Battle of Azcapotzalco

Battle of Azcapotzalco
Part of Mexican War of Independence
Memorial of the Battle in Azcapotzalco
Date August 19, 1821 Location Azcapotzalco (today Mexico City) Result Decisive Army of the Three Guarantees victory.
Belligerents
Mexican Empire	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Luis Quintanar Anastasio Bustamante	Manuel Concha

The Battle of Azcapotzalco, (Spanish: Batalla de Azcapotzalco), was fought August 19, 1821, in the town of Azcapotzalco, Mexico City. The battle was the last mayor and decisive military action of the Mexican War of Independence. The insurgents commanded by the colonels Anastasio Bustamante and Luis Quintanar, defeated to the realistic forces commanded by Manuel Concha.

Prelude

By August of 1821, The Army of the Three Guarantees lead by Agustin de Iturbide, had controlled of the majority of towns and important cities of the New Spain, keeping only as realistic strong bastions, Mexico City and the port of Veracruz. Mexico City, as capital of Viceroyalty of New Spain was the key point to end the 11 year Mexican War of Independence. The Army of the Three Guarantees had surrounded the periphery of the city and the realistic forces were in Tacuba (today Miguel Hidalgo) and the old Hacienda of Clavería.

Battle

Before Agustín de Iturbide went to Córdoba to have an interview with the Political Superior Chief Juan O'Donojú, he left in charge the military action over Mexico City to Luis Quintanar and Anastasio Bustamante. Bustamante successfully occupy the Haciendas of Cristo and Careaga, (today known as Rosario and Molino de la Hacienda Santa Mónica) and from there he took the next step to Mexico City. On August 19, 1821, the insurgent Nicolas Acosta entered to Azcapotzalco and took the bridge or Rosario with the purpose of attack the realistic forces. The attack began in the middle of a rain. The realistic general Manuel Concha went to his headquarters in Tacubaya when the gun fire began.

The insurgents retired to Azcapotzalco and sent its troops to the Hacienda of Careaga. General Concha, after the retirement of the insurgents, followed and tried to force them to face him in Azcapotzalco. When the realistic forces arrived to Azcapotzalco, the insurgent forces attacked them in the vestibule and the ceilings of the Convent of the Dominicos. The combat continued until the 11 am. and stopped when the insurgent park ran out.

Anastasio Bustamante ordered to put a cannon in the entrance of the town but it was unfruitful and he decided the retirement of the place. The famous insurgent soldier Encarnación Ortiz also known as “El Pachondo” tried to rescue the artillery but a bullet ended his life. The act inflamed the insurgents who assaulted the vestibule, facing hand-to-hand to the realistic forces which were finally defeated and forced to flee to the Bridge of Rosario.

Aftermath

The victory of the insurgent forces of the Army of the Three Guarantees forced the realists leave the Hacienda of Clavería, Tacuba, Popotla and San Jacinto. Days later they granted its independence. The victory of the insurgents in the last battle of the war, cleared the way to Mexico City which finally was taken by the insurgents on September 27, 1821, ending the long Mexican War of Independence.

In this battle also fought Valentin Canalizo who as Anastasio Bustamante would be President of Mexico.

Bibliography

• Cosio Villegas (1880). "Historia General de Mexico 1". Historia General de Mexico (in Spanish). Vol. III. México: Ballescá y compañía. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Unknown parameter |name= ignored (help)
• Zárate (1976). "La Guerra de Independencia". In Vicente Riva Palacio (ed.). México a través de los siglos (in Spanish). Vol. I. México: El Colegio de Mexico. Retrieved March 25, 2010.. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |name= ignored (help)