An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

María Josefa Fernández Silguero de Valest

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Unknown

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
From Mompós, Colombia, she was the sister of Inés Fernández Silguero, married to Coronel Nicolás Valest.

In January 1811 she offered to make tacos out of her sons´ heads for the independence troops. Monsalve states this was a gesture rather than a firm offer but it indicates this woman's revolutionary fervour. In 1815 she and her sister were imprisoned in Cartagena by Morrillo. They both emigrated to Jamaica with their husbands, but were both widowed there (their husbands were both weakened serving the independence cause). The sisters returned to Mompóx where they died impoverished. (Monsalve, 107)

She, her husband and several of their young children were among those who fled the royalists at Cartagena in 1815. (Monsalve, 127)

She married Nicolás Valest and the pair became very strong patriots. She fought alongside her husband at Cartagena. They fled to Jamaica following the defeat and Valest died here in 1816. She returned to Mompós with her many children after independence and unsuccessfully applied for a pension claiming that she had given her wealth to the independence cause. (P. Forero, 72-73)

References:

Forero, Paulo E. (1972) Las heroinas olvidadas de la independencia
Monsalve, José D (1926) Mujeres de la independencia