FROM:
The
Project Gutenberg EBook of True Version of the Philippine Revolution
by Don
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
TRUE
VERSION OF THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION
BY
DON
EMILIO AGUINALDO Y FAMY
PRESIDENT
OF THE PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC.
Tarlak
(Philippine Islands), 23rd September, 1899
TO ALL CIVILIZED NATIONS AND ESPECIALLY TO
THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN REPUBLIC.
I dedicate to you this modest work with a
view to informing you
respecting the international events which
have occurred during the past three years and are still going on in the
Philippines, in order that you may be fully acquainted with the facts and be thereby
placed in a position to pronounce judgment upon the issue and be satisfied and
assured of the Justice which forms the basis and is in fact the foundation of
our Cause. I place the simple truth respectfully before and dedicate it to you
as an act of homage and as testimony of my admiration for and recognition of
the wide knowledge, the brilliant achievements and the great power of other
nations, whom I salute, in the name the Philippine nation, with every effusion
of my soul.
_The Author._
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CHAPTER I
The Revolution of 1896
Spain maintained control of the Philippine
Islands for more than three centuries and a half, during which period the
tyranny, misconduct and abuses of the Friars and the Civil and Military
Administration exhausted the patience of the natives and caused them to make a
desperate effort to shake off the unbearable galling yoke on the 26th and 31st
August, 1896, then commencing the revolution in the provinces of Manila and
Cavite.
On these memorable days the people of Balintawak,
Santa Mesa, Kalookan,Kawit, Noveleta and San Francisco de Malabon rose against
the Spaniards and proclaimed the Independence of the Philippines, and in the
course of the next five days these uprisings were followed by the inhabitants
of the other towns in Cavite province joining in the revolt against the Spanish
Government although there was no previous arrangement looking to a general
revolt. The latter were undoubtedly moved to action by the noble example of the
former.
With regard to the rising in the province
of Cavite it should be stated that although a call to arms bearing the
signatures of Don Augustin Rieta, Don Candido Firona and myself, who were
Lieutenants of the Revolutionary Forces, was circulated there was no certainty
about the orders being obeyed, or even received by the people, for it happened
that one copy of the orders fell into the hands of a Spaniard named Don
Fernando Parga, Military Governor of the province, who at that time was
exercising the functions of Civil Governor, who promptly reported its contents
to the Captain-General of the Philippines,Don Ramon Blanco y Erenas. The latter
at once issued orders for the Spanish troops to attack the revolutionary
forces.
It would appear beyond doubt that One whom
eye of man hath not
seen in his wisdom and mercy ordained that
the emancipation of the oppressed people of the Philippines should be
undertaken at this time,for otherwise it is inexplicable how men armed only
with sticks and _gulok_ [1] wholly unorganized and undisciplined, could defeat
the Spanish Regulars in severe engagements at Bakoor, Imus and Noveleta and, in
addition to making many of them prisoners, captured a large quantity of arms
and ammunition. It was owing to this astonishing success of the revolutionary
troops that General Blanco quickly concluded to endeavour, to maintain Spanish
control by the adoption of a conciliatory policy under the pretext that thereby
he could quell the rebellion, his first act being a declaration to the effect
that it was not the purpose of his Government to oppress the people and he had
no desire "to slaughter the Filipinos.".
The Government of Madrid disapproved of
General Blanco's new policy and speedily appointed Lieutenant-General Don
Camilo Polavieja to supersede him, and despatched forthwith a large Number of
Regulars to the Philippines.
General Polavieja advanced against the
revolutionary forces with
16,000 men armed with Mausers, and one
field battery. He had scarcely reconquered half of Cavite province when he
resigned, owing to bad health. That was in April, 1897.
Polavieja was succeeded by the veteran
General Don Fernando Primo de Rivera, who had seen much active service. As soon
as Rivera had taken over command of the Forces he personally led his army in
the assault upon and pursuit of the revolutionary forces, and so firmly, as
well as humanely, was the campaign conducted that he soon reconquered the whole
of Cavite province and drove the insurgents into the mountains.
Then I established my headquarters in the
wild and unexplored mountain fastness of Biak-na-bató, where I formed the
Republican Government of the Philippines at the end of May, 1897.
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