Pedro José Méndez Ortiz (1836–1866) was a Mexican general who was from the state of

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...

. He led a group of guerrillas called "Fieles de Hidalgo" during the

Second French intervention in Mexico The second French intervention in Mexico (), also known as the Second Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867), was a military invasion of the Republic of Mexico by the French Empire of Napoleon III, purportedly to force the collection of Mexican de ...

Childhood

Pedro José Méndez Ortiz was born on November 22, 1836, at the San Agustín

hacienda A ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or '' finca''), similar to a Roman '' latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards ...

, located in the municipality of

Hidalgo, Tamaulipas Hidalgo Municipality (also, Villa Hidalgo) is a municipality located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City ...

, Mexico. His parents were the landowner Don Pedro J. Méndez and his wife Doña Agapita Ortiz. Méndez began his studies at the age of six in a primary school in

Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () (English: ''Victoria City'') is the seat of the Victoria Municipality, Tamaulipas, Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the Northern Mexico, n ...

. At sixteen, Pedro J. Méndez lost his father, forcing him to return to country life to aid his family.

Coup d'état

In 1858, President

Ignacio Comonfort Ignacio Gregorio Comonfort de los Ríos (; 12 March 1812 – 13 November 1863), also known as Ignacio Comonfort, was a Mexican politician and soldier who was also president during La Reforma. He played a leading role in the liberal movement und ...

's coup d'état was taking place in Mexico and with the formation of the Liberal and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

parties there were those who sought to suppress the newly sworn

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 The Political Constitution of the Mexican Republic of 1857 (), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the Liberalism in Mexico, liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Congress of Mexico during the presidency of Ignacio ...

. Pedro José Méndez always showed loyalty to President

Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...

and to the Constitution.

French intervention

On November 23, 1862, the Imperial French Army entered the port of

Tampico Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fif ...

. With the help of General Macedonio Capistrán de la Garza, Pedro J. Méndez forced the French to evacuate the port on January 18, 1863, and Méndez was promoted Lieutenant for this. On February 24, 1864, Méndez married María de Jesús Moncayo in Ciudad Victoria and later they would move to his hacienda. On March 1, a secret communication was received from General García to the then

Governor of Nuevo León The Mexican state of Nuevo León has been governed by more than a hundred individuals in its history, who have had various titles and degrees of responsibility depending on the prevailing political regime of the time. Under the current regime, ...

, Don

Santiago Vidaurri José Santiago Vidaurri Valdez (July 24, 1809 – July 8, 1867) was a controversial and powerful governor of the northern Mexican states of Nuevo León and Coahuila between 1855 and 1864. He was an advocate of federalism. In 1855, he supporte ...

, in which both agreed to surrender to the French troops. To prevent this from happening, Méndez returned to Ciudad Victoria and forced General García to flee and chose Colonel Julián Cerda as interim governor. President Juárez, learning of Méndez's heroic action, gave him the command of the liberal troops of Ciudad Victoria and Linares. Shortly after, Méndez joined the “Corps of the Faithful”. He hid as he hid his mother and wife from battle by putting them in a safe place as he went off into battle. On April 15, 1865, he attacked Ciudad Victoria. On June 4 of the same year, he took Tula after four hours at the and on July 15, he evacuated Commander Valée from Santa Bárbara. For these important triumphs for the national army, President Juárez awarded him the rank of General. In December 1865, he achieved one of his most important triumphs at the Battle of El Chamal and the Battle of Cuesta de Cantón.

Death

On January 23, 1866, in Tantoyuquita Tamaulipas, when seizing a convoy valued at $200,000.00 from the enemies, Pedro J. Méndez was shot in the chest. "They have killed me, don't lose heart" he told Pedro Mata and pointing to the French he concluded "There is the road!" Méndez died on January 22 or 23 1866 at the age of 29. His remains now rest in the Rotonda de los Tamaulipecos Ilustres in Ciudad Victoria.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendez, Pedro Jose 1836 births 1866 deaths Modern Mexico Mexican generals Military personnel from Tamaulipas People of the Second French intervention in Mexico 19th-century Mexican military personnel Mexican military personnel killed in action