The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 35, 1640-1649: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 35, 1640-1649: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
Our galleon "San Diego," which carried the colors as flagship, and
faced the enemy, received over two hundred cannon-balls, but not one
penetrated her hull, and only two men were killed--one a Spaniard, on
the poop; and the other an Indian, in the ship's waist. The commodore's
galley was hit more than thirty times, but only one Spanish soldier
and seven galley-slaves were killed; the second galley lost two men,
and the other vessel at a similar rate. Almost every roof on house
and church, in the Spanish town, was damaged, and many shots took
effect on the cathedral. One, an eighteen-libra ball, went through
the main entrance, and hit a pillar of the large chapel, passing
over the head of a child, who fortunately remained uninjured. In
the convent of St. Francis over thirty balls were picked up; in
that of St. Dominic, six; in the residence of the Society of Jesus,
nine; in the government storehouses, seventy-four. Notwithstanding,
there was not in any house, convent, or church a single person killed
or wounded; and the entire number of killed and injured in all the
vessels and military posts during this engagement, did not exceed
five Spaniards and four Indians killed, and eight Spaniards and one
Indian wounded, who all together did not equal the number of killed
on the enemy's flagship alone. [68] This good fortune was due, in the
first place, to the mercy and protection of heaven, besought by the
prayers and supplications offered in all of the churches--in Cabite,
the city of Manila, and other places all along this bay from which
the battle could be seen and heard--while the blessed sacrament was
exposed. In the second place, to the promptness and speed with which,
by the orders of his Lordship and the energy of the sargento-mayor
and garrison commander, Manuel Estacio Vanegas, reënforcements [and
supplies] were sent from Manila. Much also was due to the excellent
arrangements, the courage, and personal supervision of everything by
the governor of the military post, General Andres Lopez de Azaldigui;
also to the bravery, spirit, gallantry, and military experience of
the chiefs and captains in charge of the different posts: General Don
Pedro de Almonte, as commander of the armada--the vessels on sea,
and the Arsenal on shore; Admiral Don Andres Axcueta, in command
of the galleon "San Diego," which displayed the colors as flagship;
Sargento-mayor Don Pedro de Figueroa, Captain Don Lope de Colindres,
and other captains and officers in charge of the ramparts, towers, and
bastions. Especially [praise is due] to the commander of the principal
fortress, San Felipe, over which floated the royal standard of red
damask; this was the target for innumerable shots, and, although
some perforated it, none were able to tear it down--a sign that
the victory was to remain with us. The result was, that the enemy,
who about noon had entered the harbor so daringly, were constrained
to retire at midnight. The next day was begun, on our side, with six
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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