Birth of Ignacio Allende
Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga
January 21 1779
Mexican Hero
(January 21, 1769 – June 26, 1811)
Born in 1769 in San Miguel el Grande – the town now renamed in his honor – San Miguel de Allende. He was raised in privilege to a wealthy Creole family (Mexican born with pure Spanish liniage) and in joined the Spanish Army in 1802 – eventually retained the rank of captain.
Oil by Ramón Pérez, 1865
His sympathies soon became aligned with the Mexican independent movement as early as 1806 favoring an independant Mexico from Spain. In 1809 he was discovered at a conspiratorial meeting in Morelia by the Spanish Army but nothing came of the disclosure. He continued to attend independence meetings and met the mayor of Queretero Miguel Dominguez and his wife Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez who held meetings in their home. Eventually Allende met Miguel Hidalgo and Juan Aldama – the other major leaders of the struggle for independence.
The famous Hidalgo’s “Grito (call) de Dolores” on September 16, 1810 signaled an early emergent start of the War of Independence. Hidalgo was forced to begin early as the planned date was discovered. Soon Hidago’s home base of Delores Guanajuato was captured and then the unorganized army / mob marched to San Miguel el Grande. Here Allende gained support from his regiment and they captured San Miquel.
Allende was named Lieutenant General in the Revolutionary Army. Hidalgo was Captain General. The army then moved on the Guanajuato Guanajuato to fight and capture the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. This grainery was the site of a famous battle where the Spanish held up behind thick almost impregnable doors. When the doors were eventually opened, the Spanish were brutally slaughtered.
Other victories took place however the tables turned for Hidalgo’s leadership at the Battle of Calderón Bridge leading to Mexico City. The leadership of the Rebel’s Army after the defeat and Allende took the reins of control from Hidalgo. It should be noted that Hidalgo had no formal military training and was in fact a priest.
Allende led the remains of a mighty army north towards the border with the hopes of money and support in terms of men and weapons. The army was ambushed Wells of Baján (Norias de Baján) and Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, and José Mariano Jiménez were captured, taken to chihuahua and tried and shot by a firing squad. They were then decapitated and thier heads were hung from the corners of the grainery in Guanajuato for ten years as a warning to future insurgents.
His remains were buried in the Cathedral of Mexico in the Viceroy and Presidential vault and then later moved to the “Angel” of Column of Independence in Mexico City.