Luis Pérez Figueroa
Encyclopedia
Luis Pérez Figueroa was a Mexican
general who fought in the war of independence that followed the French intervention in Mexico
.
, Guanajuato
.
He joined the national army at the age of twenty in March 1853 as a second lieutenant in the infantry,
and was promoted to first lieutenant in 1855.
He played an active role in the war of intervention, fighting successfully against imperial troops in the mountains of Teotitlan
and Tuxtepec
.
He was a signatory to the Plan which defended the town of Tuxtepec.
As a colonel, on the 25th of April 1865 he defeated French forces at San Miguel Soyaltepec (now covered by the Miguel Aleman Dam
), which was renamed Patriótica Villa de San Miguel Soyaltepec in 1868 in honor of this battle.
In 1866 he became a brigadier general, and on 18 October 1866 his brigade fought on the right flank under General Porfirio Díaz
in the decisive Battle of La Carbonera
.
Later he was given command of a division.
After the war, the President Benito Juárez
became suspicious of Porfirio Díaz's ambitions.
Figueroa supported Juárez and urged him to appoint loyal governors in Oaxaca, Veracruz
and Puebla
, Díaz's power base.
Juárez next ordered the disarming of the Oaxacan National Guards. The Zapotecs of the Ixtlan National Guard believed that they had earned the right to bear arms, and felt betrayed by Juárez. At Figueroa's urging, Juárez quietly let the matter rest.
n woman and had eight children.
He received various awards for his patriotism and courage, including a medal for the assault and capture of Puebla in 1867.
He remained in the army for forty years.
He died on May 23, 1903 in Tlalpan
in the Federal District of Mexico.
His funeral was held with full honors, and was attended by the president of the republic, Porfirio Diaz
.
In his memory, the Oaxaca state government gave his name in October 1904 to the Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa
municipality of the Tuxtepec District, Oaxaca
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
general who fought in the war of independence that followed the French intervention in Mexico
French intervention in Mexico
The French intervention in Mexico , also known as The Maximilian Affair, War of the French Intervention, and The Franco-Mexican War, was an invasion of Mexico by an expeditionary force sent by the Second French Empire, supported in the beginning by the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Spain...
.
Military career
Luis Pérez Figueroa was born on 22 March 1833 in SalvatierraSalvatierra, Guanajuato
Salvatierra is a Mexican city located in the valley of Huatzindeo in the lowlands of the state of Guanajuato. With an area of 507.70 square kilometres, Salvatierra accounts for 1.66% the total area of the state...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
.
He joined the national army at the age of twenty in March 1853 as a second lieutenant in the infantry,
and was promoted to first lieutenant in 1855.
He played an active role in the war of intervention, fighting successfully against imperial troops in the mountains of Teotitlan
Teotitlán District, Oaxaca
Teotitlán District is located in the north of the Cañada Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Ejutla de Crespo*Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón*Huautepec...
and Tuxtepec
Tuxtepec District, Oaxaca
Tuxtepec District is located in the north of the Papaloapan Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa*Ayotzintepec*Cosolapa*Loma Bonita*San Felipe Jalapa de Díaz...
.
He was a signatory to the Plan which defended the town of Tuxtepec.
As a colonel, on the 25th of April 1865 he defeated French forces at San Miguel Soyaltepec (now covered by the Miguel Aleman Dam
Miguel Alemán Dam
The Miguel Alemán Dam is on the Tonto River in the Papaloapan Region of Oaxaca state in southern Mexico, just upstream from the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake with an area of 47,800 hectares....
), which was renamed Patriótica Villa de San Miguel Soyaltepec in 1868 in honor of this battle.
In 1866 he became a brigadier general, and on 18 October 1866 his brigade fought on the right flank under General Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
in the decisive Battle of La Carbonera
Battle of La Carbonera
The Battle of La Carbonera was fought on 18 October 1866 during the French intervention in Mexico.-Background:Having triumphed over the Imperial forces in the Battle of Miahuatlán, the Republican General Porfirio Díaz besieged the city of Oaxaca, defended by the conservative General Carlos...
.
Later he was given command of a division.
After the war, the President Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
became suspicious of Porfirio Díaz's ambitions.
Figueroa supported Juárez and urged him to appoint loyal governors in Oaxaca, Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
and Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
, Díaz's power base.
Juárez next ordered the disarming of the Oaxacan National Guards. The Zapotecs of the Ixtlan National Guard believed that they had earned the right to bear arms, and felt betrayed by Juárez. At Figueroa's urging, Juárez quietly let the matter rest.
Honors
General Figueroa married a OaxacaOaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
n woman and had eight children.
He received various awards for his patriotism and courage, including a medal for the assault and capture of Puebla in 1867.
He remained in the army for forty years.
He died on May 23, 1903 in Tlalpan
Tlalpan
Tlalpan is one of the sixteen administrative boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City. It is the largest borough, with over eighty percent under conservation as forest and other ecologically sensitive area. The rest, almost all of it on the northern edge, has been urban since the mid 20th...
in the Federal District of Mexico.
His funeral was held with full honors, and was attended by the president of the republic, Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
.
In his memory, the Oaxaca state government gave his name in October 1904 to the Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa
Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa
Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico.It is part of the Tuxtepec District of the Papaloapan Region.The name "Acatlán" means "among the reeds"...
municipality of the Tuxtepec District, Oaxaca
Tuxtepec District, Oaxaca
Tuxtepec District is located in the north of the Papaloapan Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa*Ayotzintepec*Cosolapa*Loma Bonita*San Felipe Jalapa de Díaz...
.