Biography

Fernando Valerio Gil was the son of Narciso Valerio and Elena Gil Tineo. He was described as white and blue-eyed and was born into a criollo family of Spanish decent. He was a twenty-year-old farmer in Santiago at the time of his marriage in 1827 to Petronila Suriel Fernández. In order to be married they required a marital dispensation which was provided on August 11, 1827 for second with third degree consanguinity. He had seven children with his wife and more with María Ignacia Gómez and Eduviges Peña. During the Haitian regime he served in the civic infantry reaching the rank of Capitán. When Dominican independence was declared he distinguished himself during the Battle of Santiago (March 30, 1844). At the head of a contingent he confronted Haitian president Charles Hérard's forces that had advanced to crush the rebellion. The battle that is known as the "Carga de los Andulleros" was a decisive victory for the Dominicans. He fought again in the battle of Sabana Larga and was promoted to the rank of General de División del Ejército Dominicano. He died in Guayubín on November 2, 1862.