Pedro de Ampudia

The University of Texas at Arlington Library

Quick Facts

Significance:

Mexican General

Place of Birth:

Havana, Cuba

Date of Birth:

January 30th, 1805

Place of Death:

Mexico City, Mexico

Date of Death:

August 7th, 1868

Cemetery Name:

Panteón de San Fernando

Don Pedro de Ampudia was a Mexican military officer who was second in command at the Battle of Palo Alto.  

Ampudia rose to prominence through his service at the siege of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. He gained an infamous reputation with many Texans for his involvement in the Texas Revolution as well as for fighting against the Mier expedition where his forces captured the Texans and had them draw either black beans or white beans to determine whether or not they would be executed.  

Shortly after Mariano Paredes took power in Mexico in 1846, General Mariano Arista stepped down from command of the Army of the North. Ampudia was left in charge of the army. His reputation for cruelty surrounding the various events of the Texas Revolution and beyond made many northern Mexicans distrust the general. Weeks before the Battle of Palo Alto, Paredes restored Arista to command the Army of the North, leaving Ampudia second in command.  

Upset about his demotion, Ampudia resisted orders and created division in ranks during the battles on the Rio Grande. Many northerners blamed him, and not Arista, for the Mexican Army’s defeats at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.  

Following the battle, when José Mariano Salas ousted Paredes from the presidential seat, Salas appointed Ampudia to command the Army of the North once again. The general received harsh criticism for his appointment, with Nuevo Leon’s governor writing that good generals have certain characteristics like “sound judgment, knowledge of [military] instruction, and prestige among his subordinates.” The governor went on to note that Ampudia lacked all of the listed traits.  

Despite the criticism, he led the Mexican army at the Battle of Monterrey. Throughout the battle, he made several questionable decisions. The first was having his troops tear down fortifications only to have them rebuild them again. He also did very little to secure the western portion of the city, leaving it vulnerable to attack. One of the biggest criticisms was that he kept many of his troops in the main plaza of the city, and waited there himself.  

After his defeat at Monterrey, Ampudia marched his troops to Saltillo but failed to defend the city. Following his second defeat Santa Anna removed him from command.