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| Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla by Jose Clemente Orozco |
Mexico
before 1810, had been one of Spain’s biggest colonies in the Americas.
Conquistadors under Hernan Cortez ended the centuries old Aztec Empire in the
16th century and started a three century old colonial rule under a new entity
known as the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Under the rule of the Viceroyalty,
natives or Amerindians fell prey to the abuses and excesses of their
colonizers. Their progress and status degraded so low that they were virtually
slaves, without being labelled as such. Later on, even Spaniards born in the
colonies, as creoles, became also victims of prejudice and discrimination of
Spaniards from Spain, or known as peninsulares or gachupines to the natives and
creoles. After the American and French Revolution, ideas of nationalism and
liberty spread across Europe and the Americas. National consciousness and
liberalism took root in Mexico.
Change
came in 1808, when Spain fell to the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte who installed
his brother Joseph as the new King of Spain. As news of the fall of King
Ferdinand VII reached the American colonies, juntas or council appeared in
various major cities and decided on the fate of their respective colonies. In Mexico,
the same happened. Creoles demanded the establishing of a junta. The Viceroy of
New Spain, Jose de Iturrigaray sympathized with the creoles. However, the
peninsulares acted against such moves and they launch a coup that ousted
Iturrigaray. The creoles never stopped in calling for a junta, which they saw a
way to make the colony autonomous and a path towards reforms.
Conspiracy
developed in the viceroyalty for the purpose of establishing a junta. A plot
had been discovered in December 1809 in Valladolid in Michoacan. But the
interim Viceroy, Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont showed leniency towards
the conspirators to the dismay of the peninsulares. Following the plot in
Valldolid came another plot in Queratero.
The
Queretero conspiracy involved individuals from different sectors that aimed for
the creation of a junta and establishing autonomy for Mexico. Clerics,
officials, and soldiers came together to formulate a path towards autonomy. They
met under the auspices of a literary society. Major figures included the
Corregidor of Queretaro, Miguel de Dominguez, and his wife, Josefa Ortiz de
Dominguez otherwise known as “La Corregidora.” Creole officers in the militia,
such as Ignacio de Allende and the commander of the cavalry unit of the Queen’s
militia, Juan Aldama joined as well. Clerics with a creole background also
supported cause. Fr. Miguel Hidalgo became one of the clerics who supported
strongly the conspiracy.
Fr. Miguel Hidalgo, in particular, had an interesting background. A priest who received
instruction from the Jesuit became aware of the ideals of the Enlightenment and
Liberalism. When he became a priest, he followed an unorthodox lifestyle.
Drank, read forbidden books, and even fathered children. Eventually, in 1807,
the Inquisition transferred him to the impoverished town of Dolores. However,
Fr. Hidalgo turned around the lives of his parishioners, mostly natives. He
defied government economic restrictions such as monopolies in wine. Hidalgo
promoted agricultural development and other crafts. With his actions, he earned
the respect of many natives and creoles alike.
The
Conspiracy planned a revolution. The plotter in Queretaro devised a revolution
across Mexico that would expel the dreaded gachupines and the evil colonial
government, set up a junta that would rule Mexico in the name of the Spanish
King Ferdinand VII. From that point, they would have a better chance of
declaring independence later on. They set the date for the said revolution in
December 1810.
The
Spanish authorities, however, discovered the conspiracy in September 1810.
Colonial authorities arrested La Corregidora, who before being captured sent
word to Allende and Aldama about the discovery of their plans. In turn, Allende
and Aldama rushed to Fr. Hidalgo in Dolores. At a critical junction and on the
brink of life or death, they made a fateful decision in the early Sunday
morning of September 16, 1810.
Hidalgo made the Cry of Dolores or the Grito de Dolores. Upon hearing the bells of the church of Dolores,
the parishioners woke up and gathered to the church not to hear a mass but a cry
made by their parish priest. Fr. Hidalgo made a mesmerizing and inspirational
speech to the listeners, arousing the sentiment of a revolution. The exact
contents of the speech had been lost, nevertheless it has been said to have
attack the indignities that the gachupines had committed to the people. In the
end of the cry, he shouted the following: Long Live America! Long Live
Ferdinand VII! Long Live the Virgin of Guadalupe! Death to the bad government!
On which, the people shouted in reply: Death to the Gachupines! After the cry,
Hidalgo then ascended as the leader of the rebels. The bells of Dolores
continued to ring and called more people to join what it seemed to be an army
that will expel the hated government and gachupines. They released supporters
of independence from local prisons, recruited more men, and armed themselves
with whatever weapons they have, ranging from lances, to pitchforks, to bows
and arrows.
Hidalgo’s
Army, however, differ greatly from a truly well-organized fighting force. It
composed mainly of natives armed with scanty weapons. Disciplined did not exist
as most of them fought driven by emotion of anger and hatred towards their
oppressors – the colonial government and the gachupines. Hence, they attacked
peninsulares and their properties. Looted and pillage what they could from
them. Brutal killing smeared the reputation of Hidalgo’s army.
Hidalgo’s
army advanced quickly towards the capital, gaining more supporters on the way.
When they captured Atotonilco, Hidalgo took a banner depicting the Virgin of
Guadalupe, the miraculous dark-skinned virgin then became a symbol for the
rebels and for Mexico. The rebels then captured cities like San Miguel el
Grande and Celaya. After the fall of Celaya, the rebels conferred to Hidalgo the
title of Generalissimo. Allende on the other became the Lieutenant General of
Hidalgo.
Guanajuato,
rich and prosperous city for the peninsulares fell to Hidalgo on September 28,
1810. Hidalgo’s 50,000 rag tag army overran the defenses. However, the conquest
of Guanajuato brought out a terrible image for the rebels. When the city fell,
400 to 600 peninsulares, with women and children, and some defenders took
refuge in the granaries or Alhondiga along with the riches of the Guanajuato. Alhondiga proved to be small fortress,
complete with stone walls. The rebels had difficult time of besieging the
place. It took them two days before a certain miner named Juan Jose de los
Reyes Martinez Amaro, nicknamed El Pipila, crawled low towards the wooden door
of the Alhondiga with tar and a torch and a huge slab of stone in his back for
protection. El Pipila successfully crawled to the door and burned it. Upon the
opening of the entrance, Hidalgo’s soldiers rampage with unlimited ferocity and
blood thirst. All of the peninsulares, whether women and children, saw their
brutal demise in the hands of the rebels who gone berserk.
The
incident marked the rebels as barbarians and cruel. More incidents of brutal
massacres followed after Guanajuto. Similar fate came to the Peninsulares in
San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas. Hidalgo’s revolution lose the support of many
creoles who became appalled by the unjust and merciless killings of the
natives. Hidalgo attempted to prevent such events from happening again to no
avail.
Following
Hidalgo’s advance, rebellions sprang out in different parts of Mexico. In the
north, Allende led the rebels to victory. Same in the south under the command
of Jose Morelos. Fr. Luis de Herrera led the rebels in San Luis Potosi. Jose
Antonio “El Amo” Torres commanded rebels in Guadalajara. In Nayarit, Jose Maria
Mercado launched a rebellion in the area. In Saltillo, Ignacio Jimenez rebelled
against the government while Juan Bautista Casas also rose up in revolt in
Texas.
Meanwhile,
the Peninsulares and colonial authorities condemned the revolt. The new
Viceroy, Francisco Xavier de Venegas, prepared the defense of Mexico City and
raise an army to face the rebels. In addition he offered a huge P10,000 rewards
for the heads of the leaders of the revolt. He also urged the church to act
against their fellow priest Hidalgo. In compliance, the Bishop of Michoacan,
Manuel Abad y Queipo, issued the excommunication of Hidalgo and all those who
would support the revolt.
Even
with excommunication, the advance of Hidalgo continued and threatened to move
on Mexico City. Hidalgo captured Valladolid, forcing Bishop Abad to flee his
church. They then followed through by capturing Acamboro. And on October 30,
1810, they defeated royalist forces under the command of Torquato Trujillo in
the Battle of Monte de las Cruces. Hidalgo threatened to attack Mexico City
when it captured a suburb of the city, Cuajimalpa. But a full scale attack on
the city never materialized, even though Hidalgo commanded about 80,000 to
100,000 of rebels. Reasons of Hidalgo’s hesitation to attack remained unknown.
But reasons ranged from indecisiveness in part of Hidalgo and his commanders,
to low in supply, or fear of a bloodbath once the city had fallen. His decision
not to launch a full scale assault on Mexico City marked the beginning of the
end of Hidalgo’s revolt.
Hidalgo
began to face defeat from Spanish royalist forces. Royalist forces under General Felix Calleja
defeated rebel forces in the Battle of Aculco. Hidalgo then retreated to
Valladolid, while his lieutenant, Jose Allende prepared the defense of
Guanajuato in hope of dividing the Spanish army’s attention. In Valladolid,
Hidalgo, in order to maintain the spirit of and morale of his army and also as
form of punishing the peninsulares for their resistance, ordered the execution
of numerous gachupines. Calleja exacted revenge when on November 25, his forces
retook Guanajuato from the forces under the command of Allende. Calleja then
ordered the execution of numerous rebels in the same granary where more than
400 saw a bloody end in the hands of the rebels. After the fall of Guanajuato,
Allende and Hidalgo retreated to Guadalajara with over a 100,000 men remaining.
Hidalgo
then took measures to re-energize his revolt. He allowed the death of many
peninsulares and organized a formal government. In hope of getting help, he
sent Pascasio Ortiz to the United States. He also abolished slavery,
established equality among all citizens, and ordered that natives had the only
right to till farmlands. In jubilation, the people gave him the title of Alteza
Serenisima or the Most Serene Highness. Nevertheless, Hidalgo continued to face
defeat.
Hidalgo
continued to suffer defeat at the start of 1811. On January 17, 1811, Hidalgo’s
army of over 100,000 failed to defeat a much smaller royalist force of 6,000
men. Hidalgo’s undisciplined and ill-equipped army had no match to the much
disciplined, well-trained, and well-armed royalist forces. It proved to be true
when the royalist forces just hit a rebel munition wagon, Hidalgo’s army became
disorganized. It gave the royalist forces an opportunity to defeat the rebels.
After the battle, Guadalajara fell to royalist forces causing Hidalgo to flee
to Aguascalientes and then to Zacatecas. While in retreat, in Hacienda del
Pabellon, Hidalgo’s lieutenants deposed him as commander of the rebel army and
replaced by Allende. They then decided to flee to the United States to seek
help and support.
Hidalgo
failed to escape. On March 21, 1811, Hidalgo with Allende, Jose Mariano
Jimenez, and Juan Aldama were betrayed by a former comrade in the revolt,
Ignacio Elizondo. Elizondo helped the royalist to capture Hidalgo in Acatita de
Bajan. The royalist then moved Hidalgo to Chihuahua and sent them to trial.
Obviously, the court sentenced them to death. On June 26, 1811, Ignacio
Allende, Jose Mariano Jimenez, and Juan Aldama saw their demise in form of a
firing squad. Hidalgo, on the other hand, had to face the Inquisition that
defrocked him or removed him from the clergy. He then faced the firing squad on
July 30. The authorities took the heads of Aldama, Jimenez, Allende, and
Hidalgo to the same granary in Guanajuato and placed them in cages to be
displayed and serve as warning for any future rebels.
Revolt
continued nevertheless. Some of Hidalgo’s follower continued to fight for
independence, the strongest being Jose Maria Morelos in the south. The Revolt of Hidalgo started a decade long
fight for the independence of Mexico. Although it fought for a righteous cause,
the means of attaining it through an army characterize by unimaginable
brutality smeared somehow its reputation. Later on, many independence fighters
learned from Hidalgo’s lack of enforcement of discipline. But still, it does
not remove the fact that Hidalgo’s revolt inspired the Mexicans to rise up
against their colonizer and for the independence that they longed for.
See
also:
Bibliography:
Guedea,
Virginia. "Hidalgo Revolt" in Concise Encyclopedia of Mexico. Edited
by Michael Werner. Chicago, Illinois: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 2001.
Chasteen,
John. Americanos: Latin America's Struggle for Independence. New York, New
York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Gonzalbo,
Pablo et. al. A New Compact History of Mexico. Mexico, D.F.: El Colegio de
Mexico, 2013.
Foster,
Lynn. A Brief History of Mexico. New York, New York: Facts On File, 2010.
Kirkwood,
Burton. The History of Mexico. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2010
Miller,
Robert Ryal. Mexico: A History. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1985.
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