Re: A Huge Question- Rafael Bautista 1910 Revolution?

Hi Mercy,

I’ve learned to be a little skeptical (but not entirely) when I hear oral histories about “so and so who fought in the Mexican Revolution.”Naturally, there is truth to many of these stories.One of my father’s uncles, Domingo Arrieta, joined the Revolution, rose to the rank General de Division, ruled Durango as Military Governor, and later became a democratically elected Governor of Durango.But, often, there is an element ofembellishment, if not pure fabrication to these war stories.

For example, the Mexican Revolution of 1910 began in November of 1910.But, the real fighting did not begin until the spring of 1911 and only lasted a couple of months.After the revolutionary Francisco Madero triumphed and assumed the Presidency, the fighting stopped for about two years.When the despicable Huertistas assassinated President Madero in 1913, the fighting resumed and continued almost unabated until 1916.The bloodiest battles took place between 1915 and 1916 when the evil Carranzistas destroyed the armies of the patriot Pancho Villa (guess whose side I’m on).

Anyway, if you do the math – your uncle would have been 13 when the worst of the fighting had ended.Maybe he was born before 1903.Maybe, he was killed in one of the many minor skirmishes between competing armed factions that continued until 1919.Maybe, he didn’t actually fight or die in the Mexican Revolution.

Good luck in finding the truth.

Best regards,

Javier Avitia