Domingo de Ugartechea ( – 24 May 1839) was a Mexican
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
officer for the Republic of Mexico.
Biography
Early years

Born , Ugartechea served for
José Joaquín de Arredondo in 1813. Ugartechea as well as
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. often known as Santa Anna, wa ...
were cadets during the suppression of the
Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition
The Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition or Texan Revolt of 1812–1813 was a joint filibustering expedition by Mexico and the United States against Spanish Texas during the early years of the Mexican War of Independence.
Background
In 1810, Father ...
, and at the
Battle of Medina.
In June 1832, Ugartechea commanded 125 men at the fort at
Velasco, Texas
Velasco was a town in Texas, United States, that was later merged with the city of Freeport by an election conducted by eligible voters of both municipalities on February 9, 1957. The consolidation effort passed by a margin of 17 votes. Founded ...
; he attempted to employ his artillery to prevent rebelling Texas colonists under John Austin from taking cannon from Brazoria to Anahuac at the time of the Anahuac disturbances. Although defeated by the Texans in the eleven-hour
Battle of Velasco, Ugartechea was permitted to evacuate
the fort.
In 1835, Ugartechea was military commandant of
Coahuila and Texas in command of the forces at
Presidio San Antonio de Béxar, all the while struggling with deficiencies in funding, supplies, and manpower. Although 200 men appeared on his rolls, only half that number were in active service. His observations from this position in the spring of that year contributed to the hardening of attitudes in Mexico concerning Anglo-American abuse of land policies and of native Tejanos in the departments of Nacogdoches and Bexar. He also considered the Texans to be disrespectful toward the government and its leaders, writing in one letter: ''"Nothing is heard but God damn
St. Anna. God damn Ugartechea."''
In mid-May 1835, Ugartechea worked through the political authorities to avoid armed conflict with the militiamen under
Juan N. Seguín, who departed from the town of Bexar toward
Monclova, Coahuila
Monclova (), is a city and the seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. According to the 2015 census, the city had 231,107 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area has 381,432 inhabitants and ...
, to aid federalist Governor
Agustín Viesca. Only last-minute concessions from political chief
José Ángel Navarro prevented a clash between the militia and Ugartechea's soldiers. Subsequently, Ugartechea received and passed on to Mexico many reports that the spirit of conciliation was growing in summer 1835 and that the greatest threat to a consensus favoring peace would be to bring more troops from Mexico to Texas. However, at the end of July Ugartechea expressed his opinion to his superior,
Martín Perfecto de Cos, that reinforcements were still quite necessary. In this way Ugartechea both reflected and furthered the hardening of attitudes that brought about war.
In dealing with the people of Texas, Ugartechea continued to issue reassurances about the potential for peace if his arrest orders were carried out. Those whom he ordered the Texas authorities to detain and hold included representatives to the
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza, is one of the 31 states of Mexico. The largest city and State Capital is the city of Saltillo; the second largest is Torreón and the thi ...
legislature, leaders of the Anahuac expedition or rebellion of June 1835, and other opponents of centralism such as
Lorenzo de Zavala
Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sánchez (October 3, 1788 – November 15, 1836), known simply as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author. Born in Yucatán (state), Yucatán under Vicero ...
. During the course of the summer the units under his command grew to nearly 500 men, including about 200 cavalry on active duty. In September, reports circulated that Ugartechea intended to execute these arrests himself. Indeed, it was under his orders that Lt.
Francisco de Castañeda went to
Gonzales, Texas
Gonzales is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, with a population of 7,165 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Gonzales County, Texas, Gonzales County.
Gonzales was the site of several integral events in the T ...
, to secure a cannon from the hands of the Texans, leading to the
battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...
on October 2 that initiated hostilities in the
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...
. Ugartechea then urged peace but warned the Texans to surrender their arms or face a renewed advance from San Antonio.
Siege of San Antonio
During the
siege of Béxar
The siege of Béxar (or Béjar) was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texian army defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar (now San Antonio, Texas). Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican governm ...
,
Stephen F. Austin conducted the Texan forces from the outskirts of the town, while Ugartechea at first remained with the Mexican forces in town. A unit of his cavalry engaged in reconnoitering around
Cibolo Creek
Cibolo Creek is a stream in South Central Texas that runs approximately from its source at Turkey Knob (in the Texas Hill Country) near Boerne, Texas, to its confluence with the San Antonio River in Karnes County, Texas, Karnes County. The creek ...
in mid-October. He then led a body of 275 infantry with two cannons from the town on the morning of October 28, precipitating the
Battle of Concepción
The battle of Concepción was fought on October 28, 1835, between Centralist Republic of Mexico, Mexican troops under Colonel Domingo Ugartechea and Texian patriots led by James Bowie and James Fannin. The 30-minute engagement, which histor ...
. Colonel Ugartechea commanded a unit of cavalry that slipped through the siege forces on November 12 and made its way in about ten days to the
Rio Grande (Río Bravo) to seek reinforcements. On November 26, he guided a force of 454 conscripts and 173 veteran troops from Laredo to relieve the centralist army under Cos at Bexar. Their arrival on December 8, actually increased the burden of supply on the centralist army and helped to precipitate its surrender on December 9, to the Texans.
Texas Revolution
Ugartechea returned to Laredo with Cos's forces. He came back to Texas with the Mexican army in 1836. In late March Ugartechea received command of the inexperienced troops left in reserve at Copano, Victoria, and Goliad, making his headquarters in the latter place, and having responsibility for reconstructing shelter for the garrison and activating fortifications. Following the Mexican retreat after the
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto (), fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day La Porte and Deer Park, Texas, was the final and decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Samuel Houston, the Texan Army engaged and defeated General A ...
, Ugartechea went to
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Bro ...
, where he reportedly helped initiate the policy of persuading
Native Americans to make war against the people of Texas. He continued to support the centralist cause, helping defeat a federalist uprising at
Saltillo, Coahuila
Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican State, Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the Saltillo Municipality, municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all con ...
, from his post in
Monterrey, Nuevo León
Monterrey (, , abbreviated as MtY) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is the ninth-largest city and the second largest metropolitan area, after Greater Mexico City. Located at the foothills of th ...
, in February 1839. He was killed in defense of Saltillo on May 24, 1839.
References
* . Accessed June 1, 2005.
Further reading
* Hubert Howe Bancroft; ''History of the North Mexican States and Texas (2 vols''., San Francisco: History Company, 1886, 1889).
* Paul D. Lack, ''The Texas Revolutionary Experience: A Political and Social History'' (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1992).
* Jeff Long, ''Duel of Eagles: The Mexican and U.S. Fight for the Alamo'' (New York: Morrow, 1990).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ugartechea, Domingo
1839 deaths
Mexican soldiers
Mexican people of Basque descent
Mexican Republic combatants of the Texas Revolution
Mexican military personnel killed in action
History of Laredo, Texas
Year of birth uncertain