A Rare 1840 Mexician Star For Santa Rita Morelos

Three-piece construction, silver gilt with white enamels, obverse centrepiece illustrating the Republican Mexican eagle in the centre, surrounded by the inscription "SANTA RITA MORELOS 1840.", reverse centrepiece inscribed "1840.", 33 mm x 33.7 mm, ring suspension, without ribbon, intact enamels, extremely fine.

Footnote: The Battle of Santa Rita de Morelos or Battle of Morelos (March 24-25, 1840) was between insurgents, under the command of General Antonio Canales, fighting for the Republic of the Rio Grande and the Centralists, under the command of General Mariano Arista, fighting for the First Mexican Republic. The result was a victory for the Centralists. Included in this defeat was the trial and execution of twenty-three members of the insurgents' cavalry, including Colonel Jose Antonio de Zapata, the commander of the cavalry, on March 29th. General Canales and the remaining insurgents that survived the Battle of Morelos sought refuge in San Antonio, Texas. Later that year, Canales organized an expedition back into Mexico, but the vanguard under the command of Samuel Jordan met with defeat at the hands of a Centralist force under General Rafael Vasquez near Saltillo. Jordan and his command retreated back into Texas and soon afterwards Canales capitulated to the Centralists. The Star for Santa Rita Morelos was awarded to the defenders of Santa Rita Morelos against the Texans (AKA Republic of the Rio Grande).