Cortina War
While the United States was having a civil war , Cortina fought on behalf of the Union and became a Hero. In May 1861 he encountered Santos Benavides in Zapata county but was defeated. In1860 he joined the liberal army that supported Benito Juarez. He became Juarez's military commander In 1862 Cortina defended San Lorenzo,Puebla and Tamaulipas and became military governor and mayor of Matamoros during the French intervention. (Thompson)
Cortina was rising up the ranks of the Mexican government but when he turned against Mexican republican leaders his political doings collapsed.
In 1870 Cortina returned to the border with a petition that asked for forgiveness to the State of Texas for his crimes but the pardon petition failed. In 1871 his petition's second hearing also failed. The failure occurred the civil war was fresh in the minds of Texans and Texas was a southern state. Ultimately Cortina's participation on behalf of the union, which is known as the second Coronita War, is what cause the rejection of his petition.
In 1876 Mexican authorities arrested Cortina on the basis that he was a cattle bandit. Cortina escaped prison but was caught on the border by Mexican authorities. He was court-martialed and ordered to be executed, but intervention by Porfirio Diaz resulted in Cortina's survival and house arrest for the rest of his life. (Vargas 126)
Cortina was rising up the ranks of the Mexican government but when he turned against Mexican republican leaders his political doings collapsed.
In 1870 Cortina returned to the border with a petition that asked for forgiveness to the State of Texas for his crimes but the pardon petition failed. In 1871 his petition's second hearing also failed. The failure occurred the civil war was fresh in the minds of Texans and Texas was a southern state. Ultimately Cortina's participation on behalf of the union, which is known as the second Coronita War, is what cause the rejection of his petition.
In 1876 Mexican authorities arrested Cortina on the basis that he was a cattle bandit. Cortina escaped prison but was caught on the border by Mexican authorities. He was court-martialed and ordered to be executed, but intervention by Porfirio Diaz resulted in Cortina's survival and house arrest for the rest of his life. (Vargas 126)
Reasons,Impact & Heroic Villain
Juan Cortina was born in the midst of change. Mexico's recent independence(1824) probably made him a proud (nationalism) Mexican. He grew in an area in colonial lifestyle, in which raids were common, always having to protect himself. It was also a time in which southern Anglos with their supremacy ideology crossed over into Mexican Texas. As Texas gained independence (1836) and joined the union (1845) Coronita's influence , like that of many Mexicans', dwindled and Anglos began to have greater influence. All these factors are crucial to understanding why Cortina commited his actions.
In the immediate time Cortina's actions prompted many Tejanos to join his fight but in the long run it caused a lot of hardship for Tejanos in Texas. It caused retaliation by Anglos for decades to come , remembering the actions of Cortina. Although his fight was ethic and by all means reasonable , it caused Tejanos to feel the wrath of the Anglo until the 20th century.
The Cortina War was one in which Juan Cortina protected the rights granted by the Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The second part of the Cortina war was one in which he fought against Confederate Texas on behalf of the union. Because of these two "wars" Cortina is seen as a villain and a hero.He is considered a villain because he opposed Texan and American forces , but he is considered a hero because he defended the rights of his people and he fought against the confederacy on behalf of the Union. The fact that he fought for equality against discrimination makes him an American hero because he challenged Democracy to make it better in the future.
In the immediate time Cortina's actions prompted many Tejanos to join his fight but in the long run it caused a lot of hardship for Tejanos in Texas. It caused retaliation by Anglos for decades to come , remembering the actions of Cortina. Although his fight was ethic and by all means reasonable , it caused Tejanos to feel the wrath of the Anglo until the 20th century.
The Cortina War was one in which Juan Cortina protected the rights granted by the Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The second part of the Cortina war was one in which he fought against Confederate Texas on behalf of the union. Because of these two "wars" Cortina is seen as a villain and a hero.He is considered a villain because he opposed Texan and American forces , but he is considered a hero because he defended the rights of his people and he fought against the confederacy on behalf of the Union. The fact that he fought for equality against discrimination makes him an American hero because he challenged Democracy to make it better in the future.