From the very outset of the war the governor was active in it, not
sparing himself from any of its dangers, which were very great. If
any proof were needed of his energy, valor, executive ability, and
military circumspection, the present emergency would have furnished
it. Distinction was honorably gained by the master-of-camp, Don
Lorenzo de Olaso; he was always the first in dangers--none of which
he shunned, although he experienced several attacks of illness,
and even lay stretched at the foot of a papaw tree--escaping from
them, or being drawn out of them by his brave heart and valiant
spirit. Many personages of Manila in private life displayed their
courage, adding merits to their former ones by their service in
the army, and causing the enemy to recognize their bravery in the
skirmishes and assaults, that they might relate how they had conducted
themselves in these; it is sufficient to mention who they are. The
commanding officer of the artillery, Juan Bautista de Molina, was
present in some of the engagements, and the rest of the time he was
directing his artillery in the city. General Geronimo Enrriquez,
lieutenant of the master-of-camp, and general in the army, having
been appointed on New Year's day alcalde-in-ordinary, preferred to
fight in the campaign rather than to remain in Manila in the quiet
and repose of his house, although opportunity to do so was given him
by so honorable a title. General Don Juan Claudio de Verastegui, who
fulfilled the obligations that he had inherited by birth and acquired
by military service. Admiral Don Francisco Ezquerra, who, sometimes
accompanying his brother, General Ezquerra, and sometimes following
the army, everywhere gave proof of his valor. Captain Don Rodrigo
de Guillestegui, his deeds making him appear like a veteran soldier,
although he was so young. All the encomenderos and citizens of Manila
also played the part of veterans, either guarding the city by day and
by night, or serving in the camp, being present in various notable
encounters, wherein the cavalry distinguished themselves. The company
of Captain Juan Fiallo, who with his men was the terror of the enemy;
Captain Juan de Montoya, and Alferez Alfonso Gomez. The ranchmen and
mulattoes, as being accustomed to the management of horses and skilful
in hurling javelins, caused the greatest losses to the enemy on all
occasions. The Spanish infantry, with their captains Don Manuel de
Rivera and N. [sic] de Ugalde (who are worthy of the highest praise),
always fulfilled their duties with good results. The Pampango infantry
was not without glory--the archers and shield-bearers from Pampanga,
whose leader besides their captains was father Fray Juan de Sosa, prior
of the convent of Betis, always as thorough a religious as he was,
on occasion, valiant and courageous; they never returned to our camp
without leaving tokens of their presence in that of the enemy. The
Zambal archers, who went under the orders of Fray Antonio de las
Misas--a Recollect religious, and a person who was in all respects
such as the emergency required--always endeavored to win a reputation;
and if they were previously known by report, they were now by their
deeds. The companies of Cagayans and Terrenatans, as war was not a new
thing to them since they were born and trained in it, did not hesitate
to risk their lives, at the cost of a great number of enemies whom
they left dead behind them. The Tagal Indians of all this province
accompanied their valor with their loyalty, which was so great that,
although their losses had been so considerable in villages, houses, and
possessions, forgetful of all these, and remembering only the treason
plotted, the sacrilege committed, and the design of the Sangleys to
make themselves masters of the country, [81] these Indians took up
arms against them most of the villages serving in their companies,
and by so honorable an act giving proof of their fidelity toward God,
and of their affection for the Spaniards, tokens also of their loyalty,
subjection, and obedience to the king our lord and his officials.
The activities in Manila during the time of the war, not only in
defense of the city, but in prayers
In proportion to the anxiety which the war occasioned was the
solicitude that was felt in the city for its protection; no citizen
shunned the performance of the duty that was allotted to him, and
all were [in turn] continually serving on the walls. The direction
of the fort [82] was in charge of the commander and castellan,
Don Fernando de Ayala; the cavalier [i.e., tower] of San Gabriel
was in the keeping of General Don Juan de Ezquerra; and the gate
of the Parian, in that of Sargento-mayor Don Pedro Jara, until he
had to take his station and plant artillery against the enemy at
Sanpaloc. At the new gate, Captain Don Gregorio Mujica commanded;
at that of Dilao, Sargento-mayor Palomino--and afterward Captain Mena
of the cavalier, whom they call De Carranza; in charge of San Pedro,
Captain Lorenzo Lopez. Admiral Luis Alonso de Roa attended to the
foundry [for artillery]; and Captain Aumada, to emergencies [del
inmediato]. Alferez Orgaz was in charge of the gate of Santa Lucia;
and Alferez Bernave Martinez and Sargento-mayor Don Marcos Zapata
of that of Santo Domingo. But, as the Spaniards were few in number,
it was necessary that they should be aided by the ecclesiastics
and the students. The clerics were placed in charge of a cavalier;
the students or collegians of Santo Tomas were under the orders of
the fathers of St. Dominic; those of the other, San Jose, under the
[fathers of the] Society of Jesus. They wore the clerical garb all the
time while the war lasted, with that of the military. The religious
hastened to take arms and defend the walls on the day of the attack;
and, every night when there was cause to suspect another, they were
found at the posts assigned them.
The city was provided with a new moat, which continuing with the
old one by the side of the foundry, extended almost to the sea--a
celebrated work which was completed in a very short time, all due to
the assiduity and personal attention of the master-of-camp of the
artillery. Its commander, General Don Juan Zapata de Molina, gave
much attention to this work; it was greatly aided, and new inventions
and devices for [the use of] fire were furnished, by the solicitude
and experience of Captain Geronimo de Fuentes [Cortes]. There was
no one who did not, on occasion, render all kinds of service. A
company of free negroes [83] was formed, who were very useful within
the city, being distributed through the cavaliers for the effective
management of the artillery. Duties were assigned to the slaves, but
with discreet caution, on account of rumors which had been current
(although without foundation) that they were making great plans
when they saw the Sangleys in revolt; this was done partly [to give
them] occupation, and to deprive them of any notions of undertaking
another insurrection to the injury of the colony. But as its citizens
recognized that its main defense must come from the Supreme Power,
they did not neglect to raise their hands toward heaven, everywhere
offering continual petitions to our Lord for the fortunate result
of the war, and for the repose and pacification of these islands. In
the cathedral was begun a novenary [i.e., nine days' prayer] to the
glorious St. Joseph, all the [religious] communities repairing thither,
each on its own day, to recite solemn mass to him. The fathers of
St. Dominic, at the request of the city, celebrated another mass to
our Lady of the Rosary, all the religious orders also going thither
to say mass before her image. On the last day, [the image of] the
glorious patriarch St. Francis, who so loved this city, was carried in
procession to the cathedral, with supplication for favors through his
agency--which have been received heretofore, as is acknowledged, in the
first insurrection; and finally a procession was made in honor of the
immaculate conception of the Virgin, and other prayers were offered.
[The following additional points regarding the Chinese insurrection are
taken from a pamphlet entitled Relacion verdadera del levantamiento
de los Sangleyes (i.e., True relation of the Sangley insurrection),
which was printed in Madrid, by Catalina de Barrio y Angulo, in
1642 (our transcript of the same having been made from the original
existing in Biblioteca y Museo de Ultramar, Madrid): "Calamba is
twelve leguas from Manila. The Chinese corresponded with a Chinese
pirate named Yquan Sanglus; it was arranged that he should come to
aid them on Christmas Eve, 1639 (the day set for the treason), and
to capture the galleons from New Spain. There were 35,000 licensed
Sangleys in Manila and its vicinity, besides 10,000 more in remote
provinces. In Manila at this time there were thirty foot-soldiers,
thirty horsemen, fifty Japanese, and seventy Siyaos. The value of the
goods destroyed in the Parian was 5,000,000 pesos; and the houses
(built of molave wood), with the church and the stone houses, all
together were worth 2,000,000. Twenty champans brought to Mariveles
the Sangleys from neighboring provinces, to join the Manila insurgents;
but a Spanish and Pampango force went out against than, who sank eleven
of the champans and killed six hundred and fifty men. Among the troops
levied by the governor were a company of Japanese, and two of Sangley
mestizos. Chinese prisoners confessed that their general had offered,
to each Sangley who should bring in a Spanish head, a large reward,
including a Spanish woman to be his wife. A body of religious from all
the orders, aided by some Indians and ten soldiers, undertook to defend
the passage across the river, and killed many of the enemy. On February
24, 1640, the starving Sangleys surrendered, to the number of 7,793."]