La Historia de la Derrota y Muerte del General
Luis Carton
Written by: Marciano Silva
Performed by: Honorio Abundez
January 19, 1984
Noble patriota que en las montañas El hombre idiota de mala saña De un pueblo junto la heroica Cuautla, ¡Que viva Huerta, muera Zapata! Sin duda tú fuiste para Huerta Pero Zapata, que estaba alerta, Hubo una junta en San Pablo Hidalgo Estando el jefe y muchos soldados En Chilpancingo, según se dice, Y se creían que eran muy felices Así gritaban los pobres Juanes, "--¡Muera Zapata! ¡No crean que gane El general Encarnación Díaz Los zapatistas todos decían: Ya derrotados los cartonistas Pero abusados los zapatistas Todos corriendo por el camino Cartón tiraba tras del incendio, Ya había pisado según, la raya, -- "No crea usted jefe que yo me vaya -- "Vaya a enterrarlo --Maya le dijo, Y él al verlo con ojos fijos "Mi general, mi alma está muy grata, -- "¿Usted es Cartón, el jefe de Cuautla?" -- "Mi general quiero me conceda -- "Luego yo mismo les haré guerra -- "Está muy bueno lo que usted dice -- "Ya me despido, me voy sereno, Y ya de acuerdo los generales No le hacían caso a sus hablales Rompió la aurora del nuevo día Si no era cárcel donde exestía, Llegando un jefe con voz muy fuerte: Se llegó al punto donde la muerte -- "Mi general, me dijo Zapata -- "Pues de antemano traigo una carta -- "Si siempre muero yo ya he cumplido -- "Fórmenle cuadro, vénganse cinco, Se oyó el descargue de muchas armas Quinientos hombres en la campaña Se vino el jefe para Morelos Se vino Olea también de miedo, Ya me despido suidá de Iguala, ¡Que muera Huerta en mala hora, |
Noble patriot of the mountains The stupid man of viciousness From a town close to the heroic Cuautla Long live Huerta! Die Zapata! Without doubt you were for Huerta But Zapata who was on alert There was a meeting in San Pablo Hidalgo The boss and many soldiers were there In Chilpancigo, according to what is said And they thought they were very happy Thus, the poor Johns were shouting --! Die Zapata! They dont believe you can
win The General Encarnación Díaz All the Zapatistas said: The Cartonistas are already defeated But the abused Zapatistas Everyone was running for the road Cartón was throwing fire behind him He had already crossed the line --Dont believe the boss that I am going to --Maya told him, Go, bury him, And seeing him with fixed eyes My general, my soul is very thankful --Are you Cartón, the boss of Cuautla?
--My general, I want you to grant me
--What you say is very good --Already I leave myself, I go away calmly The generals all agreed, They did not see the purpose of his ramblings The dawn of a new day broke If he werent in jail The boss arrived with a very strong voice, He arrived at the point where death --My general, Zapata told me --With me I bring a letter --Anyways, if I die, then I have fulfilled --Come four, come five (speaking to the firing squad)
The discharge of many guns was heard 500 men in the countryside The boss came to Morelos Olea also came out of fear I already take leave of Iguala Death to Huerta in the bad hour |
La Historia de la Derrota y Muerte del General Luis Cartón:
The corrido La Historia de la Derrota y Muerte del General Luis Cartón
is celebrated as one of the finest heroic corridos of the Zapatista
movement. Lasting just under 20 minutes in duration the corrido chronicles Zapatas
victory at Chilpancigo and subsequent capture and execution of nemesis General
Luis G. Cartón. Furthermore, author Marciano Silva is widely considered
Zapatistas premier corridista.
Prior to his role in Chilpancigo, Cartón was a Colonel under the direction
of Robles, and was often sent by his general to burn municipal seats such as
Yecapixtla, Xochitepec and other cities in Zapatas home state of Morelos.
During these burning campaigns, Cartón often arrested women and children,
and took them as hostages, including Zapatas mother-in-law and four of
her daughters (Womack, 173). Thus, as early as 1912 we see a clear development
of animosity between the two Revolutionary leaders. Furthermore, Cartóns
ascent to prominence was more a result of luck than honest accomplishment. While
pillaging through Morelos, Cartón is said to have discovered Zapatista
archives and a cache of forty thousand rifles with ammunition, neither of which
was ever produced. However, Cartóns proclamation prompted news
sources to write, Zapatas hordes have today been completely destroyed,
and, the Morelos campaign has concluded (Womack, 175). Thus, despite
the questionable legitimacy of these comments Cartón was appointed General.
On March 23, 1914 the two men met at the fall of Chilpancigo. Over 5,000
rebels - including 2,000 Morelos Zapatistas and a congeries of Guerrero forces
captained by Salgado - attacked Chilpancigo, drove the Federal garrison of 1,400
from the state capital and pursued them to destruction (Knight vol.#2,
149). In describing the onslaught, Womack quotes a wire sent from Acapulco to
Washington, The fall of Chilpancigo was the result of the most decisive
action yet fought in this region (Womack, 182). With his officers, over
six hundred troops, and many supplies Cartón escaped along the road to
Acapulco, but finally surrendered 40 miles south at El Rincón. (Womack,
182). Those many conscripts who surrendered were allowed to go free and,
as in the north, many at once joined the revolutionaries (Knight vol.
#2, 149). But Zapata ruled that the officers be court martialed, sentenced to
death and executed. On April 6 General Cartón was shot in Chilpancigos
public square (Womack, 182).
Thus we see that Zapatas apparent deceit was the product of deeply rooted
disdain and not representative of a disloyal figure. Consequently, La
Historia de la Derrota y Muerte del General Luis Cartón is still
regarded as a foremost example of the heroic corridos of the Zapatista
movement.