Battle of Tirad Pass Timeline

Gregorio Del Pilar commanded sixty man platoon against a three hundred strong American Soldier experiencing the greatest battle of his life, a culmination of his military career, full of courage and honor.

February 4, 1899 - Fighting between American and Filipino Forces started the three year war after the First Philippine Republic declared war against the United States of America. The Philippines was headed by General Emilio Aguinaldo and it was a fight for independence, while the Americans were fighting for control and stabilization. The first shots were fired by Pvt. Robert William Greyson, a guard at San Juan del Monte bridge in Manila.

March 29, 1899 - Emilio Aguinaldo arrived and proclaimed Nueva Ecija as Capital of the First Philippine Republic. It was later captured by Col. Frederick Funston, a cause of Aguinaldo's retreat to  Isabela through the mountains of Ilocos Region.

April 23, 1899 - First major engagement between Americans and Filipinos in Plaridel, Bulacan to cover Pampanga and Bulacan, a northward push for the Americans from Manila. The advance was stopped by the Filipinos under the command of General Gregorio Del Pilar, his first major victory. A second attempt by the American routed the Filipinos at the expense of losing Colonel J.M. Stotsenburg.

November 13, 1899 - The Filipinos shifted to guerrilla warfare under the orders of General Emilio Aguinaldo. More than half a thousand American casualties resulted from this tactic through ambushes and raids. The Americans even considered withdrawal from the country because of their loses.

November 15, 1899 -  Major Peyton March was tasked to pursue General Emilio Aguinaldo.

November 23, 1899 - Generals Aguinaldo and Del Pilar passed through Salcedo, Ilocos Sur en route to Palanan, Isabela and reached Tirad Pass, a strategic point in the mountains of Concepcion (Renamed in 1955 to Del Pilar in Del Pilar's honor), Ilocos Sur. Del Pilar handpicked 60 men from the remaining force of the late Antonio Luna and fortified the pass.

November 30, 1899 - General March and his men marched through Salcedo, Ilocos Sur after they found out that Aguinaldo and his men passed through this town a week ago.

December 1, 1899 - General March arrived in Conception and was informed that Filipino troops were at Tirad Pass. He had calculated the size of Filipino troops to be more than a hundred. General Del Pilar started preparing his soldiers for the battle after overlooking a battalion of American soldiers advancing from the steep pass. He wrote on his diary that it was a gloious day for him to die for his country.

December 2, 1899 - The Americans were met by a steady rain of fire from the Filipinos in the early morning of the assault. They stopped the assault in midday because of no advance due to the fact that the pass was well defended. March sent a search party for a path to outflank the Filipinos. A five hour battle ensued between the outflanked Filipinos and Americans thanks to the help of our dear Filipino friend Januario Galut who led the Americans to a narrow passage at the back of the fortified trenches on the mountainside of Tirad Pass. Out of the 60 men commanded by Del Pilar, 8 only survived and captured. The Americans lost 2 men with 9 wounded. Del Pilars effectiveness held of the Americans long enough for Aguinaldo to escape to Palanan. Del pilar was shot to the neck and fell from his horse. He was stripped bare, looted of his belongings and laid dead for three days before buried. He was given a military burial by Lt. Dennis P. Quinlan when he found him. He inscribed in Pilar's tombstone - "Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar, Died December 2, 1899, Commanding Aguinaldo's Rear Guard, An Office and a Gentleman."