| Federal Army | |
|---|---|
| Ejército Federal | |
 | |
| Active | 1876–1914 |
| Disbanded | August 13, 1914 |
| Country |  Mexico |
| Allegiance | Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911) Francisco I. Madero (1911–1913) Victoriano Huerta (1913–1914) |
| Engagements | Mexican Revolution |
The Federal Army (Spanish: Ejército Federal), also known as the Federales (English: Federals) in popular culture, was the army of Mexico from 1876 to 1914 during the Porfiriato, the rule of President Porfirio Díaz, and during the presidencies of Francisco I. Madero and Victoriano Huerta. Under President Díaz, a military hero against the French Intervention in Mexico, the Federal Army was composed of senior officers who had served in long ago conflicts. At the time of the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution most were old men and incapable of leading men on the battlefield.[1] When the rebellions broke out against Díaz following fraudulent elections of 1910, the Federal Army was incapable of responding.[2]
Although revolutionary fighters helped bring Francisco I. Madero to power, Madero retained the Federal Army rather than the revolutionaries. Madero used the Federal Army to suppress rebellions against his government by Pascual Orozco and Emiliano Zapata. Madero placed General Victoriano Huerta as interim commander of the military during the Ten Tragic Days of February 1913 to defend his government. Huerta changed sides and ousted Madero's government. Rebellions broke out against Huerta's regime. When revolutionary armies succeeded in ousting Huerta in July 1914, the Federal Army ceased to exist as an entity, with the signing of the Teoloyucan Treaties.[3][4]
- ^ Knight, Alan (1990). The Mexican Revolution Volume 1. U of Nebraska Press. p. 18. ISBN 0-8032-7770-9.
- ^ Christon Archer, "Military, 1821-1914" in Encyclopedia of Mexico, vol. 2, p. 909. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn 1997.
- ^ Archer, "Military," p. 910.
- ^ Katz, Friedrich (1998). The Life and Times of Pancho Villa. Stanford University Press. p. 217. ISBN 0-8047-3046-6.