Battle of Marilao River

Battle of Marilao River
Part of the Philippine–American War
Date March 27, 1899 Location Marilao, Bulacan, Philippines Result U.S. victory
Belligerents
United States	First Philippine Republic
Commanders and leaders
Irving Hale	Emilio Aguinaldo
Units involved
1st South Dakota Infantry 3rd U.S. Artillery	Unknown
Strength
Unknown	5,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
14 dead, 65 wounded	90 dead, 30 taken prisoner

The Battle of Marilao River was fought on March 27, 1899, in Marilao, Bulacan, Philippines, during the Philippine–American War. It was one of the most celebrated river crossings of the whole war, wherein American forces crossed the Marilao River, which was 80 yards wide and too deep to ford, while under Filipino fire from the opposite bank.

After the failed Filipino counterattack to regain Manila on February 23, General Antonio Luna, the Chief of War Operations of the Philippine Republic, resigned his post on February 28 in protest to the reinstatement of the Kawit Battalion, which Luna had disarmed for insubordination during the earlier fighting around Caloocan. During Luna's absence, Aguinaldo himself took over the military affairs, for the only time in the whole course of the war.

Meanwhile, the Americans, fearing another counteroffensive from the Filipino side, took their time waiting for reinforcements under General Henry Ware Lawton. These arrived between March 10 and 23. By March 25, the Americans under MacArthur renewed their offensive against Caloocan and Polo, up to the ultimate drive to Malolos.

The American force, after the Battle of Malinta, had advanced to Marilao on March 27. It was part of the campaign for the Capture of Malolos, the Philippine capital. The Filipino force was led by President Emilio Aguinaldo himself, commanding the organized forces of General Isidro Torres, General Pantaleon Garcia (who just came straight from Dagupan with a thousand riflemen) and Colonel Enrique Pacheco. The Americans fought with the Filipinos within the range of around 400 yards. Meanwhile, the Filipinos destroyed bridges to delay American artillery units. The Americans gained superiority in the battle only after severe fighting and the use of gunboats in the river that "made great execution" of Filipino soldiers. The American official account had admitted that Aguinaldo acted with a great sense of military strategy, averting disastrous routs while succeeding to sustain heavy damage on the enemy (that is, the Americans). The losses in the American drive to Malolos, the account also stated, had proved the Filipinos' effective fighting quality.

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