Battle of Atenquique

Last updated

Battle of Atenquique
Part of the Reform War
Date2 June 1858
Location
Barranca de Atenquique, Jalisco
Result Conservative victory
Belligerents
Liberals Conservatives
Commanders and leaders
Santos Degollado Miguel Miramón
Strength
1,200 1,500
Casualties and losses
700 killed or wounded 611 killed or wounded

The Battle of Atenquique took place on 2 July 1858, during the Reform War, in the vicinity of the canyon Atenquique near the Nevado de Colima in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. The conflict was between elements of the liberal army, under General Santos Degollado, and conservative troops, commanded by General Miguel Miramón. The battle caused heavy losses for both sides. Some consider the result undecided, although most historians qualify it as a win with a clear advantage for conservatives: Miramón's troops obtained control of the state of Jalisco. Additionally, Degollado became known as the Hero of the Defeats, for his troops' constant failures.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miguel Miramón</span> Mexican politician and general

Miguel Gregorio de la Luz Atenógenes Miramón y Tarelo, known as Miguel Miramón, was a Mexican conservative general who became president of Mexico at the age of twenty seven during the Reform War, serving between February 1859 and December 1860. He was the first Mexican president to be born after the Mexican War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Félix María Zuloaga</span> Mexican conservative general and politician

Félix María Zuloaga was a Mexican conservative general and politician who played a key role in the outbreak of the Reform War in early 1860, a war which would see him elevated to the presidency of the nation. President Zuloaga was unrecognized by and fought against the liberals supporters of President Benito Juarez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomás Mejía Camacho</span> Mexican general

José Tomás de la Luz Mejía Camacho, better known as Tomás Mejía, was a Mexican soldier of Otomi background, who consistently sided with the Conservative Party throughout its nineteenth century conflicts with the Liberals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second French intervention in Mexico</span> 1861 invasion of Mexico by the French

The second French intervention in Mexico, also known as the Second Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867), was a military invasion of the Republic of Mexico by the French Empire of Napoleon III, purportedly to force the collection of Mexican debts in conjunction with Great Britain and Spain. Mexican conservatives supported the invasion, since they had been defeated by the liberal government of Benito Juárez in a three-year civil war. Defeated on the battlefield, conservatives sought the aid of France to effect regime change and establish a monarchy in Mexico, a plan that meshed with Napoleon III's plans to re-establish the presence of the French Empire in the Americas. Although the French invasion displaced Juárez's Republican government from the Mexican capital and the monarchy of Archduke Maximilian was established, the Second Mexican Empire collapsed within a few years. Material aid from the United States, whose four-year civil war ended in 1865, invigorated the Republican fight against the regime of Maximilian, and the 1866 decision of Napoleon III to withdraw military support for Maximilian's regime accelerated the monarchy's collapse. Maximilian and two Mexican generals were executed by firing squad on 19 June 1867, ending this period of Mexican history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reform War</span> Civil war within Mexico from 1858 to 1861

The Reform War, or War of Reform, also known as the Three Years' War, and the Mexican Civil War, was a complex civil conflict in Mexico fought between Mexican liberals and conservatives with regional variations over the promulgation of Constitution of 1857. It has been called the "worst civil war to hit Mexico between the War of Independence of 1810-21 and the Revolution of 1910-20." Following the liberals' overthrow of the dictatorship of conservative Antonio López de Santa Anna, liberals passed a series of laws codifying their political program. These laws were incorporated into the new constitution. It aimed to limit the political power of the executive branch, as well as the political, economic, and cultural power of the Catholic Church. Specific measures were the expropriation of Church property; separation of church and state; reduction of the power of the Mexican Army by elimination of the their special privileges; strengthening the secular state through public education; and measures to develop the nation economically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonardo Márquez</span> Mexican general

Leonardo Márquez Araujo was a conservative Mexican general. He led forces in opposition to the Liberals led by Benito Juárez, but following defeat in the Reform War was forced to guerrilla warfare. Later, he helped the French in their intervention to help restore the conservative cause. However, their defeat forced him into exile for most of the rest of his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teatro Degollado</span> Theater in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Teatro Degollado is a neoclassical Mexican theater known for its diverse performances and artistic design. It is located in the central plaza of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on Belen Street between Hidalgo Avenue and Morelos Avenue. Many performances from cultural Mexican dances to international operas take place in this building. Meant to be a monument of Guadalajara's culture, the theater was inaugurated in September 1866 and is a major landmark of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santos Degollado</span> Mexican politician

José Santos Degollado Sánchez was a Mexican Liberal politician and military leader. He was raised by a priest in Michoacán and worked twenty years in the cathedral in Morelia. He became a Federalist in 1836 and entered politics in 1845 when he was elected to the Michoacán legislature in 1845. He replaced his close associate Melchor Ocampo as governor of Michoacán 27 March - 6 July 1848. He joined the Revolution of Ayutla. He became governor of Jalisco when the liberals successfully ousted Antonio López de Santa Anna. As with a number of rising Liberals, Degollado was not formally trained as a soldier, but gained military experience in the Revolution of Ayutla. He later fought for Benito Juárez's government. During Benito Juárez's presidency he served as Secretary of War and Navy and as Secretary of External Affairs. Degollado was a close friend of Guillermo Prieto and of Melchor Ocampo and fought by his side in many battles. Degollado was a resilient military leader, experiencing defeat after defeat in the Reform War that pitted the constitutional liberal government of Juárez against the conservatives. The army fielded by the conservatives was larger and better trained than the liberals' forces, but the liberals managed to achieve a stalemate for over two years and in the end triumphed. The liberal victory was not achieved by Degollado, who was in disgrace at the end of the war. Degollado was known as the "hero of defeats" for his ability to raise yet another army after yet another defeat. An experienced general who joined the liberal cause, General López Uraga, gave President Juárez a scathing assessment of the liberal army and Degollados's command of it. He had given everything he could to achieve a liberal victory, but his record of defeats meant his men were demoralized although continued to be loyal to him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Silao</span>

The Battle of Silao took place on 10 August 1860 in the vicinity of Silao in Guanajuato state, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army, under the command of General Jesús González Ortega and Ignacio Zaragoza with a force of 8,000 men and elements of the conservative army commanded General Miguel Miramón by commanding an army of 3,282 during the War of Reform. The battle was a liberal victory. General Miramón was almost captured, but escaped in the disorder caused by the Republican artillery, abandoning artillery, ammunition and weapons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Díaz Covarrubias</span> Mexican writer and poet

Juan Díaz Covarrubias was a Mexican writer and poet of liberal ideology. He was one of the Martyrs of Tacubaya who were executed during the War of the Reform in Mexico.

The Battle of Ahualulco took place on 29 September 1858 during the War of Reform, near the town of Ahualulco in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army, commanded by the Generals Santiago Vidaurri, Juan Zuazua and Francisco Naranjo and conservative army troops commanded by General Miguel Miramón and Leonardo Márquez. Vidaurri's army was defeated and the conservatives won the battle as the result. The liberals suffered 672 casualties and 91 prisoners. It is considered by some to be one of the most brilliant triumphs of Miramón.

The Battle of San Joaquín in the War of Reform took place on 26 December 1858 in the municipality of Cuauhtémoc, between elements of the liberal army, under General Santos Degollado, and elements of the conservative army, commanded by General Miguel Miramón.

The battle of Tlatempa took place on July 5, 1859 in the vicinity of Zacatlán in the state of Puebla, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army, under General Juan N. Mendez and conservative elements of the army commanded by General Carlos Oronoz who was the commander Zacatlán military during the War of Reform. The battle ended as liberal victory, leaving in a very compromising situation to General Miramon because this was amagado the south with the forces of Ignacio Zaragoza, in the north by Jesus Gonzalez Ortega and from the east by Santos Degollado.

The Battle of Estancia de las Vacas took place on November 13, 1859 in the vicinity of Estancia Cows in the state of Querétaro, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army under General Santos Degollado and elements of the conservative army commanded by General Miguel Miramón during the Reform War. The conservatives inflicted a defeat despite being outnumbered two to one by the liberals.

The Battle of Loma Alta took place on April 24, 1860 in the vicinity of Loma Alta in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army of the National Guard of San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas, under General Jose Lopez Uraga and elements of the conservative army commanded by General Romulo Diaz De La Vega during the War of Reform.

The Battle of Peñuelas took place on June 15, 1860 in the vicinity of Penuelas in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army, under the command of Gen. Jesus Gonzalez Ortega and elements of the conservative army commanded by General Silverio Ramirez during the War of Reform. The battle ended as liberal victory, leaving in a very compromising situation Miramon because this was amagado the south with the forces of Ignacio Zaragoza, in the north by Jesus González Ortega and from the east by Santos Degollado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Calpulalpan</span>

The Battle of Calpulalpan took place on December 22, 1860 during the War of Reform in the vicinity of the community of San Miguel de la Victoria in the municipality of Jilotepec de Abasolo in the State of Mexico, Mexico. It would be the last battle of the War of Reform (1858-1860).

The Battle of Tacubaya took place on 11 April 1859 near the ancient village of Tacubaya in today's Federal District, Mexico City, Mexico, between elements of the liberal army, under General Santos Degollado and elements of the conservative army commanded by General Leonardo Marquez during the War of Reform. The victory corresponded to the preservative side, generating heavy casualties on both sides. After the battle General Miramon ordered Marquez to shoot the chiefs and officers Liberals captured in defeat, including the head of the Army Medical Corps was, as well as other liberal doctors, is why Leonardo Marquez know him as the Tiger of Tacubaya.

The Battle of Salamanca took place between 9 and 10 March 1858 in Salamanca, during Mexico's War of Reform (1858-1860). Elements of the liberal army, under General Anastasio Parrodi, governor of the Jalisco, fought with Generals Leandro Valle, Santos Degollado, and Mariano Moret, against conservatives, commanded by General Luis G. Osollo. Osollo's army had some 5,000 men, including Generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía, Francisco García Casanova. The conservatives won, handed the liberals a second liberal defeat, and forced them to retreat to Guadalajara from Guanajuato.

The Battle of Guadalajara (1858) took place on 14 December 1858 in the vicinity of La Hacienda de Atequiza, near the city of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, during Reform War. Between elements of the liberal army, under General Santos Degollado, and elements of the conservative army commanded by Generals Miguel Miramón, Leonardo Márquez, Marcelino Cobos, the victory went to the conservative side. The conservatives attacked the ranch of San Miguel, near Poncitlán, Jalisco, where the battle took place. By the end of the battle, the conservatives had gained great quantities of weapons and other war materials. Afterwards, Miramón sent orders to shoot the captured liberal officers.

References