On September 27, 1762, the Spanish authorities in Manila were caught unaware by the arrival in Manila Bay of a fleet of thirteen English warships with 6,839 armed men on board, jointly commanded by Admiral Samuel Cornish and General William Draper. The Most Rev. Fr. Domingo Collantes, Rector and Chancellor of the Colegio de Santo Tomas, organized a notable battalion of 200 Thomasians, 20 - 22 years old, to fight for the defense of the city. The Santo Tomas Plaza in Intramuros became their military training ground.

The following day, the English forces landed south of the walled city of Manila (Malate district today). The acting Governor, Archbishop Manuel Antonio Rojo, mobilized the city defenders composed mainly of 500 Hispano-Filipino regulars (King's Regiment), 200 Thomasian volunteers and 80 Filipino artillery men. He also called for auxilliaries from the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan and Laguna. The defenders bravely resisted and for three times tried to lift the seige from the invaders.

On the fourth night of the seige, however, the English artillery succeeded in making a breach in the city walls. On the following day, 400 English soldiers entered the city of through the breach. To prevent further slaugther, Archbishop Rojo surrendered the city of Manila to the invaders. On the 10th of October, Manila was placed under the authority of Lt. Gen. Dawson Drake.

The King of Spain highly commended the heroic deed of the Thomasian volunteers and bestowed upon them the Muy Leal (Sp: Very Loyal) seal and their institution was awarded the title Regalia.

Military training in the institution became a thing of the past until 164 years later...