Jesús González Ortega Collection

The Jesús González Ortega Collection forms part of the Genaro García Collection, which was purchased by the University of Texas in 1921 from the heirs of Genaro García. The Jesús González Ortega Collection was described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in December 1993.

The physical extent of the collection is 14 inches. The materials are in Spanish; their bulk dates are 1860-1861. They are also available on microfilm.

The following guide is available in Rare Books Reference: Castañeda, Carlos E. and Jack Autrey Dabbs, eds., Guide to the Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1939.

The suggested citation for the collection is "Jesús González Ortega Collection, 1851-1881, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, University of Texas at Austin."

Military and political leader. Born 1822 on the Hacienda de San Mateo, near Teúl, Zacatecas; died 1881 in Saltillo. Served as jefe político de Tlaltenango (1855) and Fresnillo (1857), and Diputado in the Congreso Zacatecano (1857). Designated by the legislature as governor of the state of Zacatecas upon the resignation of the previous governor (1858). Organized troops and defended Zacatecas from attacks by the conservative forces of Joaquín Miramón and Adrián Woll.

Having been functioning successfully as a military commander without official rank, González Ortega was named General de Brigada in June 1860 but declined the appointment, preferring to continue in his unofficial capacity. On August 10, 1860, González Ortega defeated MiramónÕs forces at Silao and was named hero of the state of Zacatecas. He again was offered a commission as General de Brigada, but declined once more. He assumed Santos DegolladoÕs command when Degollado was relieved by President Benito Juárez. On December 22, 1860, González Ortega defeated Miramón, Leonardo Márquez, and others in the battle of Calpulalpan, ending the Guerra de los Tres Años.

González was named Ministro de Guerra by Juárez on January 1, 1861; he renounced this office on January 17 but continued to serve until April 6, 1861, when he renounced the post a second time. He was elected president of the Supreme Court, in effect giving him the vice-presidency of the Republic, and was sworn in on August 20, 1861.

Upon the death of General Ignacio Zaragoza, González Ortega was given his command and participated in the defense of Puebla in the spring of 1863. A year later, he was ordered by Juárez to Saltillo to fight the French. On December 30, 1864, Juárez granted permission to González Ortega to take temporary leave from his duties, upon which he went to the United States to raise support and supplies for the army. Juárez decreed on November 8, 1865, that González Ortega was in dereliction of his duties for having abandoned the country and his troops without the permission of congress and the president, and instituted proceedings against him. González Ortega was detained by U.S. officials on November 3, 1866, when he attempted to return to Mexico. He was released and entered Mexico, but was arrested upon the order of the acting governor of Zacatecas and imprisoned in Saltillo on January 8, 1867. In April he was transferred to the Prision del Obispado in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. During his incarceration he was elected to Congress but declined to serve. After his release from prison on August 1, 1868, González Ortega retired to private life in Saltillo.

On July 11, 1869, he was elected diputado proprietario from Tlaltenango to the Congreso de la Unión. He was named enviado extraordinario y ministro plenipotenciario to Spain on March 11, 1874. On January 6, 1881, President Manuel González conferred upon him the rank of general. González Ortega died in Saltillo on February 28, 1881.

1822	Born on the Hacienda de San Mateo, near Teúl, Zacatecas (Porrúa)
	grandson José González Ortega says he was born January 19, 1822
1824	our baptismal record says he was born October [9], 1824
29 Aug 1855	Gefe politico de Distrito (Tlaltenango)
(14 May) 1857	Gefe politico de Fresnillo
1858	diputado al Congreso Zacatecano
12 Sep 1858	first item addressing him as Gobernador del Estado de Zacatecas
Oct 1858	designated by legislature Gobernador del Estado de Zacatecas luego de la renuncia del Gobernador
Jan 1859	organiza tropas para defensa y derrota a unas tropas conservadoras
16 Jan 1859	primer combate contra los reaccionarios -- Joaquín Miramón, en los afueros de Zacatecas
	defendió la ciudad contra del general Patrón
May 1859	regresó a Zacatecas; continuó levantando tropas; derrotó al General Woll, que atacaba Zacatecas.
Jan 1860	recuperó Zacatecas de los conservadores
	JGO salió a atacar ciudad de San Luis Potosí, los conservadores ocuparon Zacatecas. JGO tomó Aguascalientes, regresó a Zacatecas y retomó la ciudad.
7 June 1860	"Comandante Militar de Zacatecas, San Luis, Aguascalientes y Durango" y le envió despacho de general de brigada. JGO devolvió el despacho, agraderó el honor, pero quiso continuar como militar improvisado
15 June 1860	derrotó a Ramírez en Peñuelas
20 July 1860	JGO addressed as "en Jefe de las Fuerzas Constitucionalistas de Zacatecas" by Degollado
9-10 Aug 1860	JGO, con 3 divisiones, una de ellas bajo D. Ignacio Zaragoza, se enfrenta a Miramón en Silao; lo derrotó.
10 Aug 1860	Battle of Silao; made benemérito del Estado de Zacatecas
	"Degollado comunicó a Veracruz, al por que la victoria de Silao, la necesidad de que su autor tuviese un lugar en el escalafón guerrero. A ello contestó D. Benito expidiendo patente de general de brigada en favor de JGO. Ese despacho está fechado en 22 de agosto ded 1860, y fue enviado a Ortega con oficio del Ministro de la Guerra fechado el 10 de octubre. De allí resulta que el 17 de agosto en que JGO comandaba como General en Jefe del Ejército de Operaciones, aún no tenía grado militar."
17 Oct 1860	named General de Brigada by Degollado; declined
después de agosto 1860	JGO sale hacia México D.F. pero antes participó sitio y toma de Guadalajara con Ignacio Zaragoza.
	Juárez le quitó el titulo de General a Degollado y le montaron juicio. Entregó el cargo a JGO.
22 Dec 1860	Batalla de Calpulalpan; derrotó a Miramón, Márquez, Negrete, etc. Concluyó la Guerra de los Tres Años.
	Para el 25 de diciembre JGO ya había tomado México D.F. con su ejército.
1 Jan 1861	entregó a México
	Juárez llega a México D.F.; nombró a JGO Ministro de la Guerra, que renunció primera vez 17 January 1861.
6 Apr [1861]	renunció al puesto [de Ministro de Guerra] por diferencias con el Presidente [Juárez]; junto con Ocampo, de la Llave, y otros.
9 May 1861	el Congreso declaró legalmente electo a Juárez como Pres. Constitucional
1 July 1861	Congreso lo eligió Presidente de la Suprema Corte, lo que le daba la Vice-Presidencia de la República
2 July 1861	salió en persecución de Márquez.
1861	derrotó a Márquez
Aug 1861	batieron a Márquez en Jalatlaco; escapó
20 Aug 1861	JGO rindió protesta (was sworn in) como Pres. Suprema Corte ante el Congreso
23 Aug 1861	Juárez ordena a JGO salga a batir a los conservadores Mejía, etc. Aceptó cargo de General en Jefe, "pidió licencia al Congreso para separarse de la Presidencia de la Suprema Corte mientras durase la compaña ..." Pero no le pagaron salario a los soldados, ni le dieron comida, municiones, etc. JGO renunció? General en Jefe del Cuerpo de Ejército de Operaciones.
ca. 11 Sep 1861	Juárez rechazó las indicacciones de JGO y le aceptó su renuncia.
	Parece que el Gobierno le quería quitar la Guardia Nacional a los Estados y fundirlos en un ejército?
	JGO llegó a Zacatecas con los soldados y se dedicó a gobernar el estado.
	D. Ignacio Zaragosa General en Jefe de fuerzas destinadas a combatir los franceses. Se retiró a Puebla para aguarda el ataque.
5 May 1862	Batalla; Zaragoza, Negrete, Porfirio Díaz, Berriozábal, La Madrid, Méndez.
	JGO derrotado cerca de Orizaba. Al morir Zaragoza, JGO fue designado para substituirlo, y recibió ordenes para resistir en Puebla.
	a la muerte de Zaragoza y el desembarco de Forey con sus tropas, logró que se le nombrara Jefe del Ejército de Oriente
16 March 1863	Franceses se acercan a Puebla
17 May 1863	JGO se rinde a Gral. Forey; sitio duró 62 dias; defensa de Puebla durante 62 dias
20 May 1863	jefes y oficiales ______ salieron de Puebla hacia Veracruz; varios de ellos se escaparon, incluyendo JGO.
ca. 20 May 1863	Juárez abandona la capital con el gobierno; la Suprema Corte dejó de existir cuando Juárez abandonó la capital y el govierno se retiró a otros sitios.
	Juárez divided el ejército en 5 partes, una de ellas comandada por JGO.
Nov 1863	para noviembre 1863 JGO parece estar como Gobernador de Zacatecas.
******
	went to U.S.
	Fue acusado de abandonar el territoria nacional sin consentimiento del Congreso, y el mando de sus tropas sin permiso del Presidente. Se le sujetó a proceso.
3 Nov 1866	Cuando quiso entrar a México, lo detuvo la policía de E.U.
26 Dec 1866	Logra regresar a México. Lanzó un manifiesto contra el Presidente. Jailed in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, by Gov. of Zacatecas.
	Elected to Congress although incarcerated, but declined to serve.
15 Sep 67	wrote letter from "Prision del Obispado, Monterey"
	retired to Saltillo upon release from prison; refused the post of Governor of Zacatecas
11 July 69	elected Diputado Proprietario al Congreso de la Unión, from Tlaltenango
11 mar 74	named enviado extraordinario y ministro plenipotenciario de los E.U. mexicanos, cerca del Gobno de España
6 Jan 1881	Presidente Manuel González le reconoció el grado de General
28 Feb 1881	died in Saltillo

Correspondence, literary productions, financial documents, lists, and printed material (bulk dates 1860-1861). Correspondence pertains mostly to military matters during the War of the Reform and the French Intervention. Correspondents include Ignacio Comonfort, Santos Degollado, Manuel Doblado, Benito Juárez, Guillermo Prieto, and Ignacio Zaragoza. Literary productions include two essays by Guillermo Prieto, a report of the Battle of Silao, speeches (including González OrtegaÕs eulogy), plans of operation and attack, poetry, and excerpts from periodicals. Lists and financial documents concern military matters from 1856-1864; some items in these series are undated. Certifications, orders and instructions, circulars, manifestos, and decrees from 1857-1867 relate to military and political affairs during that period.

The Jesús González Ortega Collection was arranged into Archives and Manuscripts subgroups by earlier library staff. Series were created by the staff of the Mexican Archives Project, which completed processing of the collection in December 1993. The subgroups and series are:

I. Archives

1. Series, Correspondence, 1851-1875.

2. Series, Literary productions, 1856-1861. Includes a report of the Battle of Silao.

3. Series, Financial documents, 1860-1864.

4. Series, Certifications and other official documents, 1857-1866.

5. Series, Lists, 1860-1864.

6. Series, Printed material, 1860-1861.

II. Manuscripts (G469)

1. Series, Correspondence, 1851-1868.

2. Series, Literary productions, 1860-1872.

3. Series, Correspondence and literary productions related to González OrtegaÕs death, 1881.

4. Series, Orders and instructions, 1858-[1864].

5. Series, Circulars, manifestos, decrees, etc., 1860-1867.

6. Series, Financial documents, 1860-1861.

7. Series, Lists and receipts, 1856-1861.

8. Series, Legal documents, 1859 and 1868.

9. Series, Baptismal record, 1907.

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