General Ludovico Arejola

In January 1900, American troops landed in Legaspi city to set up a hemp port so that abaca harvest can be shipped to the American market where the demand is high.

A Naga resident named Ludovico Arejola organized a large guerilla army and fought the Americans at Agdangan, Baao. Afterwards he set up a camp in the mountains of Minalabac and held out for more than a year.

The resistance also included an eight-woman group, called the Damas Benemeritas de la Patria (Ladies Benemeritas of the Mother country), that tended to the injured and the sick, and brought clothes and provisions to the Bicolano guerillas.

Arejola was appointed as Coronel de la Milicia Territorial by President Emilio Aguinaldo. He was tasked with organizing the milicias (militias) in Ambos Camarines and Catanduanes. He later rose to the rank of General

Additional American troops disembarked in Calabanga, Camarines Sur, on Feb. 19, 1900.

Relentless American operations, battle casualties, illness among the troops, lack of firearms, low on ammunition and atrocities perpetrated by US soldiers on innocent civilians weighed heavily in the decision of General Arejola to give up the fight.

On March 31, 1901, General Ludovico Arejola surrendered his forces to1Lt. George Curry, 11th Cavalry USV, and 2Lt. George V.H. Mosely, 9th Cavalry.

The two American officers went unescorted to Arejola's encampment at Bulawag, which was about six miles up the river from Minalabac, and negotiated his surrender. They escorted general Arejola to Nueva Caceres (now Naga City) where the general formally gave up to Col. Edward Moale, CO of the 15th US Infantry.

General Arejola surrendered along with of his 30 officers (1 Colonel, 3 Lt. Colonels, 5 Majors, 21 junior officers) and 800 men. They turned over 43 rifles, 12 revolvers and hundreds of bolos (machetes)

(Teatro Aguinaldo was named in honor of General Aguinaldo at Nueva Caceres (now Naga). The picture was taken in 1901.)

Civil government was finally established in Ambos Camarines in April 1901.