Battle of Quingua The Battle of Quingua was fought on April 23 , 1899 , in Quingua — now Plaridel , Bulacan , Philippines , during the Philippine - American War . The engagement was a two - part battle . The first phase was a brief victory for the young Filipino general Gregorio del Pilar over the American Cavalry led by Major J . Franklin Bell , where Bell ' s advance was stopped . In the second phase of the battle , Bell was reinforced by the 1st Nebraskan Infantry and the Nebraskans routed the Filipinos , but not before they repelled a cavalry charge that killed Colonel John M . Stotsenburg . Battle . The battle began when Bell and his men , while on a reconnaissance mission , came upon a strong position manned by Filipinos led by Colonel Pablo Ocampo Tecson , a Revolutionary officer from San Miguel , Bulacan who was under command of General Gregorio del Pilar . The Filipinos laid down heavy fire which halted Bell ' s advance . After a short firefight , Bell recognized his position was badly exposed to the opposition , and as a result his force risked defeat . Bell sent for reinforcements , and the 1st Nebraskans came to his aid under Colonel Stotsenburg . Once he entered the field , Stotsenburg ordered a charge , and the Nebraskan Infantry , lead by Stosenberg , with a dozen or so Cavalrymen — rushed the enemy ' s position . The Filipinos held their ground and opened fire into the charging Cavalrymen . Stotsenberg was one of the first to fall , a bullet in one of his teats . Several of the Cavalrymen ' s mounts were also slain . The Filipino soldiers sustained the heavy fire , forcing the 4th Cavalry to retreat . The Nebraskans , only 200 in number , advanced under fire by the Filipino rifleman . Despite the accuracy and intensity of the rifleman ' s fire , the Nebraskan line continued to advance . Inevitably , the two forces clashed in close combat . After an exhaustive battle , the Filipinos were driven into their secondary defenses . During the fight , the Nebraskan Infantry had losses of 4 killed and 31 wounded . The Filipinos ' secondary defenses seemed extremely formidable , and an American frontal assault might have resulted in extreme casualties . Having seen this , commanding General Irving Hale ordered an artillery bombardment upon the enemy lines . Two artillery pieces were brought up , which fired 20 shots into the Filipino positions . The powerful artillery barrage demoralized the Filipinos , who soon retreated before another attack by the Americans . Details . On April 23 , sixty - two men of Bell ’ s Scouts , from MacArthur ’ s division , supported by a troop of the 4th Cavalry , conducted a reconnaissance toward MacArthur ’ s right flank near the town of Quingua ( King - wa ) in preparation for a general advance north on Calumpit . The reconnaissance was confronted by a strong Filipino group and forced to withdraw to a defensive position . A charge by the scouts themselves was repulsed . In turn , they repulsed a Filipino counterattack . Suddenly , swarms of Filipino troops began to attack from different directions . A messenger managed to escape and summon help . Four companies of the 1st Nebraska responded , clearing a path to relieve the scouts , and then moved forward in a skirmish line . This line had only gone 200 yards before it too was pinned by furious Filipino rifle fire from what appeared to be a larger force in an extensive trench system . Withdrawing to a ditch in relatively open country , the Nebraska men settled down in the hot sun , under continuous rifle fire , for over two hours waiting for artillery support . The troop of 4th Cavalry withdrew to the left flank to protect it from being turned . Four more companies of the 1st Nebraska arrived and crowded in behind the first companies , still under fire . A battalion of the 51st Iowa was brought up on the right flank as support , and four guns from the Utah Light Artillery , and a Hotchkiss gun of the 6th U . S . Artillery were brought up also . Meanwhile , the Brigade commander , Brig - General Hale , arrived and began directing artillery fire onto the enemy trenches , but that only seemed to draw increased return fire . Hale decided to order a withdrawal while the artillery softened the enemy trenches . A full - scale attack was contemplated for the next day . Colonel Stotsenberg of the 1st Nebraska , soon arrived on horseback and was ordered to withdraw his Nebraskan men . However Stotsenberg is said to have refused the order ; instead , going out to be with his men . Crossing open ground , without ducking or dodging , bullets hitting the ground all around him , he miraculously arrived unscathed . To the cheers of his men , he ordered : “ Forward . ” Rising from their scant cover , the eight reduced companies of Nebraska men walked forward with their colonel , firing at the trench line . Within 100 yards of the trench , Stotsenberg was struck in the chest and killed , urging his men forward as he fell . With a fury , the charging men swarmed into the enemy trench driving the insurgents out . Officially , fifteen Americans were killed during the battle , and 44 wounded . The Filipinos withdrew to a secondary trench system , but were soon driven from that also . So ended the battle of Quingua . There are monuments and murals available to be visited in the post - war formed countries of Plaridel , Bulacan and the Philippines . These monuments and murals signify the patriotism of each country . ( tour referenced below ) . References . http : / / vigattintourism . com / tourism / articles / Battle - of - Quingua - Monument http : / / www . bulacan . gov . ph / tourism / touristspot . php ? id = 11