Jesús González Ortega

Ortega was born on January 20, 1822 in San Mateo, in Valparaíso, Zacatecas, he moved his residence to the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he began his law studies, and for family reasons could not conclude. While still very young, he came to the town of San Juan Bautista of Teúl (today Teúl Gonzalez Ortega), where he served as a clerk at City Hall. Since his youth he was a fervent supporter of the Liberal Party.

General Jesus Gonzalez Ortega tomb located in the Panteón Civil de Dolores Cemetery in Mexico City.

Although González Ortega was not a career soldier, he was head of the army of President Juarez in 1860 and lead them to victory in the decisive battle of Calpulalpan. In March 1861, he was appointed Minister of War, but due to differences with some cabinet members, he resigned but remained in command of the division of Zacatecas. On August 8, 1861 the Battle of San Felipe del Obraje took place under his command. Following the 1861 murders of Melchor Ocampo, Santos Degollado and Leandro Valle, he returned to Mexico City and was appointed president of the Supreme Court of the Nation, a position that placed the holder as successor to the president of the republic.

When the French army invaded Mexico, the Eastern Army was in charge of General Ignacio Zaragoza, who defended the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862, González Ortega arrived in the city a day later. On the death of General Zaragoza, Jesús González Ortega was appointed by President Benito Juarez chief of the Eastern Army and laid siege to the remnants of the recently defeated French army at Orizaba. However, at the Battle of Cerro del Borrego, his army was routed and forced to retreat. He was instructed to defend the city of Puebla from the French army, now commanded by General Élie-Frédéric Forey again. On March 16, 1863, the French expeditionary army besieged the city, took place a battle that also generated heavy losses for both sides, the battle lasted two months, was on May 16 of that year when the Mexican army had no weapons or ammunition and their strength was sharply reduced by the harsh battle,[1] General Ortega ordered his army to surrender and later disperse giving up the capital in the process.

Ortega would play no crucial role in the war and would be put on the sidelines after the republicans eventually won. In early 1881, he received a letter of recognition from President Manuel González Flores, shortly after he died at his residence on January 28. His remains were transferred in April of that year to Mexico City, and deposited in the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres.[2]