Aug. 16, 1899: Battle of Angeles, Pampanga Province
After an extended period of comparative quiet due to the continual heavy rains, General MacArthur began his advance north from San Fernando. He ordered Lt. Col. Jacob H. Smith to press 10 miles northward along the railroad.
On Aug. 16, 1899, Colonel Smith moved out with 10 companies of the 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment, with 1Lt. William L. Kenly’s 2 guns of Light Battery E, 1st Artillery. Overall, the American force consisted of 28 officers and 648 men.
The objective was Angeles, the largest town and an important crossroads in Pampanga Province, where the Americans hoped to catch up with and capture Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo. They were too late; Aguinaldo had left for Tarlac Province 25 days earlier, on June 21.
The Filipinos, estimated to number 2,500, were led by Gen. Venancio Concepcion (RIGHT).
The first shots were fired at 7:20 a.m. when the Americans encountered a Filipino outpost. The main battle opened at 10:30 a.m. The Filipinos were entrenched in the bamboo thickets which skirted the southern edge of Angeles. They faced the open ricefields over which the Americans had to pass. The engagement continued for 30 minutes, when the Filipino fire somewhat slackened as the result of the artillery fire and the steady volleys of the advancing 12th Infantry. The Filipinos finally withdrew at 11:30 a.m. They took up positions on the northern banks of the Abacan River, at Mabalacat town, Pampanga Province.
The Americans lost 2 men killed and 12 wounded. They reported that Filipino casualties aggregated over 200. In addition, they captured 3 locomotives, 25 cars, and a large quantity of unhulled rice.
The Americans made Angeles the base of their operations to the north. But monsoon rains, which made roads virtually impassable, forced them to tarry in the town for several months.
While the Americans waited out the rainy season, they built up their forces at Angeles, San Fernando, Bacolor, Santa Rita and Guagua.
By the end of October, their strength had reached 7,016 men.
Company A, 12th US Infantry Regiment, on the skirmish line at Angeles, 1899.
They were continually harassed by the Filipinos from Aug. 17, 1899.
