Pedro José Méndez Ortiz was a Mexican general who was from the state of

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...

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

Second French intervention in Mexico The Second French Intervention in Mexico ( es, Segunda intervención francesa en México), also known as the Second Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867), was an invasion of Mexico, launched in late 1862 by the Second French Empire, which hoped to ...

Childhood

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

hacienda An ''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. El Chorrito El Chorrito is a pilgrimage center located in the municipality of Hidalgo, Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free ...

, 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 () is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the municipality of Güémez to ...

. 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), known as Ignacio Comonfort, was a Mexican politician and soldier who was also president during one of the most eventful periods in 19th century Mexican history: La R ...

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

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

and

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

parties there were those who sought to suppress the newly sworn

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 ( es, Constitución Federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1857), often called simply the Constitution of 1857, was the liberal constitution promulgated in 1857 by Constituent Cong ...

. Pedro José Méndez always showed loyalty to President

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

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 state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. 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 fifth ...

. 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, e ...

, 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 Tula may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Tula Mountains *Tula Point India *Tulā, a solar month in the traditional Indian calendar Iran * Tula, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province Italy * Tula, Sardinia, municipality (''comune'') in the pr ...

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 Independent Mexico Mexican generals Military personnel from Tamaulipas Second French intervention in Mexico 19th-century Mexican military personnel Mexican military personnel killed in action