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Chapter 10 A House Divided
Chapter 10 A House Divided
"I'm trying to keep this country together but the damn Federalists keep pulling it apart."- Presidente Jose Justo Corro 1836
"What do you mean there's a Republic of the Rio Grande?! WE OWN THE RIO GRANDE!!!- President Sam Houston 1836
"Looks like i won't be needing an Austrian Emperor after all."- King Louis Phillipe 1836
Unlike the American Civil War 25 years later, the Mexican Civil War was rather limited in the scale of its conflict. There were many reasons for why full scale warfare didn't commence but they can usually be drawn down to three main reasons. First, almost all of the Mexican army had gone to Texas under Santa Anna, most ending up killed, captured, or wounded. This would cause a severe shortage in trained veterans and officers that made both sides weak in battle. Second, the nation of Mexico was quite large and undeveloped at the time, to properly train and recruit a large army from the peasant population at the time would have taken a massive logistical effort. Third, a majority of the population were apathetic to the causes of the civil war, at that point Santa Anna's reign had little effects on the average Mexican as a whole and while many were alarmed at the centralization of power there was little curtailing of civil liberties (at least not against ethnic Mexicans). Support for the Federalists and Centralists varied among the country as there was no clear unity for the states to choose either side. Generally the support can be drawn from two main areas, the north for the Federalists, and Central Mexico for the Centralists. From April to September of 1836 the war was in a stalemate as both sides organized and political divisions were made. Farias had formed a provisional government in Zacatecas, which they made the center for the Federalist cause, forming the basis of the federal army there. Meanwhile Corro was trying to consolidate his political power within Mexico City while politically maneuvering to make sure that most of Mexico was loyal to him and the military didn't defect to the cause of the rebels. One factor that did immensely help the cause of the Centralists was the arrival of Filisola's army shortly after the war began. While many saw Filisola as a coward for failing to destroy the Texans, he was still loyal to the Central government and brought with him 1400 troops to Corro's cause, the rest having retired to their homes or defected to the Federalist cause. Another boon of reinforcements was the arrival of Urrea and the rest of the prisoners of the Mexican army due to the Armistice of Velasco. Not keeping his word to the Texan government, Urrea reportedly threw a copy of the treaty into the Rio Grande and marched straight to Mexico City to defend Santa Anna's legacy; among his force though were only 200 Mexicans as the rest were too shell shocked from their Texan adventures to want to fight in another war. For both sides though Texas was a rather complicated issue, while Farias sympathized with the revolutionaries he could not recognize their independence as it would drive many potential recruits away from his cause for seeing him as a collaborator with the Anglos. Corro was also inclined to repudiate Texas's claims as his faction was fighting for one centralized, united Mexico. For the time both sides ignored the new state and resolved to deal with the issue later.
View attachment 285864
Flag of Zacatecas. Heartland and rallying point of the Federalist Cause.
The first major battle of the war that was fought was the First Battle of Mexico City on April 24th. A large group of 2500 farmers and craftsman under the command of Vincente Garcia marched onto Mexico City in a feeble attempt to overthrow the corrupt Centralist government and give Mexico back to the people. This group was mostly made up of the lower class of Mexico who were suffering the last year due to high taxes, low economic progress, and increased stability. Though they were in no way connected directly to Farias they proclaimed themselves to be loyal Federalists. In the morning of the 24th the capitol garrison of 1500 met the band of rebels on the outskirts of the city, the battle resulted in a Centralist victory due to the garrison being well supplied and trained against the peasants who had low ammunition and used pitchforks and axes for some weapons. Over half of the federalists were killed or wounded while the garrison only suffered 119 casualties, for now the capitol was safe. Meanwhile, the Northern campaign was well underway with the northern states governments pledging loyalty to the Federalist cause and taking control over the state garrisons and ammunition depots. For many months this would take place with minor skirmishes where Federalists would rout out Centralist supporters from their territory. The most significant battles of this region were the first and second battles of Satillo. During the First Battle, Filisola and his forces arrived at Satillo, Coahuila on April 30th and forced the state government and city garrison to retreat from the state capitol. There Filisola and his forces lied in wait in order to guard Mexico from a Texan invasion and prepare to reconquer the Republic, they were joined by Urrea and his group on May 18th. Quickly Filisola gathered the federalist forces and on June 5th an army of 1700 Federalists under the command of Antonio Cruz commenced the Second Battle of Satillo when their force met a Centralist patrol west of the city. Tactically the battle was a draw as both sides took heavy losses with the Centralists suffering 636 casualties and the Federalists 710, and neither force retreated from the city. Strategically, it was a Federalist victory with Filisola and the remaining army retreating a week later due to low supplies and morale, the Centralists planned to regroup in Mexico City and contain the Center and Southern Mexico so that they could fully return their attention northward. In the aftermath the North was firmly federalist with a large army being organized to march down to the capitol. Little did both sides know that the Second Battle of Satillo would be crucial in securing Texan independence by forcing a large government force from the border and preventing a possibly planned second invasion into Texas. With the Federalist's under a unofficial cease fire with Texas, the Lone Star Republic was given more time to prepare its young army and secure the nation to be free from all Mexican influence.
Map of Mexican Independence Movements in 1836. Dark Red: Independent Republics. Maroon: Texan claimed territory. Red: Rio Grande claimed territory. Brown previous rebellions
The Yucatan Front
In the Aftermath of the Barbachano coup, the Yucatan peninsula was swiftly undergoing preparations to launch its war for secession. All across the state Centralist garrisons defected en-mass to the Yucatan cause, with what little fighting that happened swiftly due to the large number of Yucatan patriots combating the remaining loyalists. After the Deceleration of Independence on July 4th, the Republic of Yucatan officially mobilized the first Republican army and moved to secure the borders to prevent an hostile invasion (one main benefit of Yucatan versus Texas being its small borders). After hearing of the Yucatan revolt, an outraged Corro ordered a divergence of 2000 forces under Antonio Bustamente to the peninsula, preventing additional reinforcements to fight against the Federalists. The small Mexican Navy captured the Island Carmen, an important strategic base that gave access to Yucatan's waterways. Determined to end the revolution now the Centralist army marched onto the city of Campeche. The next two months would see some of the fiercest fighting in the Yucatan Revolution as multiple attempts were made to take the city from the Yucatan. All of these attempts would end in failure with the Centralists being pushed back due to fierce resistance from the cities defenders. When the assaults were on hold the situation got only worse for the Mexicans as a large group of Mayans waged guerilla warfare in the jungle, constantly attacking Mexican supplies and unsuspecting patrols within the trees. On September 16th (ironically the date for Mexico's independence) the Mexican army retreated from the city and headed across the border into Tabasco. A larger force would later be formed with the intent on capturing the capitol city of Merida.
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Miguel Barbachano, Father of the Yucatan. Map of the Republic of Yucatan and its 5 districts.
Rio Grande
In the aftermath of the Orevena Ranch meeting many were still unsure if this so called Republic of the Rio Grande would actually work. Many of the local populace were mainly pro-federalist and there was little regional desire to form a new nation from among the Rio Grande states. In addition all other filibuster movements in the past two decades had failed to create a new country for the rebels. Many representatives wondered what would make them succeed. Still many of the inner circle of insurgents under the leadership of Jesus de Cardenas were confident that they could succeed given the right opportunity. This opportunity presented itself in the aftermath of the Second Battle of Satillo, where the Centralists retreated from Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon; meanwhile the federalists were organizining there forces to leave the area on march onto Mexico city. These developments combined with Yucatan's revolution firmly convinced the insurgent leadership. The time for independence was now. Slowly over the coming months the rebels gathered up resources and spread recruitment throughout the states, promising the offer of glory in a revolution to free their people from the Central government. The Republic of the Rio Grande officially declared independence on August 10th. In a quick move the capitols of all three states were captured under the combined revolutionary army led by Antonio Canales. These successes were possible due to the low federalist and centralist forces in the region, combined with the dream of a new nation, few would initially resist this uprising. The state governments all fled to Zacatecas where they affirmed their loyalty for Farias and forced the Federalists to recognize the Rio Grande as a rebellious state. Unfortunately for both sides of Mexico the worse was about to come, the French were heading west.
The Republic of Rio Grande and Republic of Texas. Contemporarily referred to as the "Bloody East" (Left). Image of the Museum of the Republic of the Rio Grande, site of the first executive office in Laredo, at the time also a part of Texas
"I'm trying to keep this country together but the damn Federalists keep pulling it apart."- Presidente Jose Justo Corro 1836
"What do you mean there's a Republic of the Rio Grande?! WE OWN THE RIO GRANDE!!!- President Sam Houston 1836
"Looks like i won't be needing an Austrian Emperor after all."- King Louis Phillipe 1836
Unlike the American Civil War 25 years later, the Mexican Civil War was rather limited in the scale of its conflict. There were many reasons for why full scale warfare didn't commence but they can usually be drawn down to three main reasons. First, almost all of the Mexican army had gone to Texas under Santa Anna, most ending up killed, captured, or wounded. This would cause a severe shortage in trained veterans and officers that made both sides weak in battle. Second, the nation of Mexico was quite large and undeveloped at the time, to properly train and recruit a large army from the peasant population at the time would have taken a massive logistical effort. Third, a majority of the population were apathetic to the causes of the civil war, at that point Santa Anna's reign had little effects on the average Mexican as a whole and while many were alarmed at the centralization of power there was little curtailing of civil liberties (at least not against ethnic Mexicans). Support for the Federalists and Centralists varied among the country as there was no clear unity for the states to choose either side. Generally the support can be drawn from two main areas, the north for the Federalists, and Central Mexico for the Centralists. From April to September of 1836 the war was in a stalemate as both sides organized and political divisions were made. Farias had formed a provisional government in Zacatecas, which they made the center for the Federalist cause, forming the basis of the federal army there. Meanwhile Corro was trying to consolidate his political power within Mexico City while politically maneuvering to make sure that most of Mexico was loyal to him and the military didn't defect to the cause of the rebels. One factor that did immensely help the cause of the Centralists was the arrival of Filisola's army shortly after the war began. While many saw Filisola as a coward for failing to destroy the Texans, he was still loyal to the Central government and brought with him 1400 troops to Corro's cause, the rest having retired to their homes or defected to the Federalist cause. Another boon of reinforcements was the arrival of Urrea and the rest of the prisoners of the Mexican army due to the Armistice of Velasco. Not keeping his word to the Texan government, Urrea reportedly threw a copy of the treaty into the Rio Grande and marched straight to Mexico City to defend Santa Anna's legacy; among his force though were only 200 Mexicans as the rest were too shell shocked from their Texan adventures to want to fight in another war. For both sides though Texas was a rather complicated issue, while Farias sympathized with the revolutionaries he could not recognize their independence as it would drive many potential recruits away from his cause for seeing him as a collaborator with the Anglos. Corro was also inclined to repudiate Texas's claims as his faction was fighting for one centralized, united Mexico. For the time both sides ignored the new state and resolved to deal with the issue later.
View attachment 285864
Flag of Zacatecas. Heartland and rallying point of the Federalist Cause.
The first major battle of the war that was fought was the First Battle of Mexico City on April 24th. A large group of 2500 farmers and craftsman under the command of Vincente Garcia marched onto Mexico City in a feeble attempt to overthrow the corrupt Centralist government and give Mexico back to the people. This group was mostly made up of the lower class of Mexico who were suffering the last year due to high taxes, low economic progress, and increased stability. Though they were in no way connected directly to Farias they proclaimed themselves to be loyal Federalists. In the morning of the 24th the capitol garrison of 1500 met the band of rebels on the outskirts of the city, the battle resulted in a Centralist victory due to the garrison being well supplied and trained against the peasants who had low ammunition and used pitchforks and axes for some weapons. Over half of the federalists were killed or wounded while the garrison only suffered 119 casualties, for now the capitol was safe. Meanwhile, the Northern campaign was well underway with the northern states governments pledging loyalty to the Federalist cause and taking control over the state garrisons and ammunition depots. For many months this would take place with minor skirmishes where Federalists would rout out Centralist supporters from their territory. The most significant battles of this region were the first and second battles of Satillo. During the First Battle, Filisola and his forces arrived at Satillo, Coahuila on April 30th and forced the state government and city garrison to retreat from the state capitol. There Filisola and his forces lied in wait in order to guard Mexico from a Texan invasion and prepare to reconquer the Republic, they were joined by Urrea and his group on May 18th. Quickly Filisola gathered the federalist forces and on June 5th an army of 1700 Federalists under the command of Antonio Cruz commenced the Second Battle of Satillo when their force met a Centralist patrol west of the city. Tactically the battle was a draw as both sides took heavy losses with the Centralists suffering 636 casualties and the Federalists 710, and neither force retreated from the city. Strategically, it was a Federalist victory with Filisola and the remaining army retreating a week later due to low supplies and morale, the Centralists planned to regroup in Mexico City and contain the Center and Southern Mexico so that they could fully return their attention northward. In the aftermath the North was firmly federalist with a large army being organized to march down to the capitol. Little did both sides know that the Second Battle of Satillo would be crucial in securing Texan independence by forcing a large government force from the border and preventing a possibly planned second invasion into Texas. With the Federalist's under a unofficial cease fire with Texas, the Lone Star Republic was given more time to prepare its young army and secure the nation to be free from all Mexican influence.
Map of Mexican Independence Movements in 1836. Dark Red: Independent Republics. Maroon: Texan claimed territory. Red: Rio Grande claimed territory. Brown previous rebellions
The Yucatan Front
In the Aftermath of the Barbachano coup, the Yucatan peninsula was swiftly undergoing preparations to launch its war for secession. All across the state Centralist garrisons defected en-mass to the Yucatan cause, with what little fighting that happened swiftly due to the large number of Yucatan patriots combating the remaining loyalists. After the Deceleration of Independence on July 4th, the Republic of Yucatan officially mobilized the first Republican army and moved to secure the borders to prevent an hostile invasion (one main benefit of Yucatan versus Texas being its small borders). After hearing of the Yucatan revolt, an outraged Corro ordered a divergence of 2000 forces under Antonio Bustamente to the peninsula, preventing additional reinforcements to fight against the Federalists. The small Mexican Navy captured the Island Carmen, an important strategic base that gave access to Yucatan's waterways. Determined to end the revolution now the Centralist army marched onto the city of Campeche. The next two months would see some of the fiercest fighting in the Yucatan Revolution as multiple attempts were made to take the city from the Yucatan. All of these attempts would end in failure with the Centralists being pushed back due to fierce resistance from the cities defenders. When the assaults were on hold the situation got only worse for the Mexicans as a large group of Mayans waged guerilla warfare in the jungle, constantly attacking Mexican supplies and unsuspecting patrols within the trees. On September 16th (ironically the date for Mexico's independence) the Mexican army retreated from the city and headed across the border into Tabasco. A larger force would later be formed with the intent on capturing the capitol city of Merida.
View attachment 285859View attachment 285860
Miguel Barbachano, Father of the Yucatan. Map of the Republic of Yucatan and its 5 districts.
Rio Grande
In the aftermath of the Orevena Ranch meeting many were still unsure if this so called Republic of the Rio Grande would actually work. Many of the local populace were mainly pro-federalist and there was little regional desire to form a new nation from among the Rio Grande states. In addition all other filibuster movements in the past two decades had failed to create a new country for the rebels. Many representatives wondered what would make them succeed. Still many of the inner circle of insurgents under the leadership of Jesus de Cardenas were confident that they could succeed given the right opportunity. This opportunity presented itself in the aftermath of the Second Battle of Satillo, where the Centralists retreated from Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon; meanwhile the federalists were organizining there forces to leave the area on march onto Mexico city. These developments combined with Yucatan's revolution firmly convinced the insurgent leadership. The time for independence was now. Slowly over the coming months the rebels gathered up resources and spread recruitment throughout the states, promising the offer of glory in a revolution to free their people from the Central government. The Republic of the Rio Grande officially declared independence on August 10th. In a quick move the capitols of all three states were captured under the combined revolutionary army led by Antonio Canales. These successes were possible due to the low federalist and centralist forces in the region, combined with the dream of a new nation, few would initially resist this uprising. The state governments all fled to Zacatecas where they affirmed their loyalty for Farias and forced the Federalists to recognize the Rio Grande as a rebellious state. Unfortunately for both sides of Mexico the worse was about to come, the French were heading west.
The Republic of Rio Grande and Republic of Texas. Contemporarily referred to as the "Bloody East" (Left). Image of the Museum of the Republic of the Rio Grande, site of the first executive office in Laredo, at the time also a part of Texas
- Kaiser Chris
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