Note 8 — AFFAIRS IN FILIPINAS, 1644–47

The news of the first squadron arrived on the first day of February. The two galleons, “Encarnacion” and “Rosario,” which had brought the succor from Nueva España, were already at Cabite; for with especial forethought and vigilance orders had been given them to stop unlading the silver that they carried, and to come to that port. Although it seemed an act of temerity for two ships to oppose so many, his Lordship—urged on by his great valor and resolution in these matters of war—after a conference and council which he summoned for this purpose, decided that the two galleons should make ready for battle. In the flagship (which was the “Encarnacion”) were mounted thirty-four pieces of artillery, all of bronze and of the reënforced8 class, which variously carried balls of thirty, twenty-five, and eighteen pounds. The almiranta (which was the “Rosario”) was equipped with as many as thirty pieces, of the same capacity—although, on account of the deficiency in this sort of artillery, it was necessary to dismantle some posts in the fortifications of this city and of Cavite. Munitions and supplies of every kind with devices for carrying fire, and other necessary articles, were furnished to them in abundance. These two ships were supplied with men—in each, two companies of a hundred soldiers (all picked men, of the nobility and youth of Manila), eighty mariners, artillerists according to the number of cannon, and a suitable number of deck-hands and other servants, making, in all, over four hundred persons on each galleon. As commander-in-chief his Lordship appointed General Lorenzo de Orella y Ugalde, a Biscayan, under whose charge the vessels had sailed from Acapulco; this choice was made, not only because of his proved bravery, his experience in the art of war, and his services and commands in both the Northern and the Southern Seas, as well as in these islands (particularly in Mindanao, where he fought hand to hand with a gigantic Moro and killed him), but because of his well-known Christian spirit and modesty—which, for success, are no less important than valor. Captain Sebastian Lopez, an Andalusian, was appointed admiral, with the right of succession to the commander. This post was due him because he had distinguished himself, the previous year, in the fight with champans, against these same Dutch, of which I have already spoken. The post of sargento-mayor was given to Don Agustin de Cepeda, a cavalier of nobility and acknowledged courage—displayed in the most difficult and honorable posts of these islands. The heads of the infantry companies were: on the flagships, Captains Juan Henriquez de Miranda and Gaspar Cordoso; on the almiranta, Captains Juan Martinez Capelo, and Don Gabriel Miño de Guzman. The chief pilots were Captains Domingo Machado and Estevan Ramos; their associates were Francisco Romero and Andres Cordero—all persons of courage, bravery, experience in their craft, and resolution, as the result will show.