Born: 1865, Mexico
Died: Unknown
Country most active: Mexico
Also known as: NA
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Margarita Neri was one of the few women singled out during the Revolution. Born in Quintana Roo in 1865, Neri was a landowner prior to the Revolution. After she was abandoned by men during the fighting, Neri raised her own troops, numbering about 200 workers at the beginning and increasing to 1,000 in just two months. Her forces followed her because she could shoot and ride as well as any of them. She led her troops through Tabasco and Chiapas on looting raids, frightening the governor of Guerrero so thoroughly he fled in a shipping crate when he learned of her approach. Stories about her contradict each other, so it is hard to know what to believe. Eventually she was executed, but who gave the order and when it took place remains unknown.