[2] Beginning on March 25, the Americans began their drive to capture Malolos, the Philippine capital at the time, hoping that it would shatter the morale of the Filipino troops.

The capital had already been transferred to San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, before the debacle, and the main Filipino force, under the command of General Antonio Luna, had moved to the Calumpit–Apalit Line.

[4] Luna took most of the defending cavalry and the artillery with him and General Del Pilar was left to counter the advancing American troops lacking their support.

[2] Chinese porters pushed the train through the river as American troops swam to the opposite shore, where Filipino trenches were located.

[2] By the time Luna had returned from Guagua, only Filipinos in the barrio of Santa Lucia were holding out against the Americans in the Bagbag sector.

[2] A group of American soldiers then attacked the left flank of the Filipino positions in covered ways and trenches.

[2] Filipino representatives meeting with the Schurman Commission a few days after the battle mentioned that Aguinaldo had expected Calumpit to be "the cemetery of the American army.