Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why could George Dewey not capture Manila immediately after the Battle of Manila Bay?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Spanish-American War
Theodore Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, 1898; print created by Kurz & Allison.
Following the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey was unable to capture Manila immediately because he lacked sufficient ground troops to hold the city.12
Although Dewey controlled the bay and could have taken the city at any time, he had to wait for the arrival of reinforcements from the United States. It took three months for enough American ground forces to arrive to occupy the capital. During this interim period, Filipino independence leader Emilio Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines, rallied his supporters, and established a siege around Manila. The city eventually fell on August 13, 1898, following a joint naval and ground assault once sufficient American troop strength had been assembled.12