Prologo by Jose Socorro Diaz Diaz

Mexico, D.F.
1971

In the year 1914, upon the emigration of my cousin, Francisco Diaz Manriquez, to the United States of America, he asked me with utmost sincerity to keep him informed of the news of our town, to which I solemnly said that I would. In accordance with that promise, I began communicating, perhaps weekly, all the events occuring in our region until the end of 1919, when he enlisted on board a merchant vessel commissioned to return American soldiers who had fought in World War II from England to the United States of America.

For that reason, since he no longer answered my letters, at the end of the month of September of said year [1919], I suspended my weekly letters.

Upon his return from the United States, in 1930, commenting on his life and his participation in the return of the American forces, he lamented the suspension of my weekly correspondence, claiming that he possessed the history of the town of Huandacreo in the Revolutionary Epoch--since all my letters recounted all the events that had occurred in the town, with precise dates, and names of those participating in those events. And, in effect, he returned all correspondence, from which these memoirs have their origin and which I write about--at the request of many of my fellow defenders from those events.

One should not expect to find in these memoirs the typical literary phrases, but concrete actions of which I was a participant and because of that [memoirs] that have a personal character.

Upon publication to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the attack the 8th of January, 1918, [these memoirs] serve as a tribute to the memory of all those fellow defenders who in that epoch fought and especially to honor the memory of don Nicolas Nunez, "Jefe de la Defensa" (Head of the Defense), and don Salvador Urrutia, Sub-head of the same--a great example of comraderie and, certainly, courage.

HUANDACAREO

According to "Cronica de la Orden de San Agustin," [Huandacareo] was a town of Tarascan origin located on the northern shore of "Lago de Cuitzeo" (Lake Cuitzeo). The name was given to it by "Rey Tariacuri" (King Tariacuri). According to the "Cronica" [work cited above], the "Aztecas" orchestrated a war with the "Tarascos" for the express purpose of taking prisoners. They fought fiercely at "Taximaloyan" (now known as "Ciudad Hidalgo"). Once the "Tarascans" had defeated the "Aztecas," the victorious [King] Tariacuri proposed that the "Chichimecas" who frequently made incursions on the northern part of his kingdom should retreat from the proximities of his kingdom. Upon returning from "Taximaloyan/Ciudad Hidalgo" by way of the eastern side of "Lago de Cuitzeo," he had his first contact with the "Chichimecas" at "Yuririapundaro" (now known as "Campo de Sangre"), defeating them and pursuing them to the boundary limits of what are known today as the States of Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi.

According to local tradition, upon his return, he arrived to the town to drop off the indians that had accompanied him and the chiefs received him with great speeches--for which King Tariacuri named the place "Huandacareo" which signifies "lugar de discursos" (place of speeches).

After the conquest, life was peaceful among the population until the year 1810. Upon the start of the "Guerra de La Independencia" (War of Independence, 1810), a group of neighbors from the town affiliated themselves with the insurgent army, accompanying the "cura Hidalgo" (Father Miguel Hidalgo) at the "Batalla del Monte de Las Cruces." [famous battle site] And, upon the "caudillo" (commander of the forces) traveling from Morelia to the State of Guanajuato, with the intent of attacking Guadalajara, he ordered the "Jefe de Los Insurgentes" (head of the insurgents) at Huandacareo, Sr. Pedro Diaz, to stay in the region to maintain insurgent presence. But upon passing through Cuitzeo, the "Conde Flon de la Cadena" (Count Flon ...), commandant of the Royal Forces, found out that the aforesaid rebel group was operating in the area and he was able to surprise and capture some of them, hanging don Pedro Diaz at the plaza [of Cuitzeo]. ("Datos de la historia de Dn. Lucas Alaman."/Historical Source: Don Lucas Alaman)

During the "Guerra de La Reforma," [War between Liberals and Conservatives, 1858-1861] some of the neighbors joined the Liberal forces under the command of General Epitacio Huerta--among them Miguel Gonzalez and Mariano Diaz--until the fall of Emperor Maximiliano at Queretaro. [The Liberals won the war and Benito Juarez became president, staying in power until France invaded Mexico and made Maximilian of Hapsburg emperor. Maximilian was executed in 1867].

At the end of the "Guerra de Reforma" with the execution of Maximiliano, the Huandacarenses stood down and returned to their town, where a faction of bandits who called themselves "Imperialists" under the command of one so-called "El Cantarito," operating in Guanajuato, had the region isolated. Thus in the year 1868-1869, the recently returned Huandacarenses organized expeditions against them and made them flee the region.

Our town--even though Catholic--protected and hid prominent Liberals who fled from Morelia when the Conservatives were in control there; among them were don Aristeo Mercado, who afterwards became--for many years--Governor of the State [of Michoacan].