Licerio Gerónimo
Encyclopedia
Licerio Gerónimo was a general
of the Philippine Revolutionary Forces under Emilio Aguinaldo
. He is remembered in Philippine-American War
annals as the opposing general to Major General Henry Ware Lawton
at the Battle of San Mateo
(San Mateo
, Rizal
) on December 19, 1899, where Lawton lost his life along with 13 other Americans.
Gerónimo was born in Sampáloc, Manila
. A member of the Katipunan
, Gerónimo was part of the group that assaulted the San Juan del Monte gunpowder magazine on August 30, 1896, and organized forces under his command in Montalban
, San Mateo
, and Marikina
. In 1897, he took part in the Battle of Mount Purog, and was designated as Division General in charge of Rizal Province after the death of Andres Bonifacio
. After the defeat of the Spanish, he was then appointed by General Antonio Luna
as the commanding general of the third military zone of Manila, and it was in this capacity that he served in the Battle of San Mateo. By 1900, he was appointed as the superior chief of the second and third zones of Manila, and he also held the commands of Morong
and Marinduque
. On March 29, 1901 Gen. Licerio Gerónimo, 6 officers, and 40 soldiers surrender at San Mateo, Manila to Col. J Milton Thompson and the 42nd Regiment of Infantry. Col Thompson informed Gen. Gerónimo of Emilio Aguinaldo
s capture 6 days prior. He remained skeptical until Col. Thompson produced a newspaper headlining Aguinaldos capture. Shortly afterwards, Gen. Licerio Gerónimo, along with his troops, took the Oath of Allegiance
to the United States
.
Gerónimo later worked for the United States and joined the Philippine Constabulary
as an inspector, successfully bringing in bandits and former soldiers roaming the countryside. He was also part of the search party that brought down General Luciano San Miguel and his followers, resulting in the death of San Miguel.
He is commemorated in the name of Barangay Geronimo and General Licerio Gerónimo Memorial National High School in Rodriguez, Rizal
,and General Licerio Gerónimo public elementary school and a street in his hometown of Sampáloc, Manila.
His claim to fame as the general who brought down Henry Ware Lawton is considered ironic, as Lawton had been previously credited with the capture of the Apache
leader Geronimo
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of the Philippine Revolutionary Forces under Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
. He is remembered in Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
annals as the opposing general to Major General Henry Ware Lawton
Henry Ware Lawton
Henry Ware Lawton was a highly respected U.S. Army officer who served with distinction in the Civil War, the Apache Wars, the Spanish-American War and was the only U.S. general officer to be killed during the Philippine-American War...
at the Battle of San Mateo
Battle of Paye
The Battle of Paye was a battle during the Philippine-American War between the United States and the Philippines. It was fought on December 19, 1899, near San Mateo in Morong between the forces of General Henry Ware Lawton, and 200 Filipino riflemen under General Licerio Gerónimo...
(San Mateo
San Mateo, Rizal
San Mateo, Rizal is a first class urban municipality of Rizal Province. Located on the island of Luzon, San Mateo is one of 13 municipalities and a capital city that make up the Province of Rizal, Region 4-A of the Philippines. San Mateo is part of the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway...
, Rizal
Rizal
Rizal is a province located in the CALABARZON , just 16 kilometers east of Manila. The province was named after the country's national hero, José Rizal. Rizal Governor Casimiro A. Ynares III on June 17, 2008 announced the transfer of the Capitol from Pasig. Its P 270-million capitol building,...
) on December 19, 1899, where Lawton lost his life along with 13 other Americans.
Gerónimo was born in Sampáloc, Manila
Sampaloc, Manila
Sampaloc is a district of Manila which is primarily a residential and educational center. Part of the Malacañang Palace is located in Sampaloc. The University of Santo Tomas, University of the East Manila are part of the University Belt to name a few, the famous Dangwa flower market at Dimasalang...
. A member of the Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
, Gerónimo was part of the group that assaulted the San Juan del Monte gunpowder magazine on August 30, 1896, and organized forces under his command in Montalban
Rodriguez, Rizal
Rodriguez, Rizal is a first-class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is the northernmost town in the province and comes after San Mateo, Rizal, and Quezon City coming from Metro Manila...
, San Mateo
San Mateo, Rizal
San Mateo, Rizal is a first class urban municipality of Rizal Province. Located on the island of Luzon, San Mateo is one of 13 municipalities and a capital city that make up the Province of Rizal, Region 4-A of the Philippines. San Mateo is part of the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway...
, and Marikina
Marikina City
Marikina, officially the City of Marikina, known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, was former capital of the province of Manila during the declaration of Philippine Independence and one of the sixteen cities within the Manila Metropolitan Area. Marikina is part of Eastern Manila District of...
. In 1897, he took part in the Battle of Mount Purog, and was designated as Division General in charge of Rizal Province after the death of Andres Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
. After the defeat of the Spanish, he was then appointed by General Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna y Novicio was a Filipino pharmacist and general who fought in the Philippine-American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy.- Family background :...
as the commanding general of the third military zone of Manila, and it was in this capacity that he served in the Battle of San Mateo. By 1900, he was appointed as the superior chief of the second and third zones of Manila, and he also held the commands of Morong
Morong, Rizal
Morong is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 50,538 inhabitants in 8,988 households. A popular attraction is Spanish-era St. Jerome's Parish Church...
and Marinduque
Marinduque
In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...
. On March 29, 1901 Gen. Licerio Gerónimo, 6 officers, and 40 soldiers surrender at San Mateo, Manila to Col. J Milton Thompson and the 42nd Regiment of Infantry. Col Thompson informed Gen. Gerónimo of Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
s capture 6 days prior. He remained skeptical until Col. Thompson produced a newspaper headlining Aguinaldos capture. Shortly afterwards, Gen. Licerio Gerónimo, along with his troops, took the Oath of Allegiance
Oath of allegiance
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Gerónimo later worked for the United States and joined the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
as an inspector, successfully bringing in bandits and former soldiers roaming the countryside. He was also part of the search party that brought down General Luciano San Miguel and his followers, resulting in the death of San Miguel.
He is commemorated in the name of Barangay Geronimo and General Licerio Gerónimo Memorial National High School in Rodriguez, Rizal
Rodriguez, Rizal
Rodriguez, Rizal is a first-class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is the northernmost town in the province and comes after San Mateo, Rizal, and Quezon City coming from Metro Manila...
,and General Licerio Gerónimo public elementary school and a street in his hometown of Sampáloc, Manila.
His claim to fame as the general who brought down Henry Ware Lawton is considered ironic, as Lawton had been previously credited with the capture of the Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
leader Geronimo
Geronimo
Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident...
.