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The Key to the Kingdom: The Defense of Veracruz, 1780-1810

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

Christon I. Archer
Christon I. Archer*
Affiliation:
University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Extract

Veracruz was the most important strategic point in the defenses of New Spain throughout the three centuries of Spanish occupation. It was the only important commercial center which allowed easy access to the interior highlands of the viceroyalty and as such, attracted any potential invader who might wish either to carry out a raid on commerce or to undertake more ambitious conquests. This study will consider some of the major themes involved in the defense of Veracruz in the last three decades before 1810 to see how such a vital position affected military developments and to test a main theme of recent historical research on the period which has established the origins of praetorian-spirited, privilege-hungry soldiers in the period following the Seven Years War.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 27 , Issue 4 , April 1971 , pp. 426 - 449
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1971

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References

1 For detailed accounts of military privilege see McAlister, Lyle N., The Fuero Militar in New Spain (Gainesville, 1957),Google Scholar and del Carmen Velazquez, María, El estado de guerra en Nueva España, 1760–1808 (Mexico, 1950).Google Scholar

2 Archivo General de la Nación, Mexico, Historia (hereafter cited as AGN, Historia), vol. 44, expediente 1, Gastos de Guerra en 1762. Also see AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Diego García Panes to the Marqués de Branciforte, November 16, 1796.

3 Archivo General de Indias, Sevilla, Audiencia de Méjico (hereafter cited as AGI, Mexico), leg. 2418, Plan de Defensa de Veracruz, 1775. Also see AGI, Estado, leg. 25, Marqués de Branciforte to the Prince of Peace, December 28, 1796, and AGN, Correspondencia de los Virreyes (hereafter cited as CV), section 2, vol. 34, Branciforte to Miguel José de Azanza, January 29, 1797.

4 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2418, Plan de Defensa de Veracruz, 1775.

5 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1536, Conde de Revillagigedo to Antonio Valdes, March 27, 1790.

6 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2422, Manuel Santistevan, Proyecto del Fuerte de San Miguel de Perote. Also see Bobb, Bernard E., The Viceregency of Antonio María Bucareli in New Spain, 1771–1779 (Austin, 1962), 121.Google Scholar

7 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2418, Plan de Defensa de Veracruz, 1775.

8 AGI, Estado, leg. 22, Marqués de Branciforte to Campo de Alange, July 30, 1794. Branciforte considered the establishment of the army of New Spain to date from 1775 rather from the first efforts made by Lieutenant General Juan de Villalba.

9 AGI, Indiferente General, leg. 1565, Madrid, Pedro de Gorostiza to José de Gálvez, August 19, 1776.

10 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2418, Proyecto formado en el año de 1784 sobre el mejor arreglo establecimiento del ejército de la Nueva España por el Señor Coronel Francisco Crespo.

11 Ibid.

12 AGI, Estado, leg. 22, Branciforte to Campo de Alange, no. 20, October 5, 1794. Also see del Carmen Velazquez, María, El estado de guerra, 241–245.Google Scholar

13 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1531, Revillagigedo to Valdes, August 31, 1789.

14 Ibid.

15 Archivo General de Simancas, Simancas, Sección de Guerra Moderna (hereafter cited as AGS, Guerra Moderna), leg. 6966, Revillagigedo to Alange, no. 177, February 7, 1791.

16 AGN, CV, series 2, vol. 30, Revillagigedo to Valdes, July 12, 1790.

17 AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 6959, Revillagigedo to Valdes, no. 296, February 6, 1790.

18 AGI, Section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1486, The Captain General of Havana to Revillagigedo, no. 257, September 15, 1791. Also see AGI, Indiferente General, leg. 662, San Lorenzo, November 21, 1791.

19 AGN, Historia, vol. 248, expediente 15, Barón de Carondelet to Revillagigedo, May 17, 1792.

20 AGI, Section 11A, Cuba, leg. 1473, Luis de las Casas to Alange, June 30, 1792.

21 AGI, section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1473, Revillagigedo to Las Casas, May 29, 1793, and and leg. 1488, Las Casas to Revillagigedo, April 7, 1794.

22 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1437, Revillagigedo to Alange. no. 875, May 29, 1793.

23 AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 6966, Revillagigedo to Alange, no. 861, May 3, 1793.

24 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1439, Branciforte to Alange, no. 22, July 3, 1794.

25 AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 6971, Branciforte to Alange, no. 205, February 28, 1795.

26 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 34, Branciforte to José Miguel de Azanza, January 29, 1797.

27 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Panes to Branciforte, no. 3724, November 16, 1796.

28 AGI, Estado, leg. 37, Franciso Rendon to Bransiforte, February 26, 1797.

29 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1444, Branciforte to José Alvarez, no. 845, June 30, 1797, and AGI, Estado, leg. 37, Pedro de Nava to the Prince of Peace, March 31, 1797.

30 AGI, section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1517B, Santa Clara to Branciforte, May 9, 1797.

31 AGI, Estado, leg. 26, Branciforte to Castro, July 14, 1797, and AGI, Mexico, leg. 1444, Branciforte to Alvarez, August 27, 1797.

32 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 34, Branciforte to Alvarez, no. 821, May 31, 1797.

33 AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 7088, Branciforte to Alvarez, no. 911, October 30, 1797.

34 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Panes to Branciforte, no. 4060, March 4, 1797.

35 AGI, Estado, leg. 26, Branciforte to the Prince of Peace, September 30, 1797.

36 AGI, section 11A, Cuba, leg. 1517B, Branciforte to Santa Clara, December 16, 1797.

37 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 34, Branciforte to Alvarez, January 31, 1798.

38 AGI, Estado, leg. 26, Branciforte to the Prince of Peace, no. 93, December 30, 1797.

39 AGI, Estado, leg. 27, Report of the Junta de Generales at Orizaba, January 26, 1798.

40 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Panes, to Branciforte, no. 4025, March 3, 1798.

41 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Branciforte to Panes, April 13, 1798.

42 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Panes to Branciforte, no. 5028, April 18, 1798, AGI, Estado, leg. 27, Branciforte to the Prince of Peace, no. 72, April 29, 1798.

43 Ibid.

44 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 36, Branciforte to Azanza, May 30, 1798.

45 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1447, Azanza to Alvarez, June 3, 1798.

46 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1447, Miguel Costanzó to Azanza, June 19, 1798.

47 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 38, Azanza to Alvarez, January 10, 1799.

48 AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 6977, Madrid, Alvarez to Azanza, July 24, 1798.

49 AGI, section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1517B, Azanza to Santa Clara, February 10, 1799.

50 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1450, Azanza to Alvarez, no. 219, February 28, 1799.

51 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1449, Azanza to Alvarez, no. 281, April 6, 1799.

52 AGN, Indiferente de Guerra, vol. 47B, Padrón formado por el Comandante del Cuerpo Provincial de Lanceros de Veracruz ......January 26, 1799, and AGS, Guerra Moderna, leg. 6981, Azanza to Alvarez, April 26, 1799.

53 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2473, Azanza to Antonio Cornel, no. 663, February 26, 1800.

54 AGI, Mexico, leg. 2473, Azanza to Cornel, no. 669, February 26, 1800.

55 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1453, Marquina to Cornel, no. 35, May 31, 1800.

56 AGN, Historia, vol. 358, García Dávila to Marquina, July 18, 1800.

57 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1453, Marquina to Cornel, no. 63, July 27, 1800.

58 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1453, Marquina to Cornel, no. 132, October 27, 1800.

59 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1464, Marguina to José Antonio Caballero, no. 578, March 27, 1802.

60 AGN, Historia, vol. 358, Dávila to Marquina, no. 2326, February 6, 1801.

61 AGN, Historia, vol. 358, Dávila to Marquina, no. 2322, February 8, 1801.

62 AGN, Historia, vol. 358, Manuel de Flon to Marquina, March 15, 1801.

63 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1459, no. 314, Marquina to Caballero, July 27, 1801.

64 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1464, Marquina to Caballero, no. 670, June 26, 1802.

65 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 210, Marquina to Caballero, no. 635, May 27, 1802.

66 AGI, section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1711, Marqués de Someruelos to Marquina, November 20, 1802.

67 AGI, section 11A, Cuba, 1711, Someruelos to Marquina, December 6, 1802.

68 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 215, Iturrigaray to Caballero, no. 251, August 23, 1803.

69 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 215, Iturrigaray to Caballero, no. 327, November 26, 1803.

70 Ibid.

71 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 225, Iturrigaray to Caballero, May 7, 1805.

72 AGN, Historia, vol. 521, Iturrigaray to the Real Tribunal del Consulado de Veracruz, March 14, 1805.

73 AGN, Historia, vol. 521. Ayuntamiento of Veracruz to Iturrigaray, March 18, 1805.

74 Ibid.

75 AGN, Historia, vol. 521, Iturrigaray to the Consulado of Veracruz, March 24, 1805.

76 Ibid.

77 AGN, Historia, vol. 521, Iturrigaray to the Consulado of Veracruz, September 21, 1805.

78 AGN, Historia, vol. 521, Consulado of Veracruz to Iturrigaray, September 10, 1805.

79 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1975, Diputados del Comercio de Campeche to Miguel Cayetano Soler, April 23, 1808.

80 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Prince of Peace to Iturrigaray, September 24, 1805.

81 AGI, section 11 A, Cuba, leg. 1708, Marqués de Casa Irujo to Someruelos, Phila-delphia, November 20, 1805.

82 AGI, section 11A, Cuba, leg. 1708, Casa Irujo to Someruelos, February 4, 1806. For material on British plans see Duke of Wellington, Supplementary Despatches, Correspondence, and Memoranda of Field Marshall Arthur, Duke of Wellington (London, 1860), IV, and Vane, Charles William, Marquess of Londonderry, ed., Correspondence, Despatches, and other Papers of Viscount Castlereagh, Second Marquess of Londonderry: Second Series; Military and Miscellaneous (London, 1851) 7.Google Scholar

83 AGN, Historia, vol. 521, Iturrigaray to the Ayuntamiento of Veracruz, October 7, 1807.

84 Gazeta de México, vol. 14, April 18, 1807.

85 AGN, Historia, vol. 49, Prince of Peace to Iturrigaray, Madrid, December 4, 1806.

86 AGN, CV, section 2, vol. 50, Iturrigaray to the Prince of Peace, March 3, 1807.

87 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Resumen del numero de tropas efectivas que se hallan sobre las armas para oponerse á cualquiera invasión del enemigo, 1807.

88 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Ayuntamiento of Veracruz to Iturrigaray, October 31, 1807.

89 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Iturrigaray to Caballero, December 27, 1807. Even after 1.244 carbines and other assorted arms had been sent, the Ayuntamiento was not satisfied.

90 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Ayuntamiento to Iturrigaray, October 31, 1807.

91 AGN, Historia, vol. 361. Iturrigaray to Caballero, September 23, 1807.

92 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Iturrigaray to Caballero, December 27, 1807.

93 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Iturrigaray to Caballero, October 7, 1807.

94 AGN, Historia, vol. 367, Aranjuez, Caballero to Iturrigaray, April 20, 1807.

95 AGN, Historia, vol. 361, Pedro Telmo Sandero to Iturrigaray, January 9, 1808.

96 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 237, Iturrigaray to Antonio Olaguer Felin, no. 1599, May 24, 1808.

97 AGN, Historia, vol 46, Ayuntamiento of Veracruz to Iturrigaray, July 22, 1808.

98 AGI, Mexico, leg. 1321, Pedro de Alonso to Iturrigaray, no. 2181, August 10, 1808.

99 AGN, CV, section 1, vol. 241, Garibay to Pedro de Cevallos, February 20, 1809 and AGI, Mexico, leg. 1321, Iturrigaray to Alonso, August 14, 1808. Also see Alamán, Lucas, Historia de México (Mexico, 1849) 1, 185,Google Scholar and Ferrari, Enrique Lafuente, El Virrey Iturrigaray y los origenes de la Independencia de Méjico (Madrid, 1941), 169.Google Scholar

100 AGN, Historia, vol. 50, Ayuntamiento of Veracruz to the Junta Central, August 26, 1808.

101 AGN, Historia, vol. 50, Iturrigaray to Calleja, August 21, 1808, September 14, 1808.

102 AGN, Historia, vol. 50, Iturrigaray to Dávila, September 10, 1808.

103 AGN, Historia, Vol. 50, Ayuntamiento of Veracruz to Garibay, September 23, 1808.

104 AGN, Historia, vol. 48, Garibay to Pedro de Laguna, September 24, 1808.

105 Hernández, J.E. y Dávalos, , ed., Colección de Documentos para la Historia de la Guerra de Independencia de 1808 á 1821 (Mexico, 1877) 1, 624–636.Google Scholar