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
Fuiste del pueblo la admiración,
Cuando escondido entre las cabañas
Se oía feroz el rugir del cañón.

El hombre idiota de mala saña
Que fue el temible Luis G. Cartón,
Tirano fue de malas entrañas,
Pagaste todo en esta ocasión.

De un pueblo junto la heroica Cuautla,
Que distinguía tu falsedad,
Cuando salvaje bajaste a Cuautla
Acostumbrado siempre a quemar.

¡Que viva Huerta, muera Zapata!
Decían tus Juanes sin vacilar,
Que un pueblo junto, esa es la patria
Ycon tus armas debe ganar.

Sin duda tú fuiste para Huerta
Un hombre raro en esa ocasión;
Tuvo razón y noticia cierta
Que al sur bajabas sin dilación.

Pero Zapata, que estaba alerta,
Mirando siempre al usurpador;
Tal vez pensabas que a la revuelta
Lo acabarías con tu batallón.

Hubo una junta en San Pablo Hidalgo
De varios jefes en esa vez,
De allí se fueron al Pozo Colorado,
Donde en un antes era cuartel.

Estando el jefe y muchos soldados
Que se encontraban en esa vez,
De allí se fueron para otro lado
Donde en un antes yo explicaré.

En Chilpancingo, según se dice,
Los generales se creían rey,
Que fue Cartón, Ponciano Benítez
Yel conocido Juan Poloney.

Y se creían que eran muy felices
Y que soplaban mayor que un fuei
Y los pelones esos Benítez, decían:
"¡Bandidos, vengan a comer buey!"

Así gritaban los pobres Juanes,
Sobre las casas de la suidá
"--¡Rompiendo el fuego todos iguales!"
Cartón gritaba con vanidad.

"--¡Muera Zapata! ¡No crean que gane
Porque no tiene capacidad!
¡Que viva Huerta! Porque él sí sabe
Regir un pueblo y gobernar."

El general Encarnación Díaz
Rumbo a la plaza se dirigió,
Mientras Vicario veloz corría
Para salir de la población.

Los zapatistas todos decían:
"--¡Alto ahí, quien vive!" sólo se oyó,
Yellos decían "¡Viva Chón Díaz!"
Ypor engaños así salió.

Ya derrotados los cartonistas
El sitio aquel querían romper,
Con sus cañones y dinamitas,
Para Acapulco querían correr.

Pero abusados los zapatistas
Que se encontraban en esa vez,
Ya de antemano estaban listas
Todas las tropas a acometer.

Todos corriendo por el camino
Haciendo fuego sin descansar,
Logró la empresa y el cruel destino
Ya los traidores debe esperar.

Cartón tiraba tras del incendio,
Se aparapeta en un tecorral;
Llegó el instante, y llegó el momento
Que los deudores deben pagar.

Ya había pisado según, la raya,
Que en esa guerra preso cayó,
Quedando en manos de Ignacio Maya
A quien su espada luego entregó.

-- "No crea usted jefe que yo me vaya
S ólo le pido me haga un favor,
Que entierre a mi hijo que en la campaña
Hace un momento muerto cayó."

-- "Vaya a enterrarlo --Maya le dijo,
Permiso tiene en esta ocasión,
Yluego que dé sepulcro a su hijo,
Vamos a hacer su presentación."

Y él al verlo con ojos fijos
Luego le dijo "Moriré yo;
Pobre sepulcro hoy te prodigo,
Yo soy tu padre, adiós hijo, adiós."

"Mi general, mi alma está muy grata,
Benevolencia siempre esperé,
Yo quiero ver al jefe Zapata,
Que conocerlo siempre yo ansié."

-- "¿Usted es Cartón, el jefe de Cuautla?"
-- "Mi general, no lo negaré."
-- "Pues sepa usted que yo soy Zapata
Que por los montes buscaba usted."

-- "Mi general quiero me conceda
En el momento mi libertad,
Quiero ir al pueblo y hasta que pueda
Pedir más armas y aparentar."

-- "Luego yo mismo les haré guerra
Ycon empuje podré ganar,
Ycuando sepa que por mí queda
La suidadela y la capital."

-- "Está muy bueno lo que usted dice
Que un nuevo plan que usted pensó,
Mañana libre lo dejaremos
Yya de acuerdo estaré yo."

-- "Ya me despido, me voy sereno,
Muy satisfecho de su razón;"
-- "General Díaz, llévelo al pueblo
Mañana libre sale Cartón."

Y ya de acuerdo los generales
Lo internaron en la prisión
Y él les decía: --"Si son legales,
Quiero que tengan buena intención."

No le hacían caso a sus hablales
Pues que él mismo les invocó.
-- "Mi centinela, favor de hablale,
D ígale al jefe que le hablo yo."

Rompió la aurora del nuevo día
En que esperaba salir Cartón,
Ya sus guardias él les decía:
-- "Ya no me tengan en la prisión."

Si no era cárcel donde exestía,
Estaba lejos de la versión,
Ylos soldados bien que reían
De lo ocurrido en la ocasión.

Llegando un jefe con voz muy fuerte:
-- "Salga usted afuera señor Cartón,
Vamos marchando rumbo al Oeste
Que así lo exige su situación."

Se llegó al punto donde la muerte
Ya lo esperaba sin dilación,
Así lo exige su infausta suerte
Ymorirá sin vacilación.

-- "Mi general, me dijo Zapata
Que se me diera mi libertad,
Pues yo he ofrecido que por mi patria
La vida diera, es la verdad."

-- "Pues de antemano traigo una carta
Que él me ha mandado con brevedad,
De que usted muera y que se cumplan
Las duras leyes de autoridad."

-- "Si siempre muero yo ya he cumplido
Con los deberes de mi misión."
-- "Párese al frente, que hay cinco tiros
Para el descanso de su intención."

-- "Fórmenle cuadro, vénganse cinco,
Preparen armas sin dilación.
¡Vivan las fuerzas de Chilpancingo!
¡Que muera Huerta! ¡También Cartón!"

Se oyó el descargue de muchas armas
Cuando Cartón dejó de exestir,
También Benítez muy de mañana
Le había tocado ya sucumbir.

Quinientos hombres en la campaña
Se han avanzado todos al fin,
Les dieron libre en las montañas
Porque a sus tierras se querían ir.

Se vino el jefe para Morelos
Aver las fuerzas de su región,
Ya pocos días quedó Guerrero
Sin fuerzas de la Federación.

Se vino Olea también de miedo,
De que decían "Ahí viene Chón,"
Apocos días quedó Guerrero
Sin fuerzas de la Federación.

Ya me despido suidá de Iguala,
Cuautla, Morelos, feliz unión.
Digan que viva el Plan de Ayala
Yel jefe de la Revolución.

¡Que muera Huerta en mala hora,
Ylos que fueron de su opinión!
¡Muera Carranza, porque no cumple
Con los deberes de la Revolución!

 

Noble patriot of the mountains
You were the admiration of the people
When hidden among the cabins
The ferocious roar of the canon was heard.

The stupid man of viciousness
Who was the fearsome Luis G. Cartón
The tyrant of horrible disposition
You paid everything on this occasion.

From a town close to the heroic Cuautla
They made out your falsity
When you savagely came down to Cuautla
Always accustomed to burning.

Long live Huerta! Die Zapata!
Said your Johns (followers) without wavering
That as united people in this mother country
And your weapons we ought to win.

Without doubt you were for Huerta
An unusual man in that sense
He was right and had truthful news
That you were coming down from the South without delay.

But Zapata who was on alert
Always looking at the usurper
Perhaps you were thinking that at the revolt
You would end it all with your battalion.

There was a meeting in San Pablo Hidalgo
With various bosses of that time
From there they went to Pozo Colorado
Where soldiers have previously been quartered.

The boss and many soldiers were there
They found themselves in this time
From there they went in another direction
Where, in a moment I will explain.

In Chilpancigo, according to what is said
The generals thought they were kings
It was Cartón, Ponciano Benítez
And the well known John Poloney.

And they thought they were very happy
And that they could blow stronger than a mighty wind
And those stupid Benítez followers were saying:
“! Bandits, come and eat steer!”

Thus, the poor Johns were shouting
About the houses of the city,
--“! All of you open fire at the same time!”
Cartón shouted arrogantly.

--“! Die Zapata! They don’t believe you can win
Because you don’t have the ability
! Long live Huerta! Because he knows
How to lead and govern the people.”

The General Encarnación Díaz
He sauntered to the place he managed
While the viceroy was running quickly
In order to leave the town.

All the Zapatistas said:
--“! Stop he who lives there!” but that was all he heard
And they said, “! Long live Chón Díaz”
And by deception that is the way it turned out.

The Cartonistas are already defeated
They wanted break up the Zapatistas surrounding them
With their canons and dynamite
And then they wanted to run to Acapulco.

But the abused Zapatistas
That were there at the time
They were already prepared beforehand
To undertake all the troops.

Everyone was running for the road
Setting fire without resting
They achieved their goal, and the cruel destiny
That the traitors must expect.

Cartón was throwing fire behind him
Trying to protect himself in a corral-like wall of fire
The moment and the instant he arrived
The indebted ones would pay their debt.

He had already crossed the line
In this war he fell prisoner
Remaining in the hands of Ignacio Maya
To whom his sword he then surrendered.

--Don’t believe the boss that I am going to
I only request that you do me a favor
That I may bury my son in the countryside
Who fell dead only a moment ago.

--Maya told him, “Go, bury him,
You have permission on this occasion
After you bury your son
We are going to make your presentation.”

And seeing him with fixed eyes
He then said, “I’m going to die;
Poor burial place I lavish today
I am your father, goodbye son, goodbye.”

“My general, my soul is very thankful
I always hoped for benevolence
I want to see the boss, Zapata
I always yearned to meet him.”

--“Are you Cartón, the boss of Cuautla?”
--“My general, I am not going to deny it
--May you know that I am Zapata
Who was looking for you throughout the mountains.”

--“My general, I want you to grant me
My freedom at this moment
I want to go to the town for as long as I can
To get more arms and make it appear as though I’m still fighting you.


--Then I am going to wage a war against you
And with dent I will be able to win
And when I know that through me
You will maintain control of the little city and the capital.”

--“What you say is very good
The new plan you are thinking about
Tomorrow we are going to let you go free
And I will be in agreement with that.”

--“Already I leave myself, I go away calmly
Very satisfied with your reason
--General Díaz, take him to the town
Tomorrow Cartón will be free.”

The generals all agreed,
They put him in the prison
And he told them, “If they are legal,
I hope that they are good intentions.”

They did not see the purpose of his ramblings
Then he invoked them,
--“My sentry, do me the favor of telling him,
Tell the boss am I am talking to him.”

The dawn of a new day broke
In which Cartón was hoping to leave
And to his guards he told them,
--“Don’t think I’m still in prison.”

If he weren’t in jail
It was far from the truth
And the good soldiers were laughing
About what happened on that occasion.

The boss arrived with a very strong voice,
--“Go outside Mr. Cartón
We are marching in a westward direction
Because that is what your situation demands.”

He arrived at the point where death
Was already waiting without delay
That is what his fatal luck demands
That he is going to die without hesitation.

--“My general,” Zapata told me
“My freedom would be given
Because I have offered that for my mother country
I will give my life and that’s the truth.”

--“With me I bring a letter
That he has sent quickly
That you would die
According to the hard rules of authority.”

--Anyways, if I die, then I have fulfilled
The duties of my mission
Stop at the front, there are five bullets
For the resting of your intention.

--Come four, come five (speaking to the firing squad)
Prepare arms without delay
Long live the forces of Chilpancigo
Die Huerta and also Cartón!

The discharge of many guns was heard
When Cartón stopped existing
Also Benítez, early in the morning,
He had already suffered and succumbed.

500 men in the countryside
All have advanced to the end
They were freed in the mountains
Because to their lands they wanted to return.

The boss came to Morelos
To see the forces of his region
And in a few days Guerrero was left
Without the forces of the Federation.

Olea also came out of fear
Because they said, “Here comes Chón.”
In a few days Guerrero was left
Without the forces of the Federation.

I already take leave of Iguala
Cuautla, Morelos a happy union
They said long live the Plan de Ayala
And the head of the Revolution!

Death to Huerta in the bad hour
And those that were of this opinion
Death to Carranza because he didn’t fulfill
The duties of the Revolution!
 

 

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 Zapata’s’ victory at Chilpancigo and subsequent capture and execution of nemesis General Luis G. Cartón. Furthermore, author Marciano Silva is widely considered Zapatista’s 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 Zapata’s home state of Morelos. During these burning campaigns, Cartón often arrested women and children, and took them as hostages, including Zapata’s 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, Cartón’s 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, Cartón’s proclamation prompted news sources to write, “Zapata’s 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 Chilpancigo’s public square (Womack, 182).
Thus we see that Zapata’s 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.

 

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