital of Imus is now open for the taking. To grasp the opportunity, the Spanish general Jose de Lachambre ordered quick assault on Cavite province to finally pacify the rebels there and retake the province for the Spanish Crown.