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THE TEN TRAGIC DAYS
February 9 - 18, 1913
Combat Zone
Downtown Mexico City
The battle of the Ten Tragic Days, or La Decena Trágica,
was part of the
 Mexican Revolution.
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Who fought in the Battle of the Ten
Tragic Days?
A revolt, led by
Felix Diaz, nephew of former
dictator
Porfirio Diaz,
tried to bring down the government of President
Francisco Madero.
Madero was betrayed by his chief
general,
Victoriano Huerta,
who switched sides and fought for the rebels.
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On Felix Diaz' side also fought
Bernardo Reyes. Both, Diaz and
Reyes, had escaped from their jail cells and were ready to rumble.
Unfortunately for Reyes, he was killed in this battle.
Who won the fight of
the Ten Tragic Days? Who lost?
The rebels won. General Huerta was the
new dictator / president of Mexico. Former president Madero was
imprisoned and four days later he was killed.
Where were the Ten Tragic Days fought?
The Ten Tragic Days were fought in
downtown Mexico City. The picture above was taken at Avenida
Balderas (Hugo Brehme
fotografías).
What was the course of
events of the Ten Tragic Days?
February 9, 1913
Part of Madero's army revolted and released
Bernardo Reyes from prison.
Read up what had happened to Reyes in 1911.
The rebels attack but Madero's units
are able to defend the Palace. Many civilians are killed. Other
rebel groups led by Félix Díaz and
Mondragón also push into the city. These too are thrown
back by the Maderistas.
It's 8.30 AM and the mutiny seems
almost over. Diaz, Mondragon, and approx 600 troops decide to hole
up in the Ciudadela Barracks, which are located just a little less
than two miles west of the National Palace.
It's unclear whether or not Reyes is
still alive at this point.
Madero's man in charge,
General Villar, got himself
seriously wounded this morning and desperate Madero has to count
completely on Huerta now.
Huerta and Diaz start the barrage, but
it seems that they are actually carefully avoiding each other. They
proceed in this fashion for ten days, turning the city into a heap
of rubble in the process, causing thousands of civilian casualties.
February 11, 1913
Huerta orders loyal Madero troops to attack the Ciudadela Barracks
across the open park before the quarters. The clueless soldiers are
mowed down by rebel machine gun fire.
Madero hurries to Cuernavaca to get
help from his able general
Felipe Ángeles.
February 12, 1913
Madero and Felipe Ángeles rush back to Mexico City. With them 9,000
troops.
February 18, 1913
Victoriano Huerta and Felix Diaz meet in the office of
Henry Lane Wilson, the US
ambassador to Mexico. They sign the Pact of
the Embassy, in which they agree to bring down Madero and
make Huerta the new leader.
General
Aureliano Blanquet visits Madero's office and asks Madero
to resign. Madero refuses and gets taken prisoner. Madero's
bodyguards get shot. President Francisco Madero's brother,
Gustavo Madero, gets arrested as
well. So does the Vice-President José Pino
Suárez and Felipe Ángeles.
In the evening of February 18, Huerta
and Diaz issue an announcement to the Mexican people, stating that
their army has taken over, that everything's gonna be just fine, and
that all revolutionary factions please unite for peace.
This was the last day of the Ten
Tragic Days.
On February 19, 1913, Victoriano
Huerta assumed presidency.
Go to the
List of all Battles of the Mexican Revolution
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