Ramón Méndez
Ramón Méndez (1829 – 19 June 1867) was a Mexican Imperial general who was best known for ordering the executions of Carlos Salazar Ruiz and José María Arteaga on October 21, 1865, as part of Maximilian's new Black Decree that was signed that year.
Ramón Méndez | |
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Born | 1829 Ario Municipality, Michoacán, Mexico |
Died | 19 June 1867 37–38) Querétaro City, Querétaro, Mexico | (aged
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch | ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 1840 – 1867 |
Rank | General |
Battles/wars | Ayutla Revolution Reform War Second French intervention in Mexico |
Second French Intevention in Mexico
Méndez was a conservative and like many Conservative military personnel, he signed up in the new Second Mexican Empire and overtime, he was promoted to General and would go on to participate throughout several battles in the war. On October 13, he won a key victory the Republicans at Santa Ana Amatlán and managed to capture both Carlos Salazar Ruiz and José María Arteaga. Eleven days ago, Maximilian I of Mexico ratified the "Black Decree" which would execute anyone committing guerrilla warfare against the Mexican Empire.[1] Since Méndez deemed Ruiz and Arteaga as leaders of the republican guerrilla, he ordered their executions by firing squad along with other leaders that were tried for the same reason.[2]
After the executions, Méndez would go on to participate at the Siege of Querétaro as he brought around 4,000 infantry as reinforcements.[3] Méndez himself would get captured during the siege and would be executed on June 19, 1867, as retaliation for his own executions he ordered.[4][5]
References
- Bancroft, Hubert Howe. History of Mexico VI:1861-1887. New York: The Bancroft Company. p. 183.
- David R. Stevens (2008). Sin Perdón: Acquiescence With Murder. Vol. 1. AuthorHouse. p. 348. ISBN 9781434380944. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
- Percy Falcke Martin (1914). Maximilian in Mexico: The Story of the French Intervention (1861-1867). C. Scribner's sons. p. 306. ISBN 9780722294772. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
- Paul Gaulot (1890). Paul Ollendorff (ed.). L'empire de Maximilien (in French). Paris. p. 529.
- Bertita Harding (April 2008). Phantom Crown: The Story of Maximilian & Carlota of Mexico. Wildside Press. p. 348. ISBN 9781434468932. Retrieved March 2, 2022.