University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies Legacy Theses 1997 The infernal rage: banditry and revolution in the Mexican Bajio, 1910-1920 Frazer, Christopher Brent Frazer, C. B. (1997). The infernal rage: banditry and revolution in the Mexican Bajio, 1910-1920 (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/18590 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/26601 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca TEE UNNERSITY OF CALGARY The Memal Rage: Banditry and Revolution in the Mexican Bajio, 1910-1920 by Christopher Brent Frazer A THESIS SUBMIï'TED TO THE FACWOF GRADUATE STUDES IN PARTLAI, FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS CALGARY,ALBERTA NNE,1997 Q Christopher Brent Frazer 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 ,,,da du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie SeMces seMces bibliographiques 395 Weiiington Street 395, nre Wellinw OtEawaON KIAON4 --ON K1AON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence aiiowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distniiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/^ de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Abstract From 1910 to 1920, revolution and civil war engulfed Mexico. Rebel aees commanded by Francisco Madero in 1910-1911 and Venustiano Cananta in 1913-1914, emerged in northem Mexico and toppled the remes of Porfkio Diaz and Victoriano Huerta, In the north-centrai states of the Bajio and its b~rderlands,~rebels and bandits formed mobile and elusive bands which waged a cruel and devastating guefllla war. Driven by agrarian unrest, political ambition, gned, or vengeance, these bands effectively crippled the regional economy and helped destabilise the regimes of Diaz and Huaas weU as the revolutionary governments of Madero and Carraiua No govemment troops ever succeeded in exterminating these bands. Afkr 1917, however, pandemics, famine, and sheer exhaustion began to undermine popular rural support for the Bajio's guerrilla- bandits, and many bands spent themselves in a fury of destruction. By 1920, most guerrilla-bandit groups Mysunendered 'and made peace with the revolutionary authorities . I am indebted to many individitals and institutions, wiao- whthis thesis wodd never have been completed. My wife, Mena Exugga, and my &@lm,RacheUe an& Danieiia, encowged my university educaîion with grace and patience. My mom and dad, Dale and Beryl Frazer, chipped in with money and baby-sitting when it was most- needed. My brother Geofky drew maps for my thesis, and my sister Danica heiped keep me focwd. Derrick Fulton accepted my collect phone calls to Toronto, whik my office- mate and feilow Iine-cook Troy Fuller always had time to drink coffee and talk history. Particular thanks go to Dr. C.I. Archer for convincing me to explore Mexican history, and for proving that researching, w&ing, and lecairing is fun and interestiog. Dr. Tom Langford, in the Department of Sociology at the University of Calgary, was kind enough to employ me as a iesemher. Olga Leskiw and the office stan in the Department of History were enormously helpful in guiding me through this project Dr. H.W. Konad, an outstanding Mexicanist, graciously agreed to serve as an examiner on my defense cornmittee in spite of a serious fies. Tragically, Dr. Komad passed away May 30, 1997, less than îwo weeks before my defense. Finally, 1 am grateful for the financial support of the Department of HÏstory and the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Calgary, which included a Graduate Assistantship fleaching). Through the provincial govemment, the people of Alberta also generously pmvided two awards of a Province of Alberta Governent Scholarship. 1wouid like to mention many others, but I haven't the space. You know who you are, and I thank you collectively. This is dedicated to my de,Mena Enxuga, whose presence and contniution nins right through tbis thesis, and to my daughters, Racheiie and Danieila, in the hope that learning history and studying the past dlcontribute to creating a better friture for them and ali cliildren. Approval Page.. ..................................................................................... .n.. Abstract. ........................................... ;.......................... ....................... ..m0.. Acknow1edgements.. ................................................................................. iv Dedmtlon... .......................................................................................... .v Table ofcontents............................................................................. .......vi .. List of Tables ...................................................................~............. .......VU List of Figures.. ................................................................................... ..WU0-0 INTRODUCTION: "BANDITRY AND REVOLUTION IN MEXICO". .................... 1 CHAPTER ONE: "BANDITS AND REBELS: 19 10-1 9 1 1". ............................... -26 CHAPTER TWO: "A GUERRILLA-BANDE WAR: 1911-1913" .......................... 56 CHAPTER THREE: "THE TOIL OF HERCULES: 1913-19 15".. .......................... -84 CHAPTER FOUR: "THE INFERNAL RAGE: 19 16-1 9 19". ............................... 112 CONCLUSION: 'THE SHATTERED IDOL S : 1920". ......................................... 13 4 BIBLIOGRAPW: ............................................................................. ....151 TABLE 1: Disûibuîïon of the RdPopulation in the Batjio and BorderlandS. 19 10 .... ..î 9 TABLE 2: Baldio Lands Alienated in the Bajio. 1877-19 1O ................................... 32 TABLE 3 : Rebel and Bandit Groups in San Luis Potosi, May. 19 13 ........................88 TAE3LE 4: Rebel and Bandit Groups in San Luis Potosi, September. 19 13 ................. 90 TABLE 5: Federal Forces in San Luis Potosi, December. 19 13 ..............................91 TABLE 6: Rebel and Bandit Groups in San Luis Potosi. Mirch, 1916 ...................116 TABLE 7: Rebel. Bandit and Govemment Forces in Mexico. January. 19 18 ............ -127 Figure 1: The Bandit Image of Emiliano Zapaîa m the Mexican PRSS ..................... -12 Figure 2: Map of Mexico Showing the Bajio and its Borderlands........................... 58 Figure 3: Map Showing the Major Railroads in the Bajio ...................................... 74 The image of Zapata on his charger, dashing through fields of maguey, up and down banancas, is very characteristic of the brigand He so much the thing in Mexico just now.' Edith O' Shaughnessy, 1913 Mexico City From almost every direction corne reports of the depradations of bands of robbers large and sd,oh operating under the name of some revolutionary chieftain, but making no pretense tbat in practice that the rdobject is the easy iife of highwaymen. Mdcm Herald, May 22, 1912 Froh 1910 to 1920, revolution and civil war engulfed Mexico. Francisco h4adero's northern-based rebellion bega. as a hi-democratic revolt against the encrustecl regime of Porfirio Diaz. Defeating the aged dictator in 1911 with astonishing speed, Madero unwittingiy ushered in a decade of relentless social turmoil. Long- dering peasants insisted on reclaiming lost lands, while a nascent working class demanded new rights and a greater share in the fiuits of modernisation. Capitalists, hacendados, and Por6ria.n reactionaries battled the plebeian classes who fiercely defended their claims to justice. This rebeliious hthliteraily consumed Madero and bis liberalism, Neo-porfitians briefiy regained ascendance when Generai Victoriano Huerta seized power in 1913. The old order Myperished in îhe teeth of uprisings by a refurbished northern rebel army commanded by the hacendado Venustiano Cansinza, and by independent inmgencies captained by leaders such as Emiliano Zapata in Morelos. Yeî, victory over the common enemy only deashed a bitter civil war among the revolutionary factions. The anti-Huerta alliance split apart as plebeian insurgents like Pancho VÏa and Zapata baaled the liberal middle classes and elites gakdarmd Carranza Intemecine conflict dragged on untii 1920, when Constitutionalist General Alvaro Obregh etedwith Carranza7senemies and deposed the First Chief. Throughout these süuggies, the guerrilla-bandits of the Bajio and its border1ands played a substantial role in shaping the course of revolutiomry events. Until recentiy, however, the analytical lem of historians has focused ahost exclusively on the broader contours of the Mexican Revolution, its better-hown personalities, movements and