No Filipino military officer under General Emilio Aguinaldo’s command when the latter was in hot pursuit fleeing the American soldiers vent on capturing him ‘dead or alive’ figured in classic fashion of heroism than Gregorio del Pilar. With sixty men assigned to him rested in his shoulders the “do or die” responsibility of protecting the president of the newly proclaimed First Republic.

Patriotism ran in the family as shown by his uncle Marcelo H. del Pilar,  dying in the bosom of mother Filipinas is next to being born a Filipino and a propelled genuine pride for having been the personal choice of Aguinaldo against prominent  generals from Cavite like Tirona is mysterious as mystery itself.

 Versatile writer and historian, Nick Joaquin is more convinced that the “crafty” man from Kawit, Cavite put more trust for the safety of his life to a Bulakeno than the men from his province.

Del Pilar was dubbed as the “Boy” general and portrayed in history books as our equivalent version of Leonidas, the legendary Greek leader who together with the 300 brave Spartans perished fighting  Xerxes’ invading Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. We will be haunted without ever knowing whether the other fifty-nine Filipino soldiers who were with General Gregorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass came from Bulacan. Were they?