1899 Kurz and Allison View of the Battle of Paceo, Manila, Philippines

This is a rare chromolithograph view of the Battle of Pasay, located just outside of Manila, fought in the opening stages of the Philippine-American War (1899 - 1904). The view underscores the dogged and grassroots struggle for Philippine independence against seemingly overwhelming power.

A Closer Look

The view looks roughly north on the town (now city) of Pasay, towards modern-day Makati, where massed American soldiers defend a fortified position on the southern flank of Manila. The river running through the center of the image is likely the Estero de Tripa de Gallina, a natural estuary that was later widened and incorporated into Manila's urban drainage scheme. In the foreground, soldiers of the Philippine Republican Army wearing their distinctive rayadillo uniforms attempt a desperate siege action. In the lower left, there is a group of what appear to be African tribal warriors. While some Buffalo Soldiers did participate in the war, many even defecting to the Philippine side, the warriors presented here, given their garb, are likely intended to represent Philippine tribal peoples.

Historical Context: Battle of Pasay

The Battle of Pasay (or Paceo) was a small but significant engagement that took place during the early stages of the Philippine-American War, which began in February 1899 following the U.S. annexation of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War (April 21 - August 13, 1898).

Fought on February 5, 1899, the battle occurred just south of Manila, near the town of Pasay (then often spelled 'Paceo'). It was part of the broader Battle of Manila, which erupted after tensions between American and Filipino forces escalated into open conflict. Filipino revolutionaries under Emilio Aguinaldo had been encircling Manila and demanding independence, while the U.S. aimed to assert control over the archipelago.

When fighting broke out on the night of February 4, American forces, including the First Montana Infantry and artillery units, quickly launched counterattacks. In Pasay, U.S. troops clashed with forces of the Philippine Republican Army in an attempt to secure the southern perimeter of Manila. The Filipinos put up stiff resistance but were eventually pushed back by superior firepower and better organization.

The Battle of Pasay was one of several skirmishes that solidified American control of Manila and its surroundings, marking the beginning of a brutal and protracted conflict that would last until 1902. While relatively minor in scale, battles like Pasay reflected the fierce determination of Filipino forces and foreshadowed the guerrilla warfare that would define much of the war.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process uses multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Generally, a chromolithograph begins with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors are layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired effect. Chromolithograph color can be blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it emerged as the dominant method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda.

Publication History and Census

This map was engraved and printed by the Chicago firm Kurz and Allison in 1899, reflecting events current to the image. The view is rare; we see just two institutional holdings: the Library of Congress and the Wolfsonian. We recognize a couple of examples that have appeared on the market in the last decade. Most examples were, as here, trimmed to the neatline, but the LOC example has full blank margins, confirming that there is no image loss.