Update time! I've managed to finally end the war for independence, so now I can begin the fun process of nation building. For those familiar with early XIX century México the ramifications of the Independence war ending 5-6 years earlier should be immediate. Whatever ideas you guys have, throw them at me
I'd be more than happy to consider them for the TL!
Anyway, without further ado...
1813: The end of the Cuban War
The war in the Caribbean between Spain and the United States had been a success for the latter, for the most part. After several weeks of success the Americans were halted temporarily near Camagüey, before resuming their push east on 15 June 1813. After their defeat the Spanish on the island put up a final futile defense, but ultimately resigned to sacrificing Cuba to save New Spain. From July to October 1813 the Spanish tried to evacuate as many people, such as troops and lay people, off the island via the port Santiago de Cuba, before that city fell to the Americans on 18 October. Nearly all of the evacuees, among them deposed Captain General Juan Ruiz de Apodaca, would land at Veracruz and join the Royalist movement, with the remainder traveling to Spain. With all of Cuba under American jurisdiction, Winfield Scott was appointed to be Military Governor of Cuba, tasked with the job of pacifying the island and restoring some semblance of order. With fighting in Cuba all but over, the United States focus shifted solely to naval superiority over Spain. Beginning in November 1813, the United States began a naval blockade stretching from the Yucatán Peninsula to Havana and from Havana to Florida. This strategy, while not completely effective in negating the Spanish from entry into New Spain, would force incoming Spanish ships to travel farther south (as traffic would have to sail south of Cuba and Hispaniola in order to access the continent), thus compromising the supply line to the Royalists in New Spain.
1814-15: Endgame; the Battle of México City and the March to Veracruz
Back in New Spain, the Insurgent leaders met in Guanajuato, preparing for a charge at San Juan del Río, the nearest city under the control of Calleja. This attack, led by Allende and the Aldama brothers, would start in March of 1814, passing through the “birthplace of independence” in Querétaro before proceeding to engage Calleja’s Royalists. Morelos, in the meantime, would return to the south where his forces would push from Iguala north in order to take Cuernavaca, another Calleja stronghold. Allende’s charge would break through San Juan del Río on 5 April, pushing deep into Royalist territory before being slowed down by a force lead by Iturbide near the ruins of the Toltec capital at Tula near the end of the month. Iturbide and Allende would continue to shadow each other throughout May and into June, before fighting once more southeast of Pachuca on 11 June. The fight resulted in an Insurgent victory, but this news did not matter as much for Allende as did the news he received regarding the war in Europe. Apparently King Fernando VII had been reinstated to his throne in Spain and had rescinded the liberal Cadíz Constitution, claiming that the Cadíz Cortes had created the document in his absence, and thus it was an illegal document and the Cortes itself an illegal assembly. Judging that this was the moment both he and Morelos had been waiting for Allende personally declared full and total independence from Spain, claiming that “the right of the citizenry to form a just government does not originate through the will of a king, no less one sitting on a throne an ocean away. Rather it originates within the hearts and minds of the people, and only in them will the right to pursue a government that serves the people be found”. Within the next several weeks Morelos and his lieutenants Guerrero and Matamoros would issue similar statements, and on 18 August 1814 the Supreme Insurgent Cortes in Guadalajara would sever all ties to Fernando VII’s government. The president of the Cortes, Andrés Quintana Roo, whom up until then was serving his capacity in the name of “Fernando the desired,” renounced all ties with the king, and instead styled himself the “servant of the people.” The ramifications of Fernando VII’s “betrayal” would be far reaching indeed, as the nullification of the Cadíz Constitution would create a wide rift among the Royalist ranks, in terms of those more liberal-minded Peninsulares who just recently paraded the fact that the king championed the Constitution. This event would also cause many Criollos which had yet to decide which cause to join, or those among the Royalists who found Fernando VII’s absolutism too much to bear, to throw their lot with the Insurgents. The one man who was not affected much by the king’s change of heart was Viceroy Calleja, who embraced the king’s point of view and used it as an excuse to exercise a much harsher rule on his subjects. The end result was that, even with a stream of veteran soldiers from Spain landing at Veracruz (the stream becoming a trickle as the Spanish found it difficult to get much around the American blockade) the Insurgents slowly made valuable inroads into Royalist territory, taking Cuernavaca in June, Xochimilco in late August and by December Allende’s army had taken Ecatepec, once again within sight of México City.
General Agustín de Iturbide
In January of 1815 the Royalists would receive another major blow, with the defection of General Agustín de Iturbide to the Insurgents. Iturbide had recently being suspected and tried for alleged embezzlement of military funds, as well as testimony of disturbing and cruel behavior by some of his officers. Regardless Viceroy Calleja chose not to pursue the issue further and had Iturbide return to the field, but the incident embarrassed him and severely shook his trust with Calleja. Furthermore, Iturbide began to notice the writing on the wall and figured he would much rather be on the winning side of this war no matter who was the victor. It was not much of an understatement to say Allende was surprised about Iturbide’s sudden change of heart, considering both men had been mortal enemies for the past five years and of course did not trust him. Over the next several weeks both men would meet in private, discussing the terms by which Iturbide would join the Insurgents. Finally in early March Iturbide made it official and incorporated his force with Allende’s army. Needless to say Viceroy Calleja did not take the news very well (rumor has it Calleja threatened to shoot the boy who gave the him the message, frightening him so much he literally ran well passed the city limit, of course this story was not documented and should be considered hearsay). At this point Calleja knew defense of the capital would be a waste of manpower and left México City to its fate, as he and the upper echelons of his government, like his predecessor, fled to Veracruz on 30 March. Exuberant crowds greeted Allende’s Insurgent force as they entered México City, which was in Insurgent hands for the first time in four years. Morelos would arrive in México City one day later, uniting the whole of the Insurgent army, now a force of 75,000 battle hardened soldiers. In the intervening weeks between México City’s capture and Allende’s march to Veracruz, the Insurgents made sure to carefully plan out how to further engage Calleja. The Insurgent Cortes would also take the opportunity to relocate from Guadalajara to México City.
The Insurgent Army enters México City, 31 March 1815
T
he Insurgents would commence their final operation against the Royalists in mid April 1815, with Allende pushing east towards Tlaxcala and Morelos towards Puebla. Tlaxcala fell in short order, and by the end of the month Allende had reached the outskirts of Xalapa. Morelos was not as quick in pacifying Puebla, but by the beginning of May had managed to run Arredondo out of the city and managed to hoist the Insurgent banner in the central plaza. After the fall of Puebla Morelos made short work of the retreating Royalists, capturing Orizaba on 12 May, then Córdoba on 15 May. By the end of the month Morelos engaged Arredondo to the southwest of Veracruz, resulting in stalemate. The same occurred with Allende, who was located northwest of the city, so after several rounds of correspondence the Insurgents decided to siege the city, knowing full well they had Calleja back up in a corner. The situation was so bad for the Royalists that the few ships that managed to get passed the American blockade were being sent back out to sea. Calleja’s predicament went from bad to worse on 10 June when over 20 American war ships entered the harbor at Veracruz, destroyed the few Spanish war ships anchored there and began bombardment of the port. The Royalists were now trapped, with no means of escape and no chance to win against the combined might of the Insurgents and their American backers. After several more days of siege, Calleja sent an emissary carrying a white flag for surrender on 16 June. The next day, on 17 June Calleja and Arredondo formally surrendered to both the Insurgents and the Americans, thus moving Calleja, Arredondo and roughly 13,000 Royalist soldiers into Insurgent custody. The Siege of Veracruz proved to be the final major battle in the war, as all major opposition to the Insurgents had been apprehended or had managed to escape the Viceroyalty. King Fernando VII was furious at the news of the Royalist capitulation, at first choosing not to recognize the surrender at Veracruz, though eventually he too recognized that for now there was nothing more he could do.
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Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
I'll try to have the next update up ASAP (which will concern the treaty that formally ends the war). After that things might get a bit slow...well, slower than usual since I start school on the 13th. Other than that...I hope you guys enjoy the update
