Ignacio Allende

Ignacio Allende was a captain of the Spanish Army in New Spain who came to sympathize with the Mexican independence movement. He attended the secret meetings organized by Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, where the possibility of an independent Mexico was discussed. He fought along with Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in the first stage of the struggle, eventually succeeding him in leadership of the rebellion. Allende was captured by Spanish colonial authorities while he was in Coahuila and executed for treason in Chihuahua. Allende was born to a wealthy Spanish criollo family in the town of San Miguel el Grande (the name of the town is now San Miguel de Allende in his honor) on January 21, 1769. As a young man, he led a life of privilege and joined the army while in his 20s. He was an able officer, and some of his promotions would come at the hands of his future foe General Félix Calleja. By 1808 he returned to San Miguel, where he was put in charge of a royal cavalry regiment. Allende apparently became convinced fairly early on of the need for Mexico to become independent from Spain, perhaps as early as 1806. There was evidence that he was part of an underground conspiracy in Valladolid in 1809, but he was not punished, probably because the conspiracy was quashed before it could go anywhere and he was a skilled officer from a good family. In early 1810, he became involved in another conspiracy, this one led by Mayor of Querétaro Miguel Domínguez and his wife. Allende was a valued leader because of his training, contacts, and charisma. The revolution was set to begin in December 1810. The conspirators secretly ordered weapons and spoke to influential Creole military officers, bringing many over to their cause. But in September 1810, they got word that their conspiracy had been found out and warrants were issued for their arrests. Allende was in Dolores on September 15 with Father Hidalgo when they heard the bad news. They decided to start the revolution then and there as opposed to hiding. The next morning, Hidalgo rang the church bells and gave his legendary “Grito de Dolores” or "Cry of Dolores", in which he exhorted the poor of Mexico to take up arms against their Spanish oppressors. The rebel army quickly captured the town of Dolores and marched towards San Miguel el Grande, where Allende obtained the support of his cavalry regiment. On September 22, 1810, Hidalgo y Costilla was officially made captain general of the Revolutionary army while Allende was made lieutenant general. After the famous capture of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, in Guanajuato, and his victory in the Battle of Monte de las Cruces Allende suggested Hidalgo march toward Mexico City and capture it. As a consequence of the rebels' defeat in the Battle of Calderón Bridge, the leadership of the Revolutionary army demanded the replacement of Hidalgo as their leader. Allende took command of the army, which he reorganized and provided with new weapons and uniforms. He also tried to give the movement a more political and ideological direction, drafting the first Mexican declaration of independence. He planned to march north and join forces with another rebel leader, José María Morelos y Pavón, but he was betrayed by one of his officers, Ignacio Elizondo, who ambushed him in the town of Acatita de Baján, Coahuila, on March 21, 1811. Allende, Hidalgo, Aldama, and other rebel leaders were captured and taken to Chihuahua, where they were tried and sentenced to death. Allende was executed by firing squad on June 26, 1811. His head was cut off and displayed in a cage in Guanajuato as a warning to other rebels. Allende is considered one of the founding fathers of Mexico and a national hero. His name is inscribed in gold on the wall of honor in the Mexican Congress.