Narrative on the battle of Macahambus

A. Paulita Roa .

THIS narrative is taken from the Bautista Manuscript on the Philippine Revolution in Misamis Province, 1900-1901 by Kagay-anon historian Filomeno M. Bautista. In the 1930s, he interviewed the surviving veterans and were shown records pertaining to this historic year-long war.

The Bisayan word “Macahambus” is derived from the word “Makalambus” which means to throw down. In 1900, during the local resistance war against the Americans, Col. Apolinar Velez, whom many consider a military genius, established his base in Langaon where he built his office, a hospital and a jail. He also begun to train his men there.’

The Macahambus Hill was the gateway to the base of Velez and was chosen because of strategic importance since it had a very narrow trail. A small fort was built on top of it. It was not easy for an animal or man to go the steep and narrow trail. A misstep would plunge them either to the Cagayan River or to the deep precipice on the other side. This fort guarded the Bukidnon villages of Talakag, Kusina, Lingion and Dagundalahon that were famous for rich farm produce such as corn, rice, abaca, and cacao.

It took weeks for the American troops to prepare for a military operation against the Western Mindanao Division. American soldiers were reported to reconnoiter the area several times in the month of May. But on the first day of June, the people living in Carmen were alarmed when they saw that big wagons, cannons, supplies and other armaments were brought to their area by the Americans. Then on the night of June 3, 1900, American troops left Carmen for Macahambus. Cipriano “Capitan Olong” Vamenta ordered Hilarion Mandar to ride ahead of the enemy troops to warn the soldiers in Macahambus about the coming of the Americans.

There was a detachment of soldiers headed by Lt. Cruz Taal that guarded the fort and they were already prepared for the eventuality of an American offensive. They placed sharp and deadly stakes on either sides of the narrow trail. As the Americans were nearing Kabula, Apolinario Nacalaban, who was assigned to guard the area, ran to notify the defenders on the hill. Lt. Taal instructed his men not to fire till they hear the roar of the cannon at the entrance of the fort. They were entrenched along the side of the hill behind the earthworks that extended from the entrance to the pass to the gate of the fort.

The Americans climbed the narrow trail leading to the fort and when they came close to the gate, the first man said, “Good morning.” In reply, the fort’s cannon roared and all the men went hurtling below the precipice. Thrice, the Americans tried to storm the fort but they were all driven back by the deadly fire  of the Filipinos behind the trenches. The Americans were forced to retreat with heavy loses. They left their dead and the wounded behind. Sharp spears mounted on wood and hollow traps with sharp pointed sticks at the bottom made their deadly work on the enemy. Among the defenders of Macahambus Hill only one died, Apolinario Nacalaban. The three wounded soldiers were Gabino Lumindas, Lucio Labitad and Juan Janolo.

Col. Velez, who was many kilometers away from Macahambus Hill, received information about an impending attack of the Americans through a messenger from Taal who ran all the way to the headquarters. But before Velez and his officers could reach the fort, they heard the cannon roar and then, a rapid gunfire. After the battle, the victorious soldiers gathered the dead and the wounded Americans. The dead were buried near the fort with military honors accorded to them by Velez and his men.  The wounded were brought to the field hospital for treatment but most of them died and only one survived.

On the area below the hill, 24 guns, a big quantity of ammunition, military equipment, medical supplies and food were left behind by the retreating soldiers. A beautiful gold watch was taken from one of the dead soldiers and Col. Velez gave it to Lt. Taal as a souvenir from the battle which he won. Col. Velez kept in his possession a pair of field glasses taken from a dead officer. A number of guns and ammunition were thrown to the river near the entrance of the pass by the Americans. These were recovered by the Filipinos after the battle. Col. Velez immediately reported to Gen. Capistrano the victorious result of the battle of Macahambus Hill. The general congratulated them and promoted Taal to captain and bugler Miguel Puano to second lieutenant.

***

On the centennial anniversary of the three battles in  year 2000, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines [NHCP] installed three historical markers on the battle sites namely in Gaston Park, Agusan Hill and Macahambus Hill. In 2004, Pueblo de Oro Development Corp. donated a prime lot along Masterson Avenue where a Philippine-American war memorial was constructed with the help of NHCP, the Cagayan de Oro Historical and Cultural Commission and the Kagay-an Heritage Foundation. This memorial is the first of its kind in Mindanao and is known as  Plaza de los Heroes. I wrote the text of the three battle accounts and did the research on the men and women who participated and contributed to the year-long resistance war. Do find time to go and read part of our Kagay-anon history that the people once called as the “Mahimayaong Kagubot” or the glorious war.