Friday, May 18, 2012

TODAY IN HISTORY

AMBUSH AT IPAO



On May 17, 1672, a month and two weeks after the killing of Pale' Sanvitores and Pedro Calungsod, a company of Spaniards, Latin Americans and Filipinos set out to Ipao to retaliate against the Chamorros who may have been involved in the death of Sanvitores.  The Chamorros of the area opposed to the Spaniards blocked the usual trails with felled trees.  The Spaniards cut through the jungle and headed towards the beach to proceed on their journey.

On their return back to Hagåtña, they had forgotten about the tide, which was now rising.  Seeing the Spaniards in this vulnerable position, the Chamorros launched an ambush, throwing spears from the high ground above, from the beach ahead and from canoes in the sea.

Matå'pang, principal killer of Sanvitores, was involved in the fight and was wounded by a Spanish bullet.  His wound, in the arm, never properly healed.  The Spaniards lost men in the attack, like Pedro Basijan, a Visayan Filipino; Jose de Torres, a Mexican from Puebla de los Angeles; and Juan Beltran, also from Mexico.

1 comment:

  1. That was the World attack against the Chamorros.

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