Tomás O'Horán y Escudero explained

Tomás O'Horán
Office1:Governor of the State of Mexico
President1:Benito Juárez
Predecessor1:Pascual González Fuentes
Successor1:Francisco Ortiz de Zárate
Term Start1:1862
Term End1:1862
Office2:Mayor of Mexico City
Monarch2:Maximiliano I of Mexico
Predecessor2:Mariano Icaza
Successor2:Porfirio Díaz
Term Start2:September 30, 1867
Term End2:June 14, 1867
Birth Date:11 January 1819
Birth Place:Guatemala City, Captaincy General of Guatemala, Viceroyalty of New Spain
Death Place:Mexico City, Mexico
Allegiance: Centralist Republic of Mexico

Branch:
Branch Label:Branch
Serviceyears:1836 – 1867
Rank: General
Battles:Texas Revolution
Pastry WarMexican–American War

Reform War
Second French intervention in Mexico

Tomás Antonio Ignacio O'Horán y Escudero (1819-1867) was an Imperial Mexican general of Irish descent during the Second French intervention in Mexico. He was known for switching sides during the war as he initially sided with Benito Juárez but after the Siege of Mexico City, O'Horán was executed.

Early military career

He was the son of Tomas O'Horan who was a prominent politician from Yucatan and the brother to Agustín O'Horán, a doctor who would gain fame in Mexico. He began his military career as a cadet in 1836 as he was within Antonio López de Santa Anna's army to quell the Texas Revolution. He also participated in the Pastry War and was stationed in Yucatán as a second lieutenant to oppose Santiago Imán the following year. During the Mexican–American War, O'Horán participated in the Battle of Buena Vista. Similarly during the Reform War, he sided with the Benito Juárez and the liberal faction of the war.[1]

Second French intervention

Due to his previous affiliation with Juárez, O'Horán again sided with Juárez against the French Empire and the Mexican imperialists. Initially given the nickname "the Immortal of Atlixco", he managed to repel Imperial Mexican forces along with General Antonio Carvajal which played a significant role in the Republican victory during the Battle of Puebla. During the battle, his liberal friend Antonio Taboada asked O'Horán if he would like to switch sides, claiming that if he did so, that Mexico would be brought to stability but he declined at the moment.[2] [3] Later on at the Siege of Puebla, O'Horán launched a raid through the French siege lines to deliver goods to the Republicans which helped to prolong the siege.[4] Due to his military accomplishments, Juárez made O'Horán the military governor of Morelia and later, Governor of the State of Mexico. However, after the Republican forces evacuated Central Mexico and in a difficult employment position, O'Horán defected to the Imperial Mexican Army and managed to quell the unrest at Tlalpan.[1]

O'Horán was then made Mayor of Mexico City when Juárez's forces began to lay siege at Mexico City. Despite putting up resistance, O'Horán was forced to flee the city but while fleeing, was apprehended and sentenced to death for treason.[5] General Porfirio Díaz requested Juárez to pardon O'Horán due to his previous service but Juárez was adamant on the execution of O'Horán. He then wrote a manifesto, claiming that he simply wanted to bring order to Mexico, never intended to back the interests of foreign powers and did not deserve death for a political error due to his prior service in serving the country. Nonetheless, O'Horán was executed by firing squad on August 21, 1867.[1] [6]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Remarkable O'Horáns. March 7, 2016. The Yucatán Times. ru. October 11, 2022.
  2. Book: Shawcross, Edward . 2018. France, Mexico and Informal Empire in Latin America. Springer International . 136. 9783319704647 . .
  3. Antonio. Taboada. Tomás O'Horan. es . . https://www.memoriapoliticademexico.org/Textos/4IntFrancesa/1862-AT-TO.html. Carta de Antonio Taboada al Gral. Tomás O'Horan.
  4. Book: El Sitio de Puebla: 150 aniversario. 2015 . es. Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla. 36. October 11, 2022. 978-607-487-875-2.
  5. Book: Tweedle, Alec. Porfirio Diaz, Seven Times President of Mexico. London. 1906. Hurst and Blackett, Limited. 231. October 11, 2022.
  6. Web site: Dictionary of Irish Latin American Biography. Society for Irish Latin American Studies. en. September 12, 2012.