382

Photographs of the surrender of Cristero rebels in Ameca.

Ameca, Mexico, May to July 1929
17 photographs (8 larger photographs on heavy stock, 4½ x 6½ inches; 6 smaller ones on heavy stock, 3½ x 4½ inches; and 3 on lighter stock, 5¾ x 3½ inches), all well captioned in manuscript on verso; light curling, minor soiling and wear.

Mexico's Cristero War was sparked when the federal government enforced restrictions on the Catholic Church. After two years of fighting and perhaps 250,000 deaths, a ceasefire was signed on 21 June 1929. Some pockets of rebels remained in the field. 9 of these photographs document the surrender of a group of 85 rebels a month after the ceasefire in the small city of Ameca, Jalisco, west of Guadalajara. 

Two of the larger photographs show groups of leaders from both sides, including city officials, "General Concepción Verdin, Rebel Commander," and "Rebel Commander Telesforo Preciado" (who stands out with his wide-brimmed hat and long neckerchief). Another wider view shows "one part of the 85 rebels that surrendered in Ameca to General M.Z. Martinez." One of the smaller photos shows a group including Preciado standing in front of a Buick. The other 5 smaller views show the rebels marching into Ameca's central plaza for the surrender.

These photographs come from the collection of Edward Seccomb Wallace (1897-1964), who served in World War One, graduated from Yale in 1920, taught history at Northeastern University and other schools, and wrote four books on southwestern history. He and his American friends Charles Hoyle and George M. McCormick appear in several of the photographs.

5 additional large photographs show the floats in Ameca's Flower Parade of 16 September 1929. The captions suggest Wallace was a bit grouchy that his float was not awarded first place: "It would not look good to give the 1st prize gold medal to the foreigners on the Mexican national holiday."  3 smaller photographs, captioned in a different hand, show Wallace and his American friends in Ameca on 29 May 1929.

With--a guest pass to the American Club of Guadalajara issued to Wallace in 23 May 1929; and an English-language flier promoting daily flights from Nuevo Laredo to Mexico City, circa 1929. 

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