Santos Benavides
Santos Benavides was a prominent Mexican American figure born in Laredo, Texas, in 1823, into a wealthy and influential family. His father, José Jesús Benavides, was a captain in the Mexican army, and the family's legacy was bolstered by his uncle, Basilio Benavides, a noted local leader. Benavides's early life was marked by the turbulent political landscape of Texas, particularly during the Mexican Federalist-Centralist wars, where he fought for the Federalists. In the years leading up to the Civil War, he became involved in local politics, serving as mayor of Laredo and later as chief justice of Webb County.
As Texas seceded from the Union, Benavides aligned with the Confederacy, advocating for states' rights and leading the Thirty-third Texas Cavalry. He gained recognition for his military leadership, particularly during the Battle of Carrizo, where he achieved significant victories. After the Civil War, he continued his civic engagement, serving in various political roles and promoting regional independence. Benavides is remembered as a charismatic leader who navigated the complexities of a changing Texas and left a lasting impact on South Texas's identity, living under five different flags throughout his life. He passed away in 1891 in Laredo, leaving behind a legacy as a respected figure in both Mexican and American history.
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Subject Terms
Santos Benavides
Military leader, entrepreneur, and politician
- Born: November 1, 1823
- Birthplace: Laredo, Texas
- Died: November 9, 1891
- Place of death: Laredo, Texas
As a colonel, Benavides was the highest ranking Tejano soldier in the Confederacy during the American Civil War. He also is known for facilitating the shipment of Texas cotton along the Rio Grande and into Matamoros, Mexico. During Reconstruction, he was a successful merchant, rancher, and politician.
Early Life
Santos Benavides (behn-ah-VEE-dehs) was born in the border city of Laredo, Texas, to a prominent family. The family’s wealth and influence is mainly attributed to Basilio Benavides, a wealthy uncle who was elected three times as the alcalde (local administrator or magistrate) under Mexican rule, then mayor and state representative after the annexation of Texas.
Benavides’s father, José Jesús Benavides, was a captain in the Mexican army and moved to Laredo to command his company of military men. There he met Margarita Ramón, a granddaughter of Tomas Sanchez, the founder of Laredo. José Jesús and Margarita had two sons, Refugio and Santos. After Margarita died, José Jesús married Tomasa Cameras. Together they had four children, Eulalio, Cristóbal, Juliana, and Francisca.
On March 2, 1836, Texas declared independence from Mexico. Texas became known as the Republic of Texas after the Battle of San Jacinto in April of that year. As a young man in 1838 to 1840, Benavides fought in the Mexican Federalist-Centralist wars. He supported the Federalists, who wrested control from the Centralists of Mexico.
In 1842, Benavides married Augustina Villareal, and eventually they adopted four children.The ensuing years were tumultuous in Texas with the annexation of the state, its secession, and the Civil War.
Life’s Work
Mexico did not recognize the annexation of Texas, which occurred in December, 1845, for three years. Benavides and his brothers likewise rejected the annexation, fearing that the character of the northern region of Mexico would be compromised. In 1856 and 1857, Benavides was elected mayor of Laredo. In 1859, he was elected chief justice of Webb County. After the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, followed by Texas. Benavides and his brothers Refugio and Cristóbal supported the Confederacy at that time because of their belief in states’ rights.
Benavides rejected an offer to be general in the Union army. In the spring of 1861, he was made a captain in the Thirty-third Texas Cavalry (also known as Benavides’s Regiment) and assigned to the Rio Grande military district, where he gained much of his fame as a military leader. Landowners and merchants supported the Confederacy but the poor supported Juan Cortina, a kind of Robin Hood figure in the area. In May, 1861, in the famed Battle of Carrizo, Benavides successfully drove Cortina into Mexico. The Thirty-third Regiment was ill-equipped and often lacked provisions. Even so, they were undefeated in battle under Benavides, who in 1863 was promoted to the rank of colonel. In 1864, Benavides led two dozen men against the Union First Texas Cavalry and Colonel Edmund J. Davis, the man who had offered Benavides a place in the Union army as general.
During Reconstruction, Benavides remained active as a civic leader. Even with the Union occupation of Brownsville in 1864, he helped facilitate the passage of Texas cotton into Matamoros, Mexico. He returned to ranching and politics with his brother Cristóbal. His interest in maintaining states’ rights and regional independence never wavered.
After the Civil War, Benavides served as an alderman in Laredo in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth state Legislatures. He was the Texas delegate to the World Cotton Exposition in 1884. Benavides died on November 9, 1891, at his home in Laredo.
Significance
Known for a gentle nature but also a restless spirit, Benavides was a charismatic and effective leader who did much to maintain the character of the South Texas region. He was respected by friends and foes alike. A legend in his own time, he earned a record of unqualified success in defending the border region. As the highest-ranking Mexican American in the Confederacy during the Civil War, he lived under five flags: the Republic of Mexico, Republic of the Rio Grande, Republic of Texas, the United States, and the Confederacy. Even under such disparate rule for his entire life, his belief in regional independence helped shape the region for generations to come.
Bibliography
Adams, John A. Conflict and Commerce on the Rio Grande: Laredo, 1755-1955. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008. Discusses Benavides’s influence on the politics and economy of the Laredo area.
Thompson, Jerry Don. Cortina: Defending the Mexican Name in Texas. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2007. Thompson is arguably the foremost expert on the Civil War soldiers of South Texas.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Vaqueros in Blue and Gray. Austin, Tex.: State House Press, 2000. An important work offering a clear and thorough explanation of the saga of South Texas during 1800’s.