San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-09-19

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1852, when he was sent to Spring
Hill college, Mobile, Alabama
United States Army, and remained
two years.
In 1854 he returned to his
his home in Coahuila and soon af.
ter he Joined the National guards
and was elected capelar and he
was sergeant of the company when
he was transferred to the regular
army, and appointed first lieu
tenant.
Soon after the "Liberal Party
were organized and took up arms
against the dictator Santa Anna,
he Joined them and fought with
them until they drove the tyrant
from power.
After Santa Anna was driven
from power and the Liberals took
charge of the reigns of government
and peace restored, he returned
with his regiment to his native
state full of hOnors. But he was
not permitted to remain long, for
there was a strong reactiOnary
party organized throughout the
republic, for the purpose of over
throwing the liberal party that
drove Santa Anna from power.
This reactionary party invited
the French Emperor, Napoleon the
III, to come to their assistance,
and they in return brought Maxi
milan over and installed him as
Emperor in the halls of MOntezu-
ma. AS soon as the French landed
on Mexican soil, Lieut.. Charles Of
fered his services, and was sent to
the front and rendered valuable
services to his fatherland. He took
part in many bloody battles, and
shed lustre on the Mexican arms
by his bravery and skill in hand
ling his men, and he bears on his
person the marks of the bullets.
Step by step he fought his way
up from the little corporal in the
National Guards to his present
passion of general in the regular
army.
When Gen. Porfirio Diaz, now
President of Mexico, took up arms
against President Sebastian Lerdo
de TejedO, Gen. Charles took sides
with DiaZ and rendered him valu-
able services in that campaign.
Soon after President Diaz was
inaugUrated he selected General
Charles to Orgaize the "Rurals" or
the custom house guards, for the
purpose of stamping out the
smuggling that was carried on
along the border from Lower Cali
fOrnia to the mouth of the Rio
Grande and down the Gulf coast to
TampicO, which he did. Those
guards are known as being the
most efficient body of men in the
employ of the government.
On account Of his long and faith
full services to the Liberal party
which had done so much towards
the establishment of a stable gov
eminent in Mexico, he was grant
ed an indefinite leave of absence
with full pay to go home for the
purpose of looking after his pri-
vate business which had been
neglected while fighting the for
eign invaders and their allies, the
"reactionary" or church party.
As his parents We're well to do,
he inherited considerable property
from them, and by judicial invest
ments he added to this, so that he
is now one of the largest planters
and stock raisers in the state of
COahuila.
General Charles has not only
been a successful soldier but he
has also been successful eXecu-
tive officer. He served his state as
governor four years. While govern
or he introduced many reforms in
the administration of state affairs,
and inaugurated internal improve
ments. 1t was while he was gov
ernOr that the rich silver and lead
mines were discovered in the Sier-
"a MOiada. He caused the district
to be surveyed, titles to mines con-
firmed, and the town of Ser
"a Mojada laid out, incorporated
and civil government established.
Gen. Jipolito Charles is about
medium hight, compactly built,
fair complexion, nervous tempera-
ment, black hair, iron-gray beard
and moustache and dark eyes, that
sparkle like diamonds when he is
engaged in a lively conversation.
He is active, full of energy, and
although he has passed his fifty
seventh mile post he is as wiry as
man of twenty-five years.
The General speaks Spanish and
English fluently and he is very
popular with the Mexicans and