MAY 5 - Cinco de Mayo, fingerprints, and the execution of an Irish republican

On this day in 1862, the outnumbered Mexican Army defeated the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza. This victory was a boost to the moral of the Mexican forces. A year later, a larger French force defeated General Zaragoza at the Second Battle of Puebla, and Mexico City subsequently fell to the invaders. From 1864 to 1867, the French ruled Mexico but on 5 June 1867, President Benito Juárex entered Mexico City and installed a new government. Today, this date is marked by the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexico’s independence day which is celebrated in September. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated as a national holiday, however public schools are closed and the day is observed as an official holiday in the State of Puebla and a full holiday in the neighboring State of Veracruz.

On this day in 1905, the trial of the Stratton brothers began in Great Britain. 18 days later brothers Alfred Edward Stratton and Albert Ernest Stratton were both executed at 9 am at HM Prison Wandsworth. They were the first men to be convicted in Great Britain for murder based on fingerprint evidence.

On this day day in 1916, John MacBride was the 5th Irish republican and military leader to be executed by British forces for his role in Easter Rising. MacBride was born 7 May 1868 in County Mayo, Ireland to Patrick and Honoria MacBride. By his mid-20s MacBride had been termed a “dangerous nationalist” by the British government. In 1896, he emigrated to South Africa where he fought for the British in the Second Anglo-Boer War. In 1903, he married Maud Gonne with whom he had 1 son whom he never saw again after separating from his wife in 1905. Due to him being so well-known to the British, he was kept out of the secret military group planning the Rising, it wasn’t until the morning of Easter Monday when he saw Thomas MacDonagh leading his troops that he joined the Rising. After the surrender he was arrested and court-martial. He was executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Gaol, 2 days before his 48th birthday.

#history #onthisdayinhistory #onthisday #diedonthisday #mexico #mexicanhistory #northamerica #northamericanhistory #france #frenchhistory #militaryhistory #greatbritain #britishhistory #forensichistory #Ireland #irishhistory #irishindependence #easterrising