Armas de las Islas Filipinas

Spanish Remington Rolling Block .43

Weight: 9.25lb
Length: 50"
Barrel length: 35.7"
Cartridge Caliber: 11.15x58R (.43 Spanish)
Service in Spanish Army: 1870-1893
Service in Philippine Army: 1898-1902

The Spanish Armory at Oviedo manufactured the Rolling Block rifle under license agreement from Remington(firearms manufacture in New York). These rifles were used heavily by colonial soldiers through out Spains colonies since the 1870s. In the Philippines the Rolling Block became the primary firearm of the Guardia Civil and was used extensively through out the 1896 Revolution by both Spanish and revolutionary forces. Once Spain sold off the Philippines to America, the Philippine forces seized much of the left over firearms used by Spanish and native soldiers. As well as many Spanish officers and soldiers joined the Filipinos in fighting against the Americans. The Spanish Remington Rolling Block and the 1893 Spanish Mauser rifle became the two primary rifles used by the Philippine Army against the United States military during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902), as well as other rebellions and uprisings from 1902-1913.

In the US, the American varient Remington Rolling Block is also iconic now and of the time, it is best known through out the old cowboy western era as the Buffalo Hunters rifle.

Company of the Philippine Army. (Circa 1899)
Riflemen standing are armed with Spanish Remington Rolling Block Rifles.
Riflemen kneeling are armed with Spanish 1893 Mauser Rifles.

An age old tale about the Philippine Army is that the soldiers removed the rear sights of the rifle and that they were ignorant enough to think the rear aiming mechanism got in their way. The image below disproves that belief and rumor.

Soldiers of the Philippine Army armed with Spanish Remington Rolling Blocks rifles.

The Moros were also armed with Spanish Remington Rolling Blocks during the The Moro Rebellion (1899-1913).

Firearms taken during Pershings Lake Lanao Expeditions 1902 and 1903.(Photo Courtesy of http://morolandhistory.com/)

Springfield Krag Jørgensen Rifle

Manufacturer: Springfield Armory(under license by Krag Jørgensen)
Design: Norwegian
Weight: 8.6lb
Length: 49"
Barrel length: 30"
Cartridge Caliber: 30-40 Krag Smokeless
Capacity: 5 round internal box magazine
Service in US Army: 1892-1903
Service in US Volunteers: March 1899-1902
Service in Philippine Constabulary: 1906-1917

The US Army adopted the Krag rifle in 1892. Springfield would produce several different variants of the Krag from 1892 to 1899 at their plant in Massachusetts. An estimated 500,000 rifles were produced at Springfield Armory. Production ceased in 1904. The Krag would be the rifle credited for winning the Spanish American War, as well as the Philippine American War. It still remains synonymous to the Span-Am War era.

The Krag how ever was very short lived. It only saw two short wars and was already proven to be outclassed, out matched, and obsolete during the first war. The Spanish Mauser proved to be a better all around performer, as well as being a more robust war rifle than the Krag. Loading the Krag was also tedious, as it required loading one round at a time in to the box magazine, where as the Spanish Mauser took 5 round stripper clips that allowed for extremely fast reload. The Mauser was the superior rifle of the two wars, but the American soldiers outnumbered and out-gunned the Spanish and Filipino soldiers armed with Mausers. By 1901 Springfield had developed a new and improved battle rifle that incorporated features and characteristics of both the Spanish Mauser as well as the Krag. The US Army soon adopted Springfields new rifle and named it the M1903. The M1903 were quickly mass produced and outfitted to US Regulars. The Krags however would still find a niche in service. By 1906 the Krags would be re-issued to the Philippine Constabulary and other provincial police departments around the Philippines.

US Regulars firing Krag rifles at the outbreak in Manila, Feb 1899.

Famous Krag marching song of the Philippine-American War.

Damn the Filipinos

In that land of dopey dreams, happy peaceful Philippines
Where the bolo man is hiking night and day.
Where Tagalos steal and lie, where Americanos die,
You can hear the soldiers sing this evening lay..

Ch.
Damn! Damn! Damn the Filipinos,
Cross eyed khaki-ak ladrones.
Underneath our starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag,
And return us to our own beloved homes.

Underneath the nipa-thatch, where the scrawny chickens scratch,
Only place to rest when hiking all day long.
As I lay me down to sleep, slimy lizards o'er me creep,
In that land where soldiers sing this evening song..

Social graces there are few, all the ladies smoke and chew,
And the men do things the padres say are wrong.
But the padres cut no ice, as they dine on fish and rice,
In that land where soldiers sing this evening song.

1895/97 Gatling Gun

Weight: 395 lbs
Barrel length: 32" (6-10 barrels)
Cartridge Caliber: .30-40 Krag and .45-70 Government
Range: +1000 yards
Rate fire: 600-1000 per minute
Service: 1865-1906

Invented by American Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling(neighbor of the Colt family in Hartford Connecticut), the Gatling gun is considered by many to be the first machine gun. It was first introduced during the Civil War in 1865. Several different models existed through out its advent. 6 to 10 barrels are positioned in a cylinder. Each barrel having its own chamber and firing mechanism. Ammunition is placed in a magazine canister and attached on top of the cylinder breech. A crank would be operated by the gunner, which would rotate the cylinder and barrels. The rotation loaded, cocked, fired, and ejected spent cartridges. The Gatling gun initially suffered many issues, as nearly all were hand built at the time and many parts were not uniform. By the 1890s, the Gatling gun had significantly improved, and in 1895 the US Army adopted the weapon. Due to the massive weight, they were first issued to Artillery Units and the guns were transported by horses and mules.

Soliders pose with Gatling Gun at Cavite. Philippine American War.

The Gatling gun saw much action during the Spanish American War. It gained fame in Cuba giving support fire while Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders assaulted San Juan Hill. Several examples were later shipped and used in the war in the Philippines.

Gatling Gun Operation

Short 5 Barrel Compact Variant: Model 1877 Bulldog Gatling Gun

Model 1877 Bulldog Gatling Gun used in the Philippines 1899.

"The last decisive use of the Gatling Gun by this country was in the Philippine Insurrection, shortly after the Spanish-American War, when a Gatling-armed gunboat was employed with considerable effect against the insurgents. The nature of the Philippinos made any extensive deployment and use of the heavy guns on land impractical." - Jim Bianchi, October, 1979, Man At Arms.

Caption Photo read: "Gatling guns trained on the Filipinos near Manila Feb 1899"

Gatling Gun at outpost protecting road between San Roque and Cavite. Feb 1899.

Gatling gun mounted on top deck of the armored patrol gunboat Napindan.

Gatling Unit at Baiquiri, Cuba. Spanish American War

M1899 Philippine Constabulary Krag-Jørgensen Carbine Rifle

Action: Bolt Action
Capacity: 5 round internal box magazine
Barrel Length: 20.5"
Cartridge Caliber: .30-40 Krag (US Krags) Smokeless
Muzzle Velocity: 580 m/s (1900 ft/s) to 870 m/s (2854 ft/s) depending on ammunition
Effective Range: 900m
Service: 1906-1917

The Philippine Constabulary were the native police established in 1902 by Tafts Philippine Commission which oversaw civil affairs of the Philippine Islands. It should be noted the PC's were not soldiers as many confused them to be; they were law enforcement officers paid the Civil Philippine Commission. Similar to the US Marshals in America, Philippine Constabulary officers were not limited to a jurisdiction. They had the capabilities to cross county lines(in this case, provinces and regions). The Philippine Constabulary were originally issued old US military stock Springfield Trapdoor single-shot 45 rifles from the Indian Wars. During the pacification of the islands after the Phil-Am War, the Trapdoor rifle proved to be inferior when fighting in the dense terrains of the Visayas and Mindanao regions where combatants would rush out in hoards. After the first initial shot, reloading another round became near impossible. As many PC inspectors complained: the Trapdoor rifle became a one shot club.

The Springfield Trapdoors were later replaced by the Krag Carbines in early 1906. Unique to only the Philippines, the Krag full length rifles were modified and cut down to a shorter size at the POD(Philippine Ordnance Depot) in Intramurous. The original purchase price for each Krag, $6.00. The Krag Carbine would also be short lived, they would later be replaced by Springfield M1903 rifles by 1910(but Krags would still be in service until 1917). Less than a handful of these Philippine Constabulary Krag Carbines exist today. Making them the mostly highly sought after and prized rifle of all Krag models by gun collectors and enthusiasts.