.45 Model M1911 pistol

The early-1900s Filipino bolomen & krismen ‘gave birth’ to the M1911 .45 pistol

.38 .45Images: Wikipedia/ M62/ Guncrafter

References: [1] The Legend of the Colt .45 Caliber Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Moros, by Robert Fulton; and [2] Wikipedia

Filhistory.com [1/9]

Fact:

The .45 semi-auto pistol was designed to stop the Moros, during the 1903 - 1913 Moro Wars,

but ...

Image: Morolandhistory.com/

References: [1] The Legend of the Colt .45 Caliber Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Moros, by Robert Fulton; and [2] Wikipedia Filhistory.com [2/9]

Lesser known fact:

... the clamor for the larger caliber actually

began during the Phil-Am War (1899-1902), when the Americans

first met the non-Moro Luzon and Visayan bolomen [i.e., the sandatahanes or

talibones].Image: Philippineamericanwar.web.com

Ref.: The Legend of the Colt .45 Caliber Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Moros, by Robert Fulton Filhistory.com [3/9]

1899 -1902 (non-Moro Luzon & Visayas)

“Understandably there was major anger from men in the field over the inadequacy of the Colt .38 and ... Krag 30-40 rifle.”

Colt “.38”

Krag rifle

Filhistory.com [4/9]

Images: Wikipedia/ Morolandhistory.com

Ref.: The Legend of the Colt .45 Caliber Semi-Automatic Pistol and the Moros, by Robert Fulton

Guerilla warfare, in the non-Moro Luzon & Visayas (1899 - 1902)

“Like all good guerilla fighters, the Filipinos were improvisers. They took advantage of the tropical topography with its exceptionally high grasses (well over six feet tall), dense jungles, and winding, constricted trails, to mount ambushes using a tactic called “the bolo rush”. The Philippine bolo is a fearsome, short (16” to 18”), single-edged, razor-sharp cutting weapon. Every farmer had one and knew how to use it, whether for harvesting crops, hacking trails through jungle, or taking off a limb in a fight. Often as many as 100-200 “bolo men” would lie in ambush near a trail. When an American patrol came along in single-file, Filipino snipers would open fire, forcing the Americans to drop to the ground for cover. At a signal, the bolo men would rush the soldiers lying prone on the trail, willingly losing a large number to rifle fire in order to overwhelm the Americans by their sheer numbers and the ferocity of the charge. Commissioned officers and sergeants, armed only with the Colt .38 revolver, were a favored target.

“Think about it! There you are, suddenly sprawled in the mud of a narrow jungle trail, scared as hell, hearing the thud of hundreds of feet and screams in a language you don’t understand. You can’t see more than a few feet because of the thick grass and vegetation. Suddenly several blurry shapes are running towards you. And all you have in your hands is this “little popgun.” It is not a question of getting off a quick shot or two. With the Colt .38, if you did not hit each attacker in a vital part, the head or heart, the bullet would go right through the man and by then or the man next to him would be on you. An avalanche of complaints were made to the Army’s Bureau of Ordinance ...”

Filhistory.com [5/9]Ref.: ibid. [emphasis supplied]

Colt 1902“.45 Philippine”

model

Temporary solutions

vs. the Philippine ‘Army of Liberation’ (1899 -1902), then vs. the Luzon ‘tulisanes’ & Visayan Pulahanes (1902 - 1920?)

vs. the Moros of Sulu-Mindanao (1903 - 1913)

Winchester 187312-gauge shotgun

Filhistory.com [6/9]

Images: Wikipedia/ Morolandhistory.com

Ref.: ibid.

Courage needed

Required decreasing distance of engagement Filhistory.com [7/9]

Images: Wikipedia/ Morolandhistory.com/ Macau History of Steel exhibit

1899: Start of Phil-Am War (i.e., in non-Moro Luzon & Visayas; does not include yet the Moro Sulu-Mindanao)

1899 -1902, & up: complaints on the inadequacy of the .38!

1902 & up: stop gap measures resorted to by the US military

1902: Phil-Am War ‘ends’

1903: Moro Wars begins

1911: Colt .45 design chosen

1913: Colt .45 production starts

1913: Moro Wars ends

1920?: Pulahanes insurgency ends

1944: First batch of Colt .45 arrives in the Philippines via Mindanao, for use by local guerillas fighting the Japanese

Summary of .45 M1911’s history

Image: Wikipedia/ M62

References: [1] The Legend of the Colt ..., by Robert Fulton; and [2] Wikipedia

Filhistory.com [8/9]

.45 Model M1911 by Rand

THE BOLOMEN & KRISMEN OF THE

PHILIPPINES

“Why did not these men surrender? It was an

exhibition of solid heroism ... At least over the graves of

these men ... should be written the word ‘heroes’.”

Harper's History of War in the Philippines, 1900

Panglima Hassan of Jolo (d. 1904): took 33 rounds to bring this krisman down

Filhistory.com [9/9]

A typical Luzon-Visayan boloman: they were as tough & courageous

Images: Morolandhistory.com & Philippineamericanwar.web.com