Miles Mackenzie

Texas History 7

4/6/16

Period 8
Juan Almonte Biography

There were many heroes and characters in the Texas Revolution. Many of the more
renowned characters include Santa Anna, Davy Crockett, William B. Travis, Sam Houston, and
Jim Bowie. There was one man though who is less known by the general population. This man is
Juan Almonte.
Born on May 15, 1803 in the town of Nocuptaro, Juan Almonte became an illegitimate
child of the Spanish priest, Jos Mara Morelos y Pavon, and Brgida Almonte, an Indian. What
type of child Almonte was and who his parents were impacted Almonte throughout his life. Since
Juan Almonte was the son of an Indian mother, he often confronted insults from other
government officials by means of being made to feel minor to those insulting him. Fortunately,
unlike many other parents of illegitimate children, Almonte's father still treasured and loved
Almonte. At the age of eleven, Juan Almonte was already beginning to experience the duties of
being in an army. He started off as a colonel but his father felt that Almonte should be able to
experience a better rank and was promoted to brigadier general. During the time of Mexico's
Independence from Spain, Juan Almonte was involved in fifteen actions, two assaults, and one
siege.
On November 1, 1815, Juan Almonte at the age of twelve was sent to New Orleans,
Louisiana. Almonte was sent to New Orleans, by his father, along with Pedro Ellis Bean, to make
sure that he arrived safely and could receive an education that would be difficult to find during
Mexico's Independence from Spain. When he was in Louisiana, Almonte learned many subjects
like reading, writing, math, English, and business through the work as an apprentice in a business
firm.
Since Almonte was able to speak fluent English after living in New Orleans, when he
returned to Mexico he was used as a diplomat. In March 1824 at the age of twenty-one, Almonte
and Ambassador Jos Mariano Michelena went to Great Britain to establish a treaty of commerce
and amity. Also, while in Great Britain Almonte was told to obtain weapons and bring them back
to Mexico. Ambassador Jos Mariano Michelena was so impressed with Almonte's work in Great
Britain that he trusted Almonte to bring back information about Mexico's treaty and the weapons
from London. Later in 1833, the Mexican government wanted to find out if the Texans were
planning to rebel or just to stay in peace and harmony with the government. Since Juan Almonte
had visited Texas in 1812 and spoke fluent English, the government sent him to find the answers
they were looking for.
Even though Almonte had served the Mexican government as a diplomat and served in
the military, Almonte sometimes caused trouble for the government. In 1830, Almonte was the
editor of a newspaper called El Atleta, where he wrote against President Bustamante's choice for
allowing foreign intervention in Mexico. This statement then caused the government to come
after Almonte where he responded in hiding.

In 1835 Juan Almonte agreed to something that was different from his usual kind and
gentle nature. During this time, supporters of Texas were coming from the United States to Texas
to deliver weapons and other military supplies. In order to stop this sudden mass of incoming
population, Santa Anna, Jos Mara Tornel, and Juan Almonte agreed on the conclusion that in
order to prevent this from further continuing they must kill all foreigners who have any sort of
weapons on them or had given weapons to the Texans.
Along with being a diplomat, Juan Almonte also served under Santa Anna as a secretary,
confidential adviser, and a general. Almonte, also known for his experience in the military,
served beside Santa Anna during both the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. At
the Battle of the Alamo, Almonte served as Santa Anna's chief adviser but he is known for saving
Susanna Dickinson, a survivor of the Alamo, as well as her daughter, Angelina Dickinson.
Almonte was able to persuade Santa Anna to let Susanna Dickinson, who was described as a
young, beautiful lady, to go instead of being brought back to Mexico to be one of Santa Anna's
mistresses. During the Battle of San Jacinto, Juan Almonte and his 250 men surrendered to the
Texans after the quick eighteen minute Mexican loss. As Almonte and his men were marching
back to the Texans' camp, Almonte fell out of order. In doing so, a Texan soldier yelled at him to
get back in line. A man named Thomas Jefferson Rusk noticed that Almonte was able to
understand their English quite well. Having heard about Juan Almonte from Peter Ellis Bean,
Rusk decided that this must be him. Rusk then went up to greet him and in return received a
reply. As Almonte and his men continued to march back to camp, he and Rusk continued to talk
as if they were long lost friends. Almonte also talked to many guards at the camp and Rusk said
that Almonte's kind manner caused the guards to be less harsh on the Mexican prisoners. Once
the Treaties of Velasco were signed, Santa Anna and Almonte went onboard the Invincible on
June 1, 1836 and returned to Mexico.
After his return to Mexico, Almonte continued to assume positions in the Mexican
government as well as in foreign countries. In 1840, Almonte became the Minister of War with
Anastacio Bustamante as president. This became controversial because when Bustamante lost his
power Almonte left his position as Minister of War. This caused much of Almonte's salary not to
have been paid and he ended up giving lectures in order to support himself financially. Once
Bustamante left his position, Santa Anna later returned and gave Almonte the job of Minister to
the United States. Over a period of ten years, Almonte assumed jobs as minister to different
foreign countries. In 1846, Almonte became the Minister to Great Britain. In 1853, he returned to
his original position as Minister to the United States and in 1856 he returned back to being the
Minister to Great Britain. Six years later in 1862, Almonte became the supreme chief of Mexico.
Unlike how he felt in 1830 about President Bustamante's decision to allow foreign intervention
in Mexico, during this time Almonte supported the help Europe provided to Mexico.
On March 21, 1869, Juan Almonte died in Paris while he was an envoy to France.
Through his life he was a well sought-after character who made many personal relationships with
foreigners and other foreign countries. He was known for having a polite, intelligent, and kind
manner towards others.
Almonte, though a less known character today, had a great reputation for being a smart
and kind man among the characters in the Texas Revolution including Stephen F. Austin who

considered Almonte a friend to the Texans. With his certain character, Mexico was able to form a
treaty with Great Britain, find out information about Texans and their views on the Mexican
government, and in the process formed personal relations with Texans who he later met during
his capture at the Battle of San Jacinto. Through his whole life, Almonte put all his energy into
serving his country of Mexico and even though sometimes caused some trouble in the
government, he served Mexico as a loyal and brave citizen would.