1st Independence of Texas

Las Casas Insurrection--Bexareños Reinstate Gov. Salcedo--Capture and Execution of Hidalgo and Associates. On 21 Jan 1811, former militia captain from Nuevo Santander, Juan Bautista de Las Casas and enlisted men from the Quartel barracks in La Villita marched on Casa Reales and arrested Gov. Salcedo and Lt. Col. Herrara and staff. Las Casas appointed himself head of a provisional government, confiscated loyalist property and announced his association with the Hidalgo forces. Las Casas put Gov. Salcedo and associates in chains and marched them to Monclova where insurrectionist Pedro de Aranda held them at the hacienda of former royalist turned rebel, Lt. Col. Ignacio Elizondo. The Las Casas movement spread to Nacogdoches and other East Texas outposts under Lt. Antonio Saenz. However, Las Casas’ arrogance and actions began to appear no different than the royalists that he had overturned. This was amplified by the arrogance of Hidalgo associates Ignacio Aldama and Juan Salazar when they visited San Antonio and Las Casas on their way to appeal for aid in the USA. Las Casas’ also made the mistake of ignoring isleño aristocrats and former army officers who were Texans first and royalists second. He also alienated his chief associate Antonio Saenz. Opposition to Las Casas began to organize around Juan Manuel Zambrano, a subdeacon in the Church of San Fernando. With the support of San Antonio notables Ignacio Perez, José Erasmo Seguin, Juan Veramendi and Francisco Ruiz, Zambrano seized back control of Casa Reales without a fight, pledged fidelity to King Ferdinand VII, arrested rebels and sent riders to inform Provincias Commandant Nemecio Salacedo of his actions. The messengers from Zambrano rode south and encountered royalist sympathizers near San Fernando, Coahuila who led them to Hacienda Elizondo where Gov. Salcedo was confined. Apparently association with and the persuasion of his captors and arrival of the messengers caused Elizondo to return to the royalist fold.

On 21 Mar, Elizondo, Salcedo, Herrera, the riders from San Antonio and José Menchaca and other royalists surprised and apprehended Father Hidalgo, Mariano Jimenéz, Juan Aldama, Ignacio Allende and other leaders of the insurrectionist Army of the Americas at the Wells of Baján. Gov. Salcedo hurriedly escorted 27 prisoners from Montclova to Commandant Salcedo’s headquarters at Chihuahua. A seven-member tribunal headed by Gov. Salcedo found the group guilty of high treason and sentenced them to death by firing squad with shots to the back. Ecclesiastical inquisitors prior to sentencing by the tribunal defrocked Hidalgo who was shot in the chest privately because of his service to the church. Las Casas of San Antonio suffered the same fate (see Proceedings of Trial and Execution of Juan Bautista de las Casas). The heads of all were severed and, except that of Las Casas, were displayed in a cage at the Alhondiga for ten years in Guanajuato, while that of Las Casas was salted and displayed in military plaza in San Antonio as warning to those who would oppose the King of Spain. Simon de Herrera returned to receive control of San Antonio from Zambrano, royalist Cristobal Dominguez assumed control of Nacogdoches, all instrumental in re-establishment of royal rule received reward and promotion except Gov. Salcedo. Gov. Salcedo had lost face in mostly his own eyes by the ease of loss of Casa Reales and San Antonio to the rebels, he craved official exoneration, but reluctantly returned to his post as Governor of Texas. His troubles were only beginning and the futility of his cause increasing.