Battle of San Mateo (1899)

Battle of San Mateo
	Part of the Philippine–American War
	; Death of Major-General Henry Ware Lawton during the battle
Date	December 19, 1899
Location	San Mateo, Manila (now Rizal), Philippines
Result	Inconclusive Death of General Henry Ware Lawton; Americans' 29th Battalion successfully cross the river at 11 am; Filipino forces retreat from San Mateo;
Belligerents
Philippine Republic	United States
Commanders and leaders
Pio del Pilar; Licerio Gerónimo	Henry Ware Lawton † ; James R. Lockett
Strength
1,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
40 killed; 125 wounded	11 killed; 13 wounded

The Battle of San Mateo 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 what was then Manila province (now a part of Rizal) between the forces of General Henry Ware Lawton, and General Licerio Gerónimo's Morong Command and a detachment of Tiradores de la Muerte. Lawton was killed in the battle, making him the highest-ranking American commander to die in the Philippine conflict.

On December 18, Lawton and his men were en route to San Mateo along the Marikina River in a punitive expedition against Brig. Gen. Pio del Pilar's 1,000 force, which threatened the Marikina waterworks and the Manila Wagon Road to the north.^: 160 Lawton's force included Col. James R. Lockett's squadron of the 11th Volunteer Cavalry and Lt. Col. H.H. Sargent's 29th Battalion.^: 160 A monsoon flooded the river and muddied the trail.^: 160