General Del Pilar's other battles

Abstract

No other Filipino general in the Philippine Revolution and in the Filipino-American War could compare with General Gregorio H. del Pilar in romantic escapades, gallantry toward the enemy, and intrepid exploits. At 24, he had already reached the pinnacle of his career as a soldier. And at Tirad Pass, some 4,500 feet above sea level, Del Pila r made his supreme sacrifice. This was on December 2, 1899, after his six-hour rear-guard battle with American forces pursuing General Aguinaldo.

So much has been written about Del Pilar’s last stand, but how about the many other battles he fought before he became a brigadier general?

The late Teodoro M. Kalaw's book on the hero of Tirad Pass, printed in 1930 by the Bureau of Printing, narrates that Del Pilar’s first baptism of fire took place on January 1, 1897, when he participated in the defense of the fortifications in Kakaron de Sili, near San Rafael, Bulacan. He and his brother, Julian, fought bravely but Spanish soldiers from four directions overwhelmed the fortress, killing many of the defenders. In this struggle, the two del Pilar brothers were wounded. The valiant fight earned for Gregorio the rank of lieutenant in the revolutionary forces in Bulacan.