War of 1863
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TheWar of 1863[1](Spanish:Guerra de 1863) was a conflict fought betweenEl SalvadorandGuatemalafrom 13 February 1863 to 26 October 1863.
Guatemalan PresidentRafael Carrerasought to overthrow Salvadoran PresidentGerardo Barrios,citing his attacks on theCatholic Churchin El Salvador during his presidency as justification. Barrios was overthrown on 26 October 1863 and was replaced by a conservative politician,Francisco Dueñas,ending the war.
Background
[edit]On 12 March 1859, GeneralGerardo Barriosoverthrew Salvadoran PresidentJosé María Peraltaand declared himselfPresident of El Salvador.[2]The coup and ascension of Barrios to power caused many conservative politicians to flee to Guatemala for safety.[1]
Barrios-Carrera rivalry
[edit]Guatemalan PresidentRafael Carrerawas a conservative politician while Barrios was a liberal politician and both ruled as dictators of their respective countries.[1]Barrios passed anticlerical legislation in El Salvador to diminish the power and influence of theCatholic Churchwhile Carrera made agreements with the Church to expand its influence and uphold its privileges.[1]
Carrera initially supported Barrios believing that a strong ruler in El Salvador would be in his best interests, even visitingSan Salvadorfrom December 1860 to January 1861 to improve relations.[1]However, in the following years, Barrios began attacking Carrera calling him a "savage" while Guatemalan newspapers attacked Barrios' "lameness and pomposity."[1]The Guatemalans later labeled the war as a war over religion when it was really a political and ideological war.[1]Salvadoran bishops did, however, support the Guatemalans in the conflict, as did Salvadoran conservatives.[1]
War
[edit]Battle of Coatepeque
[edit]
In 1862, Carrera began plans to topple Barrios from power and instal a conservative as president.[1]On 13 February 1863, Carrera invaded El Salvador.[3][4]He took control of the settlements ofAhuachapán,Chalchuapa,andSanta Ana,later establishing a headquarters inJesús de los Milagros de Coatepeque.[3][4]
On 22 February, the Salvadorans, led by Barrios, entrenched themselves in the town ofCoatepequeand prepared for battle.[4]After two days of battle, the Salvadorans won and forced the Guatemalans to retreat.[3]
Siege of San Salvador
[edit]After his initial defeat, Carrera invaded El Salvador a second time on 19 June 1863.[1][3][5]During the invasion, many Salvadorans deserted and either refused to take part in the war or joined the Guatemalans, most notably generalSantiago Gonzálezwho served under Barrios during the Battle of Coatepeque.[5]Salvadoran conservative politicians, such asFrancisco Dueñas,also supported the Guatemalans.[5]
On 30 September, he began asiegeof the Salvadoran capital city,San Salvador.[5][6]Carrera ordered a cease fire from San Salvador to submit, and after a month of being sieged, the capital fell on 26 October.[5]Barrios fled the city and went east toSan Miguel,after which, Dueñas was declared President of El Salvador.[2][5][7]The fall of San Salvador marked the end of the war.[5]
Aftermath
[edit]Carrera died on 14 April 1865.[5]Barrios fled for exile inNicaraguabut he was arrested on 27 July 1865 and extradited to El Salvador.[5]He was court-martialed on 10 August and sentenced to death on 28 August.[5]Barrios was executed by afiring squadon 29 August 1865.[5]
See also
[edit]- Gerardo Barrios
- Nicaraguan-Salvadoran War,a related conflict
- Rafael Carrera
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijKuhn, Gary G. (1985). "Church and State Conflict in El Salvador as a Cause of Central American War in 1863".Journal of Church and State.27(3). Oxford University Press: 455–462.doi:10.1093/jcs/27.3.455.JSTOR23916318.
- ^ab"Presidentes de El Salvador - Capitán General Gerardo Barrios"[Presidents of El Salvador - Captain General Gerardo Barrios].Presidente Elías Antonio Saca El Salvador(in Spanish). Archived fromthe originalon 5 October 2007.Retrieved14 September2020.
- ^abcdBarrios, Gerardo (1864). "Manifesto of Don Gerardo Barrios: Captain General and President of the Republic of San Salvador: to his fellow citizens".Foreign and Commonwealth Office Collection:1–52.JSTOR60233738.
- ^abcGaceta Oficial.Vol. 11. Diario Oficial de El Salvador. 19 February 1963. p. 20.
- ^abcdefghijkLópez Vallecillos, Italo (1967).Gerardo Barrios y su Tiempo.Vol. 2. pp. 377–482.
- ^El Constitutional (7 November 1863)."El Constitutional – Periodico official del supremo gobierno"[The Constitutional – Official Periodical of the Supreme Government](PDF)(newspaper) (in Spanish). Vol. 1, no. 1. San Salvador: El Constitucional. pp. 1–8.
- ^"Presidentes de El Salvador - Licenciado Francisco Dueñas"[Presidents of El Salvador - Licenciado Francisco Dueñas].Presidente Elías Antonio Saca El Salvador(in Spanish). Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2007.Retrieved14 September2020.