JOSÉ MARIANO JIMÉNEZ: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2025

José Mariano Jiménez (1781-1811) was a Mexican rebel engineer and officer who participated in the first confrontations of the Mexican War of Independence. He was sent by the general in charge of the insurgent troops, Miguel Hidalgo, to carry out a few missions in which he brought innumerable strategic and military advantages. His skills as a mining engineer were useful to him in building the insurgent artillery.

He is one of the least renowned Mexican independence heroes. However, his gifts as an engineer and military have made him a relevant figure for Mexican historians today.

Monument of Mariano Jiménez in Hidalgo. Lyricmac / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Biography

Early years

José Mariano Jiménez was born on August 18, 1781, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. From his birth until he was 15 years old, he lived in a house that today is a Cultural Center that bears his name. In this building artistic works of different currents are received, all originating from San Luis Potosí.

Before turning 20, he moved to Mexico City, where he studied at the Colegio de Minería to become a mining engineer. Finally, on April 19, 1804, he graduated. Little is known about the life of José Mariano Jiménez at the time he studied engineering, as there are no clear records that refer to it.

After completing his studies, he moved to the city of Guanajuato. There he carried out various jobs in the local mines and it was there that he joined the cause of the independence movement commanded at that time by the caudillo Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

On September 28, 1810, José Mariano Jiménez offered his services as an insurgent to Miguel Hidalgo.

Participation in the Taking of the Alhóndiga de Granadita

At the moment in which José Mariano Jiménez wanted to join the insurgent movement, a military action took place between the royalist soldiers and the insurgent forces of Miguel Hidalgo. That confrontation marked the beginning of Jiménez as a rebel soldier.

La Alhóndiga was a building built for the sale of grain and also served as a warehouse. In addition, Miguel Hidalgo participated in its design and construction.

The Spanish military man, Juan Riaño, prepared the peninsular to take shelter in the Alhóndiga after Hidalgo's arrival in Guanajuato. Riaño knew of the insurgents' call for war. Although Hidalgo tried to negotiate the peaceful surrender of the royalists, the Spanish reaffirmed his loyalty to the king of Spain.

When the Hidalgo men arrived in the city, José Mariano Jiménez was sent as an emissary, despite having had little military training. Even so, Hidalgo trusted his conviction. Despite this, Ignacio Allende, who was also in charge of the troops with Hidalgo, refuted the decision.

Hidalgo, without obeying the orders of his partner, sent Jiménez on a special mission to intimidate Riaño and finally request the surrender of the city without violence.

Thanks to his merits and loyalty to the insurgent movement, he managed to obtain the title of lieutenant colonel and later that of colonel.

Battle of Monte de las Cruces

On October 30, 1810, the Battle of Monte de las Cruces, a battle between insurgents and General Tortuato Trujillo's troops, was fought in the Sierra de las Cruces mountains.

After the victory in the Taking of the Alhóndigas Granaditas, the viceroy of New Spain, Francisco Xavier Venegas, demanded that General Trujillo take the lead with the few royalist garrisons to confront the independentists.

On the morning of October 30, the insurgents were intersected by royalist forces on Monte de las Cruces, between Mexico City and Toluca. With Hidalgo, Allende, and Jiménez at the head of the Mexican resistance, the troops managed to placate the opposition forces and put an end to the royalists.

The insurgent victory, to a large extent, was due to the strategic formation of the artillery line. The soldiers of the Spanish Crown were defeated by the 80,000 insurgent troops, who also managed to take over the weapons of the royalist soldiers.

The insurgents were one step away from taking Mexico City; Despite this, Hidalgo decided not to enter the capital. Otherwise, Hidalgo sent José Mariano Jiménez to Mexico City on a peaceful mission to request the viceroy to hand over the capital.

Rebellion of the royalists

Given that the two parties did not reach accurate agreements, the armed and violent movement continued on its way without stopping.

After the first insurgent defeat in Aculco, which took place on November 7, 1810, both Hidalgo and Allende distanced themselves and took different routes; Hidalgo headed towards Valladolid and Allende towards Guanajuato. Jiménez decided to take the same path as Allende.

While at the Hacienda del Molino, Allende ordered him to go to San Luis Potosí to prepare the independence movement in the Internal Provinces. Finally, Jiménez assembled a force of 7,000 soldiers and 28 artillery pieces. These cannons were all created by him for the independence movement.

A few months later, on January 6, 1811, he met one of the royalist commanders, Antonio Cordero. This Crown soldier had express orders to put an immediate end to the insurgent movement.

Despite this, many of the royalist soldiers were dissatisfied with the Spanish government, so they left the ranks of the Crown and joined the independence cause.

Manuel Santa María, governor of the Nuevo Reino de León, declared himself in favor of independence in Monterrey. Jiménez, on the other hand, appointed Pedro Aranda governor of Coahuila.

Death

When Jiménez's troops advanced towards Coahuila, they encountered a realistic ambush. The Mexican soldiers were intercepted by the Spanish soldier Ignacio Elizondo and captured for trial.

On June 26, 1811, José Mariano Jiménez was shot in the exercise plaza of Chihuahua. That same day, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama and Manuel Santa María were executed and their heads were exhibited in the Alhóndiga de Granadita. They remained there until the day Independence was finally resolved.

After that, his remains were transferred to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City in 1823. In 1825, they were taken and placed in the mausoleum of the Column of Independence. On May 30, 2010, they were brought with honors to the National Museum of History to be analyzed and preserved.

References

1. The Taking of the Alhóndiga de Granadita, Brief History of Mexico Portal, (nd). Taken from historiademexicobreve.com
2. José Mariano Jiménez, Wikipedia in English, (nd). Taken from wikipedia.org
3. Mariano Jiménez: little-known hero of Independence, Portal de Excelsior, (2016). Taken from excelsior.com
4. Battle of Monte de las Cruces was fought, Portal History de México, (nd). Taken from mr.history.com
5. Battle of Aguanueva, Spanish Wikipedia, (nd). Taken from wikipedia.org