The Battle of Bud Bagsak took place during the Moro Rebellion phase of the Philippine–American War fought between June 11 and 15, 1913. The defending Moro fighters were fortified at the top of Mount Bagsak on the island of Jolo, Sulu. The attacking Americans were led by General John 'Black Jack' Pershing. The Moros were entirely annihilated, including their leader, Datu Amil.[2]: 228–240
Background
Datu Amil (sitting left), an influential leader of the Tausūgs in discussion with Captain W.O. Reed, US 6th Cavalry Regiment during the American Moro Campaigns. Amil was later killed by the Americans which marked the beginning of the end of the sovereignty of the Sulu Sultanate when the Americans abolished its power after the end of this battle when their region fell under American rule.[3][4]
In March 1913, Datu Amil and 1,500 warriors negotiated with the Sultan of Sulu and other Moros allied with the Americans, pledging to surrender their weapons.[2]: 229 Two months later, having retreated to Bud Bagsak with his entire population of 6,000-10,000 in the Lati Ward, he told the Americans to "come on and fight".[2]: 229
Noticing the Moros only fled to Bud Bagsak when provoked by government troops, General John J. Pershing devised a policy of keeping the troops in their island garrisons in the hopes the women and children would come down from the mountain cottas (fortified earthworks which were surrounded by deep ditches and camouflaged pits containing bamboo shafts on which to impale their enemies [5]).[2]: 230 At the same time, Pershing secretly landed his force at the coastal town of Bun Bun, three and a half miles from Bud Bagsak.[2]: 231 Pershing's force consisted of the 51st and 52nd Companies of Moro Scouts from Basilan and Siasi, besides the Philippine Scouts from Jolo and fifty troopers from the 8th Cavalry Regiment.[2]: 231
The horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater, open on the northwest at a knoll called Languasan, was protected by five cottas, Bunga, Bagsak, Puhagan, Matunkup and Puyacabao, ranging from 1,440 to 1,900 feet in elevation.[2]: 231
Battle
Pershing made Languasan his first objective as a place for his artillery and to block any escape, sending Major George C. Shaw with Company M of the 8th Infantry and the 40th Company of Philippine Scouts.[2]: 232 Pershing also sent Capt. George Charlton and his 51st Moros to attack Matunkup while Capt. Taylor Nichols' Philippine Scouts attacked Puyacabao.[2]: 233 By 12:20 PM, Matunkup was in American hands, and earned 2nd Lt. Louis Mosher a Medal of Honor.[2]: 234 Puyacabao fell by 12:30 PM.[2]: 235 That ended the first day of fighting, June 11.[2]: 235
Early on the morning of June 12, the American artillery fired on Puhagan while marksmen fired on its interior, killing Datu Amil.[2]: 235–236 Pershing then ordered Capt. Patrick Moylan to attack Bunga with the 24th and 31st Scouts, taking it by 1:30 PM.[2]: 236–237 Pershing, James Lawton Collins, and a ten-man escort scouted Bagsak, which convinced Pershing to bring up his artillery on June 14 and attack from the south.[2]: 237
The attack began in Sunday morning fog, June 15, with mountain howitzers and Charlton's Moros advancing at 9 AM.[2]: 238 When the assault stalled, Pershing joined other American officers in the forefront of danger, helping stop a Moro counterattack.[2]: 239 The final assault on the cotta occurred at 5 PM and Bagsak was captured after three and a half hours.[2]: 239
Aftermath
The Battle of Bud Bagsak was the last major battle of the Moro Rebellion, and as a result is widely considered as marking the end of the rebellion, and the Philippine–American War by extension. Several smaller skirmishes between Moro bands and Philippine Constabulary forces occurred in the following months, with the last of these clashes taking place in Talipao in October 1913.[6][7] General Pershing in a letter to his wife, wrote: "The fighting was the fiercest I have ever seen. They are absolutely fearless, and once committed to combat they count death as a mere incident."[8]
Pershing was relieved of his post as governor of Moro Province in December 1913 by Philippine Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison and replaced by Frank Carpenter, a civilian official. Carpenter initiated negotiations with Sultan Jamalul Kiram II of the defeated Sultanate of Sulu, which concluded with the Sultanate's dissolution in March 1915, giving the United States complete, uncontested control over the entire Philippine archipelago.
