Capture of Mexicali

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Capture of Mexicali
Part of the
Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Result Magonista victory, rebel forces capture Mexicali.
Belligerents

Liberal Party

  • Liberal Army

Government

Commanders and leaders José María Leyva UnknownStrength 18 infantry 10
policemen
Casualties and losses None 1 killed
12 captured
Main article: Mexican Revolution

The Capture of Mexicali, or the Battle of Mexicali, was the first action of the

Mexicali, Baja California
, with little resistance.

Background

Ricardo Flores Magón and his brother

socialist incidents before beginning the revolt of 1911. Flores Magón, who was the leader of the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM) in Los Angeles, chose early 1911 as the time to begin an insurrection. All across Mexico, revolution was breaking out and the Federal Army was losing the fight. The PLM junta in California chose the small border town of Mexicali for taking. Access to the border would allow PLM forces to more easily recruit U.S.
volunteers and resupply their forces.

The junta appointed the gunsmith José María Leyva to command the Magonista force of seventeen other men. Leyva had been in the 1906 strike at Cananea and was a strong anti-government protester.[1][2] A half Mexican and half German socialist named Simon Berthold was second in command. Other reasons for the choosing of Mexicali was due to its strategic location; far from Mexico City and large bodies of federal troops. The Magonistas also hoped to capture the revenue collected by Mexican customs agents in the town.

Capture

At dawn on 29 January, the eighteen Magonistas were led by Leyva across the border into California;[3] there, just across the international line the Magonistas found an arms cache and stocked themselves with about sixty rifles, some pistols, and several thousand rounds of ammunition. They then headed back across the border the outskirts of Mexicali and divided into three groups. The rebels then readied their weapons and attacked. The first group was led by Berthold who stormed the custom house and captured the two sleeping officers.

The second group headed for the home of the chief of police and quickly took command of the structure and the chief. The third force under José Leyva attacked the jail house where the only shot of the engagement was fired. Jailer José Villanova refused to give the rebels the keys to the jail cells. He was shot dead after cocking his pistol behind the door of his office, the Magonistas heard the cock and fired into the building. Ten Mexican policemen were captured at the jail. Villanova became the only casualty of the operation. After capturing the jail the event was over, the prisoners were freed and nine of them joined the Magonsitas.

Aftermath

The two customs officers paid the Magonistas $385[

wobblies Frank Little and Joe Hill.[4][5] The Magonista Campaign began at Mexicali, from there the rebels marched on and captured Tijuana on 9 May before being defeated just south of the town during another engagement.[3][6]

Defeated, the rebels held no more territory and disbanded or escaped into California.

See also

Sources

  • Cornelius Smith, Emilio Kosterlitzky, Eagle of Sonora (1970) [ISBN missing]
  • Trimble, Marshall, (1998), Arizona, A Cavalcade of History, Treasure Chest Publications, Tucson, Arizona
    ISBN 0-918080-43-6

References

  1. ^ Maldonado Alvarado, Benjamin. The Indian and the Indian in the magonist movement, Ed. Antorcha, Mexico, 2003
  2. ^ Ponce Aguilar, Antonio. From Cave Painted to Modernity: History of Baja California , p . 428.
  3. ^
    JSTOR 480336
    .
  4. ^ Samaniego López, Marco Antonio, "The impact of trekking in Baja California, 1911". Studies of Modern and Contemporary History of Mexico, Vol. 18, 1999. p. 94.
  5. ^ Wehling, Jason. Anarchist influences in the Mexican Revolution Archived 9 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ David Gaddis Smith (26 June 2011). "Centennial of Defense of Tijuana celebrated; museum exhibit opens". MexicoPerspective.com.

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