MikeLigalig.com

The Spaniards,


Spanish Officers in Manila


Filipino members of the Spanish Guardia Civil. Equivalent to the Constabulary Force of the day.


Spanish Soldiers (and Filipinos in uniform) marching to the Caroline Islands.
Military Contingent


Spanish Army marching in Manila.
With banners exclaiming, "Viva Espana! Viva El Rey" (Long Live Spain, Long Live the King)


Soldiers Marching in Manila


Spanish Officers and Filipino soldiers in the Spanish Army/Guardia Civil constructing a bridge.


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The Military Map of the Philippines in Spanish Account.
A list of military units and their station



Text:
En 1896, año en el que se produce la insurrección filipina, el Ejército español desplegado en el archipiélago no sumaba más de 18.000 efectivos.
El despliegue español en Filipinas    

El Mando se componía única y exclusivamente de Jefes y oficiales españoles mientras que la clase de tropa era mixta de españoles y filipinos.
Totalizaba un total de 7 regimientos de infantería, 1 batallón disciplinario, 2 escuadrones de caballería, 1 regimiento de artillería de plaza, 2 baterías de artillería de montaña, 1 batallón de ingenieros, 1 brigada de Sanidad y 1 compañía de administración militar.
Las unidades se hallaban desplegadas en torno a la cabecera militar de Manila, en la isla de Luzón, y de Zamboanga en la isla de Mindanao.
Ésta última, junto al archipiélago de Joló, era la más conflictiva, al hallarse en sus aguas infinidad de piratas "moros" y por estar pobladas por diversos jefes locales que aprovechaban la falta de presencia militar española para romper los acuerdos a los que estaban obligados por los diferentes tratados . Se da la circunstancia de que el sur del Archipiélago, más conflictivo que el norte, era también el más desguarnecido, algo similar a lo que ocurría en la provincia de Oriente, en Cuba.
PULSA EN LAS ISLAS PARA VER MÁS

Había que sumar a estas fuerzas las unidades de la Guardia Civil, compuestas por 3 tercios indígenas y una sección de Guardia Civil Veterana (españoles) y 3 compañías de Carabineros, también españoles.
Desde España se enviaron 15 batallones de cazadores expedicionarios, numerados del 1 al 15, para sofocar la insurrección, con lo que en 1.898 la totalidad de las fuerzas españolas en Filipinas eran de 43.656 Jefes, oficiales y soldados.


In translation:

To sum up the entire message, when the Philippines was a Royal Colony of Spain, there were over 43 thousand Spanish officials, military units, constabulary forces in the islands. There were about 18,000 Spanish soldiers not including additional Filipino recruits in service of King and Country.

Most of the units were stationed primarily in Manila and Luzon and a significant force in Mindanao to quell the muslim insurrection.

There were units in the Visayas, though not so significant due to the fairly acceptable and cooperative nature of the Visayas Region to Spanish Rule. This translates in a fairly well assimilated Visayas to Spanish regimen.

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Addendum,

So the Spanish Army in the Philippines included about actually 18,000 Spaniards in uniform and about 70,000 native recruits in service of the King.

At the outbreak of the Filipino Revolution, the Filipino soldiers mutinied. Switching allegiance from Spain to the Philippines, instead.

One of the reasons why the Spaniards lost to most of the ground battles with the Filipino Revolutionary Army was due to the shear military size of the Filipino Revolutionary Army.

Additionally, the Filipino troops were armed with the then-state of the art Spanish Mauzer rifles.

Filipino soldiers were able to rally to the cause so quickly due to the training the soldiers recieved from their Spanish officers. Strict and cold regimen. Which the Filipinos, ironically, used against the Spaniards in the brief Filipino Revolutionary War.

Ingenious, imo.

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Lorenzo I sure wish that you could of watched the movie now playing at cinema's titled Balleder.

I truly think you would enjoy the story very much.

I enjoyed it.

it was about a true love story of couples who had been through the Spain/Phil war.

The Spainards ended up surrendering in the movie.

It showed how insecure the Spainard captains were to their own troops.

Many had dies to sickness and poor rationings which later ccaused fatal sickness from starvation.

Oh my goodness' I walked out of the movie with tears flowing from my tear ducts.

I hope that you have a chance to watch it.

Hope you Holiday was a well one.

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I sent this link to a good friend of mine who is a PhD doctrol candidate in Imperial Spanish Colonialism.  We had warm conversation on the said topic; mostly me asking questions in regards to the level of control and autonomy the Guardia Civil had from the Audencia General from the Imperial Prefect.

It appears, that most of the Spanish soldiers that were sent to the Philippines were creoles from the Viceroyalty of Nueva Espana and that the officers were fresh graduates from Madrid. Gonzallo, my friend who I discussed this with, told me that most of the soldiers expedited from Nueva Espana were veterans in suppressing native Indio guerillas in the Yucatan, namely of the Ahuatl tribes, which resisted Spanish assimilation and coercion for some time. In consequence, most of these soldiers that were veterans of the Indio Wars were effective in training Filipino conscripts into the Guardia Civil in pacifying Moro uprisings in Mindanao.

Quite interesting conversation. I shall add more as time passes.

Please share your views.



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The Spanish Testimony of the Filipino Soldier, In Service of His Royal Spanish Majesty's Army.



Even under foreign rule, the Filipino established
a reputation as an excellent soldier.  One
Spanish writer declared that the Filipino soldier
was the bravest of all the subjects of the king
of Spain, at a time when the Spanish empire was
at its height.

Father Delgado, responding to criticism leveled
against the Indio stated:


        "On the contrary, it must be said that
        the Indians are those who defend us from
        our enemies; for, in the presidios, who are
        the soldiers, who sail in the war fleets, who
        are in the vanguard in war?  Could the
        Spaniards, perchance, maintain themselves
        alone in the country, if the Indians did not
        aid in everything?"

        (Blair & Robertson, The Philippine Islands,
        1493-1898, Vol. VI, pp. 270-271)


The records of the Spaniards were full of the daring
exploits of Filipino soldiers. In a letter by Juan
Grau y Monfalcon he wrote of the Filipinos:


        "Those Indians, mingled with Spaniards,
        serve as soldiers in war, and have proved
        excellent therein.  Especially are the
        Pampangos valiant soldiers, who have performed
        and are daily performing valiant exploits at
        the side of the Spanish.  They were at the taking
        of Terrenate; and, whenever occasion offers, they
        with other companies come to guard the city of
        Manila."

        (Conrado Benitez, History of the Philippines,
        Boston, 1929, p. 258)


When the British invaded Manila they encountered stirring
resistance from the Filipino defenders.  Here is what
Draper says in his journal:


        "Had their skill and weapons been equal to their
        strength and ferocity, it might have cost us dear.
        Although armed chiefly with bows, arrows, and lances,
        they advanced up to the very muzzles of our pieces,
        repeated their assaults, and died like wild beasts,
        gnawing the bayonets."



 Because of their dependence on Filipino soldiers, so Spaniards
 worried about the possibility of revolt.  Bernardino Maldanado
 in his report to the king warns of this danger:


         "They are a people of great boldness only needing a
         leader whom they would recognize, and the are so many
         in number that it is a matter that must be feared
         considerably, and one of which your Majesty orders
         us to be fearful and watchful."

        (Conrado Benitez, History of the Philippines,
        Boston, 1929, p. 248)



One of the finest compliments to the Filipino as a soldier
might be the following Spanish saying regarding the
people of Pampanga province:


         "One Spaniard and nine Pampanguenos are more than
         a match for ten men from any nation."

          (Sturtevant, Popular Uprisings in the Philippines:
          1840-1940, p. 90))

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In Rodriguez's works, he testifies that during the Peninsular Wars in the Americas; Spanish Regular troops were augmented by Filipino regiments that served as auxillary units. Filipino conscripts served under the Spanish Flag against the Independence War of Mexico.

It is amazing to know that out of the many colonies Spain had in its vast empire, it was the Filipino who was exceedingly Loyal to the Spanish Motherland.

The only nation that actually vouched to become part of Spain as an provincia de ultramar de España Madre (Overseas Spanish Province, or literally, Spanish Province beyond the Motherland).

Thousands of Filipino conscripts served in Spain's Army abroad. In the conquest of Morocco, Filipino regiments were augmented. In the suppression of Cuba and Puerto Rico, Filipinos serving in the Guardia Civil were sent abroad to suppress such revolts.

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The Military Elite of Spanish Philippines


Filipino officers in service of the Cabineros Regiment in the Philippines.
These men were the crack elite of the Spanish Infantry that served in the Philippines and other territories that belonged to the Spanish Empire. They were armed with Spanish Carbines/Mauzers which were equipped with bayonetts. Notice their Imperial Helmets. Their helmets suggests that they were used in foreign territories outside of the Philippines. Suggesting that these officers served in the Spanish Army proper alongside with Spaniards. In fact, it is widely accepted by historians that Filipinos made up a large part of Spain's overseas Army and manned the Royal Spanish Navy.

Highlighting the Filipino's supremacy at sea. Ever so manifested in the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade.


In the left is an Infantry private, in center is an Imperial Guard corporal. In the right is a Filipino Officer. These Filipinos are wearing Spanish Army uniforms. Signifying they were trained in the military academies in Spain and conscripted in the Royal Army in Spain. Probably of Principales Class. Devotion to Spain and King.


Filipino sailors serving in the Royal Spanish Navy. Man in the right is an officer.





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Some fortifications that were built; Spanish blockhouses





Blockhouses like these were built around key urban areas throughout the Philippines, many of which were built around Manila, Cebu, and key provinces whose port trade were essential to the survival of the colony.



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In a conversation I had with Alejandro Villalobos, who was a fellow history student in Allegheny, his collegiate study was focused on Imperial Spanish developments; particularly in Latin America during the Felipan Epoch (the rule of Emperor Philip II), while I focused more on Imperial Military History.

We had an interesting conversation, now that I remember it. He asked me, after reading my collegiate thesis on Filipino Nationalism, how is it that--in my opinion that is--the Philippines remained so loyal to the Spaniards for such a long time, whereas the people of Latin and South America revolted after only 2 centuries of the Motherland's rule. It was an honest and intellectual question, which, am sure, has been the subject of many historical debates within the Spanish and Filipino historical body. Am sure.

Before I share my answer in here, Id like to know your answer--yes--you, the reader.
What do you think is the reason for that manifestation?





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The Spanish Officer's Uniform during the Spanish-American War/ Spanish-Philippine Revolutionary War of Independence was standard light blue. With stripes on the leggings.

Here is a Spanish reinactor dressed in the uniform of the Royal Spanish Infantrymen during the 'Dos Guerras De Espana' (The 2 Spanish Wars) / referring to Spain's defeat to both the United States and the Philippine Forces.



--

The following were the Spanish Cavalry Uniforms during the war:
The colors have not changed.




Spanish Navy and Marines




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This ones seem not "real" spanish.

I think they are the army when Spain was invaded by France as the costumes are similar to the french ones

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The top picture is a portrait of Spanish Noble, a commander of the guard. Note the emblem of the Royal Spanish Monarchy.

The lower picture (green) is a portrait of the Spanish Light Dragoons. The cavalry force that was utilized during the Napoleonic Era, when Spain was at war with Britain, Portugal and the Alliance.

The Light Dragoons were shock troops of the Spanish Heavy Cavalry; a force to be feared. The Spaniards have always had one of the greatest cavalry forces in historical European Battles.

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So one asks, how did the officers look like? How did the uniform of the Spanish Officer look like?

~


Real Cuerpo de Artilleria. Teniente.



Real Cuerpo de Artilleria. Subteniente



Capitán general en uniforme de media gala a caballo



Capitán general en uniforme de media gala pie a tierra.



Capitán general en uniforme de diario.



Brigadier en uniforme de gala.



Teniente General con uniforme de Infanteria





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A funny thing about this

The revolution agains the french started in my city (Mostoles) and now we celebrate the independency day in 2nd may every year in spain because of that.

But the funny thing is my city was officially at war with all France till 1997 I think, because the mayor that started the revolution rejected to sign the peace by that time.

200.000 people in a city with no army "at war" against France lol

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Hi. Do you have records or pictures of Datu Kalun and Spanish troops stationed in Basilan or Zamboanga.? I really appreciate your help.Thanks

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Hi. Thank you so much for the quick reply. I am in the process of finalizing a book about Pedro Cuevas "Datu kalun" and I am using this website as one of my references. The pictures you posted and articles are very useful. Thanks and More power!

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Ricardo,

The capitulation of Spain during the late 18th century was impeccable to both sides. The French Army overwhelmed the Spanish Military, which was severely undermanned.

Spain, which relied on its age-old alliance with the former Absolutist Capet Dynasty of France (the guillotined Louis XVI was the last Capetian King) secured the age-old Spanish-French border across the Pyranees. However, the French Revolution changed everything.

Spain, for the first time in its history was invaded by its old friend and historical ally.

The Mighty Spanish Empire's own Mother Country was occupied. Again, the reasons for this was because Spain's Military was abroad in its colonies. It was a classic example of a 'strategic nightmare'. Had Spain had its military in Spain at the time, there is no doubt that the Spanish Empire would have been able to stamp out the French Invasion , and as it did in the 16th century, invade France proper.
Napoleonic France took advantage of the situation, as it did during its war with the 1st 2nd Coalition. He effectively took advantage of Spain's weakness at the time. To the detriment of the Spanish Empire.

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