Who Was General Gregorio Del Pillar?

Who was General Gregorio del Pillar?

 

Answer:

For the municipality in the Philippines, see Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur. For the current Philippine Navy ship, see BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15).

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is del Pilar and the second or maternal family name is Sempio.

Gregorio del Pilar

General Gregorio del Pilar 1.jpg

Governor of Bulacan

In office

May 28, 1898 – December 2, 1899

President Emilio Aguinaldo

Preceded by Office created

Succeeded by Isidoro Torres

Personal details

Born Gregorio del Pilar y Sempio

November 14, 1875

San Jose, Bulakan, Bulacan, Captaincy General of the Philippines

Died December 2, 1899 (aged 24)

Tirad Pass, Concepcion, Ilocos Sur, First Philippine Republic

Relations Fernando Hilario del Pilar (Father)

Felipa Sempio (Mother)

Marcelo H. del Pilar (Uncle)

Toribio H. del Pilar (Uncle)

Deodato Arellano (Uncle-in-law)

Military service

Nickname(s) "Goyong"  

"Boy General"  

"Aguila"  

"Batang Heneral"

Allegiance  First Philippine Republic

Republic of Biak-na-Bato

Katipunan

Kakarong Republic

Branch/service Philippine Army Seal 1897.jpg Philippine Revolutionary Army

Years of service 1896–1899

Rank PR General de Brigada.svg Brigadier General

Commands Commanding Gen. Aguinaldos  

Philippine revolution flag gregoriodelpilar.svg Rearguard

Battles/wars Philippine Revolution

Battle of Kakarong de Sili

Raid at Paombong

Battle of Pasong Balite

Philippine-American War

Battle of Quingua

Battle of Calumpit

Battle of Tirad Pass †

Gregorio Hilario del Pilar y Sempio (November 14, 1875 – December 2, 1899) was a Filipino general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army during the Philippine–American War.

As one of the youngest generals in the Revolutionary Army, he was known for the successful assault on the Spanish barracks in the municipality of Paombong, his victory on the first phase Battle of Quingua and his last stand at the Battle of Tirad Pass during the Philippine-American War. Because of his youth, he became known as the "Boy General".1 He was also known as a ladies man and was described by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin as the "Byron of Bulacan".2

Explanation:

Early life and education

Historical marker and monument of del Pilars birthplace in Bulakan

Born on November 14, 1875 to Fernando H. del Pilar and Felipa Sempio of Bulacan, Bulacan, the fifth among six siblings.3 His siblings were María de la Paz del Pilar (b.1865), Andrea del Pilar (b. 1866), Pablo del Pilar (b. 1869), Julian del Pilar (b. 1872), and Jacinto del Pilar (b. 1878).4 He was part of the del Pilar family of the principalia, whose members included his uncles, lawyer-turned-propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar, editor-in-chief of Diariong Tagalog and La Solidaridad, as well as the priest Toribio H. del Pilar, who was exiled in Guam for his alleged involvement in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. The del Pilar clan was distantly related to the Gatmaitans. Although principalia, Gregorio del Pilars branch was relatively poor. It was said that del Pilar had to hawk meat pies as a child to survive.2

As a child, he completed his primary education under Maestros Monico Estrella and Romualdo Sempio before being sent to study in Manila.4 He was enrolled at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila at the age of 15, where he was rated good in Latin, Greek, Spanish and French, middling in philosophy, and excellent in arithmetic and algebra.2 During his studies in the Ateneo, he stayed in the house of his fraternal aunt, Hilaria H. del Pilar, and her husband, the propagandist Deodato Arellano. He helped his uncle distribute revolutionary pamphlets and other materials. There was one incident in Malolos, where del Pilar stole copies of the book Cuesteones de sumo interes from the parish priest, Father Felipe García, who had a habit of distributing counter-revolutionary materials after mass. These books were set to be distributed after the mass. Del Pilar removed the book covers and pasted the pamphlets inside before distributing them after.4

Del Pilar finished his bachelor of arts in March 1896 and had intended to enroll at the School of Arts and Trades and study to become a maestro de obras;2 however when the revolution broke out in August of that year his plans of further study were thwarted. Del Pilar quickly went home to Bulacan and enlisted himself for military service under Colonel Vicente Enríquez.4