1899, The Expedition to the Philippines

In 1899 the Philippines and the U.S. went to war when Filipino rebels began a revolt over the future of the Philippines as a result of the U.S. refusal to include Filipino nationalists in the negotiations with Spain, at the end of the Spanish American War. Spain had previously colonized the county and so the Philippines were ceded to the United States by Spain for $20 million by the Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898. 

So in 1898 when the United States, rather than acknowledging the Philippines’ declaration of independence, annexed the Philippines under the Treaty of Paris at the conclusion of the Spanish–American War the Filipino people declared war on February 4, 1899, just two days before the U.S. Senate ratified the Spanish treaty and consequently, fighting broke out between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers.

Millet, ever the writer, adventurer and never one to let a war get in the way of a new experience, set sail for the Philippines with part of the expeditionary force. As a result of his involvement, Millet penned a 274 page book, in 1899, and again, as with other of his books, it was published through Harpers & Brothers. The book entitled The Expedition to the Philippines recounts the actions and the people Millet worked with while there.

A full on-line copy and photos can be read at the Library of Congress website below:

https://www.loc.gov/item/99005525/