Ramón Méndez (1829 – 19 June 1867) was a Mexican Imperial general who was best known for ordering the executions of

Carlos Salazar Ruiz Carlos Benito Salazar Ruiz was a Mexican General, martyr of Uruapan and the son of Captain Benito Salazar Vargas and Mercedes Ruiz Castañeda.http://cdigital.dgb.uanl.mx/la/1080009034/1080009034_55.pdf He is notable for his participation in sever ...

and

José María Arteaga José María Cayetano Arteaga Magallanes (August 7, 1827 - October 21, 1865) was a prominent Mexican politician and general who served in the Mexican–American War, Reform War and the Second French intervention in Mexico. Executed by Imperial fo ...

on October 21, 1865, as part of Maximilian's new Black Decree that was signed that year.

Second French Intervention in Mexico

Méndez was a conservative and like many Conservative military personnel, he sided with the new

Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (), officially the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy established in Mexico by Mexican monarchists in conjunction with the Second French Empire. The period is sometimes referred to as the Second French i ...

. He was promoted to General and would go on to participate in several battles in the war. On October 13, he won a key victory over the Republicans at Santa Ana Amatlán in Michoacán, capturing both

and

. Eleven days earlier

Maximilian I of Mexico Maximilian I (german: Ferdinand Maximilian Josef Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen, link=no, es, Fernando Maximiliano José María de Habsburgo-Lorena, link=no; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was an Austrian archduke who reigned as the only Emperor ...

had ratified the "Black Decree" which would execute anyone committing guerrilla warfare against the Mexican Empire. Since Méndez deemed Ruiz and Arteaga to be leaders of the republican guerrilla forces, he ordered their executions by

firing squad Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French ''fusil'', rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are us ...

, along with other officers tried for the same reason. After the executions, Méndez would go on to participate in the

Siege of Querétaro The siege of Querétaro was the culminating battle of the Second French intervention in Mexico and the Second Mexican Empire. It took place between Republican and Imperial armies from 6 March to 15 May 1867. After the French departed, the remainin ...

as he brought around 4,000 infantry as reinforcements. Méndez himself was captured during the siege and was executed on June 19, 1867, as retaliation for his executions of Republican prisoners.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendez, Ramon 1829 births 1867 deaths Mexican generals Mexican monarchists Executed Mexican people People executed by Mexico by firing squad People executed for treason against Mexico Executed military personnel Second French intervention in Mexico Conservatism in Mexico 19th-century Mexican politicians 19th-century Mexican military personnel