Battle of Olongapo

Part of the Philippine–American War

Date

September 18–23, 1899

Location

Olongapo, Zambales, Philippines

Result

United States victory

Filipino artillery gun destroyed

Belligerents

United States

First Philippine Republic

Commanders and leaders

Elwell Stephen Otis

unknown

Strength

70 marines
180 sailors

Around 300

Casualties and losses

1 wounded

United States victory

The Battle of Olongapo was fought September 18–23, 1899, during the Philippine–American War. The battle featured both land and sea fighting, of which the objective was the destruction of the single Filipino artillery gun in Olongapo, a menace to American ships crossing the nearby sea.

During the Spanish–American War that raged throughout 1898, Olongapo was largely ignored by the American Asiatic Squadron, despite the fact that the Spanish had built a naval station there and the Americans had been warned about the presence of Spanish vessels in the area. The reason for this lay in the fact that when Commodore (later Admiral) George Dewey's fleet traversed the area on April 30, 1898, they failed to encounter any Spanish ships and, as a result, Dewey had continued on to Manila Bay where he destroyed the Spanish fleet under Admiral Patricio Montojo. After moving to Manila, the Americans focused on capturing the Spanish port in Cavite, which later became known as Sangley Point. After that, Filipino forces occupied the Olongapo area and installed a gun battery at Kalaklan Point, 1,000 feet (300 m) from sea level, consisting of two artillery pieces: one six-inch and one three-inch. By 1899, the Americans realized Olongapo's potential as a protecting harbor for vessels steaming between Manila and Hong Kong, so the Asiatic Squadron began patrolling the area during the summer.

At first the Filipinos stationed in Olongapo decided not to fire at the American patrol. However, on September 18, 1899, after noticing the routine patrolling by the squadron, the Filipinos fired at the armed transport Zafiro. Undamaged, Zafiro withdrew and reported the incident. From Sangley Point, the Americans dispatched the protected cruiser Charleston, which fired at Filipino-held Olongapo with her eight-inch guns, silencing the single enemy battery. She then began to withdraw back to Sangley Point. As the cruiser moved away, the Filipino battery fired a single parting shot, provoking the Americans.

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