A Heroine of Independence

In recent months I have been seeing quite a few tile plaques in the subway stations that commemorate events or people from Mexican history.

In the Pino Suárez station I saw this plaque honoring an historic figure I had never heard of..   Altagracia Mercado.

Mercado was born in the town of Huichapan in the state of Hidalgo.  When the War for Independence against Spain broke out, she used her own money to form a battalion which she herself trained and led into battle.  They won several battles against the Spanish Royalist troops.  However, in 1819 her battalion was defeated.  Her soldiers were killed or had scattered, but Mercado stood alone, continuing to fight.  The Spanish colonel was so impressed by her bravery that he commanded that she not be killed.  "Mujeres como ella no deben morir," he supposedly said.  "Women such as her should not die."  She was sent to Mexico City where she was sentenced to prison."

Her leadership and bravery were later used as an example as to why Mexican women should be granted the right to vote.