Battle of Makahambus Hill

The Battle of Makahambus Hill was one of the few victories won by the Filipinos over the Americans during the Philippine-American War. It was fought on June 4, 1900 in Cagayan de Misamis (now Cagayan de Oro City). The Filipinos were under the command of Colonel Apolinar Velez of the Maguindanao Battalion. Most of them were volunteers apart from some Filipino army men who joined.

The fort at Makahambus was located on a high and steep hill. The Americans seeing how formidable the fort was tried to negotiate a Filipino surrender. The answer was a volley of cannon and rifle fire that drove the Americans back down the hill. Many were killed not by rifle fire, but by booby-trapped pits bristling with sharpened bamboo spears under a camouflage of foliage. The Americans launched repeated counterattacks, only to be driven back by rifle fire from the defenders.

American losses totaled as many as 20 dead and wounded. There was also one American prisoner of war. The Filipinos, however, suffered only 1 killed and 3 wounded, making this battle the most one-sided victory for the Filipinos during the war.