Joaquin de Arredondo, son of Nicolas de Arredondo, was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1768. In 1787 he entered the Royal Spanish Guards as a cadet, was commissioned in 1807 for his services in New Spain, and in 1810 was promoted to colonel and given command of the infantry regiment of Vera Cruz. Made military commandant of Huaxteca and governor of Nueva Santander in 1811, he was instrumental in suppressing the Miguel Hidalgo and Gachupin revolts in that province in 1812 and 1813 and was rewarded by the appointment as commandant of the eastern division of the Provincias Internas in 1813. Reinforced with new troops, he left for San Antonio and on August 18, 1813, defeated the rebels under José Alvarez de Toledo in the battle of the Medina River. Arredondo quickly cleared the province of insurgents, appointed Cristobal Dominguez, governor of Texas, and returned to Monterrey, where he continued in office until Mexican independence was recognized on July 1, 1821. After independence, Arredondo left Mexico for Cuba.