Biography of Ignacio Zaragoza and Cinco de Mayo
Highlights of General Zaragoza's Life and the Battle of May 5, 1862
May 5, 2009
His desire was to be a priest but his destiny was to be a general. Zaragoza's short life was filled with a series of battles but May 5, 1862 made him a hero forever.
Who knows what the future will holds? Certainly a young boy by the name of Ignacio S. Zaragoza would not have known that his life would have such an enormous impact and influence on the history of an entire country.
Personal Life Highlights
- Maguel Zaragoza was only 19 when he married 17 year-old Maria de Jesus Sequin in San Antonio, Texas on July 5, 1826.
- Three years later, Ignacio Zaragoza was born on March 24, 1829 in Goliad, a short distance from the Presidio La Bahia.
- His father was stationed at the Presidio as an officer and the family lived in quarters supplied by the military. Today, the house has been restored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is a State Historical Site.
- Ignacio was studying for the priesthood when he chose to leave to fight in the Mexican Civil War.
- On January 21, 1857, he was detained on an important mission and unable to attend his very own marriage to Rafaela Padilla. His brother stood proxy in the ceremony.
- Rafaela died in January 1862 in Mexico City. Less than a year later, on September 8, 1862, Ignacio also died after becoming ill with typhoid fever.
Military Life Highlights
Early 1850s
- Zaragoza leaned toward a democratic and constitutional government in Mexico and supported the Plan de Ayutla. To this end, he fought in the Battle of Saltillo and Monterey against Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana.
1857-1860 - The War of Reform
- He fought under Benito Juarez in many military engagements including the Battle of Guadalajara. In 1860, he participated in the Battle of Calpulalpan which ended the war.
1861
- In April he was appointed the Minister of War and Navy by Benito Juarez
- In July, with Mexico in financial ruin, the new President Juarez was forced to default on Mexico's debts and declared a 2 year moratorium on payments to Europe.
- In December, Spanish ships landed at Veracruz and shortly afterwards, were backed-up with forces from England and France. Spain and England negotiated with Mexico and eventually withdrew. France, however, decided to attack Veracruz, defeated the city and forced Juarez and his troops to retreat.
1862 - French-Mexican War
- In January, Zaragoza resigned from Parliament to return to the battlefield.
- He began to work on the defense of Puebla de Los Angeles the following month.
- In May, on the 5th, the French attacked the city engaging in a battle (Battle of Puebla) that lasted the entire day.
- Although they had greater numbers and were better equipped than the Mexican army, the French suffered greater losses and withdrew.
Effect of Cinco de Mayo Victory
- The victory rekindled the spirit of the resistance and encouraged the people to fight for their independence.
- The battle changed the course of the war as the delay at Puebla proved too costly for the French.
- On September 11, 1862 Juarez renamed the city to Puebla de Zaragoza in honor of the General.
- May 5th was declared a national holiday and is now celebrated as Cinco de Mayo.
Sources:
- Presidio La Bahia
- Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza Biography. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website
- Cinco de Mayo. History website
The copyright of the article Biography of Ignacio Zaragoza and Cinco de Mayo in Latin American War/Revolution is owned by Beverly Yip. Permission to republish Biography of Ignacio Zaragoza and Cinco de Mayo in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
