In December, 1896, the governor-general went back to Spain. At that time the total European force in the islands was 10,000 men. They held the arsenals at Cavite, and the city of Manila; but the rebels were strongly entrenched throughout the peninsula of Cavite and in Laguna Province. “At that time,” says Forman, the historian, “I was informed by the secretary of the military court that there were 4,700 individuals awaiting trial by court-martial.”
General Camilo Polavieja was sent out to the Philippines as governor-general in Blanco’s stead. He arrived in June, 1896, and at once set to work to put down the rebellion. He was an energetic military leader, a man who had himself risen from the ranks. He had been in Cuba, and his experience there enabled him to see at once how serious was the state of things in the Philippines. On the ship with him came 500 troops, under command of General Lachambre (lä chäm´brā), and on another ship 1,500 more. Others quickly followed, so that in a short time, as we have stated before, there were 28,000 fighting Europeans in the islands.
It was now the dry season, and General Lachambre at once took the field against the rebels in Cavite Province. The Filipinos at this time expressly declared that they were fighting, not Spain, but the dominion of the Spanish friars. Their battle cry was, “Long live Spain! Down with the priests!” The campaign was conducted very well on the part of the Spanish. Their troops were better armed than the Filipinos, and were well commanded, while the rebels had no trained military officers to plan their battles. The Filipinos were driven from Imus, and later from Silang; and although the Spanish met with great losses, in time the rebels, unable to hold any one place, were driven up to Laguna Province. By the middle of March every rebel band of importance had been scattered.
Polavieja cabled for more troops to be sent from Spain. He wanted these to garrison the districts which he had taken from the rebels, as his army corps was needed in the northern provinces, to which the Filipinos had been driven back. But there were already 200,000 Spanish soldiers in Cuba, and more were needed there. The Spanish government, therefore, refused to send any more troops to the Philippines.
The newspapers at Madrid made light of the trouble in the islands, and criticised the governor-general’s rule. Polavieja then cabled that he was broken down in health and should be obliged to resign. Through much of the campaign he was so ill that he could not sit his horse, and was obliged to direct the campaign from Parañaque (pä rän yä´kē), where he remained until after the capture of San Francisco and the driving back of the rebels into the mountains.
In April, 1897, he went back to Spain. General Lachambre followed, to receive great praise for the good work he had done in the Philippines. Polavieja himself arrived in Spain blind, physically disabled, and really ill; but he had accomplished a great deal in the islands, and had gotten the rebellion well in hand.
The next governor-general was Primo de Rivera, who had held that office before, from the years 1880 to 1883. He reached Manila on the 23d of April, and went to the front on the 29th day of that month.
Summary.—The growth of secret societies in the islands, and the rebellious attitude of many of the people, led Spain to adopt a new measure. It was decided to settle the Marauit district, in Mindanao, with Filipinos from Luzon. Invitations, amounting really to orders, to go and live in this district were sent out among the people living in provinces where the secret societies were supposed to be strongest. Because of these invitations many Filipinos left their homes and went to live in the mountains, to avoid trouble. The government then began trying to force people to go south to live. In 1896 the Katipunan sent a petition to the emperor of Japan, asking him to annex the islands to Japan. The emperor sent this petition to Spain. The government now awoke to a knowledge of how serious was the revolt in the islands. Many arrests were made, and soon the jails in Manila were filled with prisoners.
By August 30 the uprising was in full force, and the first battle was fought at San Juan del Monte, on that day. Troops were now sent from Spain, while from all over the islands fighting men gathered to the aid of the Filipino leaders. By December, 1896, there were 10,000 European troops in the islands. They held the arsenal at Cavite, and the city of Manila; but the Filipinos held strong positions in the Cavite peninsula and in Laguna Province. Governor-General Blanco went back to Spain, and General Camilo Polavieja was sent out in his stead. The new governor-general carried on the war with great vigor. He sent for more troops, until there were 28,000 Spanish soldiers in the country. The Spanish succeeded in driving the Filipinos back from their strong places, but were too few to do more than hold them in check. The home government refused to send more troops to the Philippines, as all Spain’s armed force was needed in Cuba. Governor-General Polavieja was taken very ill, and went back to Spain. General Lachambre followed, soon after. The next governor-general was Primo de Rivera, who reached Manila April 23, 1897.
Questions.—What were the secret societies that now grew up in the islands? What plan did the government make for settling the Marauit district? Give an account of the petition sent by the Katipunan to Japan. When was the first battle fought in the uprising of 1896? Outline the progress of this uprising.