Benjamín G. Hill

Gen. Benjamín Hill (born 31 March 1874, Choix, Sinaloa, – died 14 December 1920, Mexico City) was a military commander during the Mexican Revolution.

Benjamín G. Hill
Born	31 March 1874 Choix, Sinaloa
Died	14 December 1920 (aged 46) Mexico City
Allegiance	Constitutionalist Army, Mexican Army
Years of service	1910 – 1920
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Mexican Revolution
Other work	Governor of Sonora, Secretary of National Defence

Career

Following the call of Francisco I. Madero he joined the revolution in 1910. He was briefly imprisoned in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, during 1911. Following his release, he took up arms and raised a volunteer army that took Navojoa and was marching on Álamos when the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez was signed.

In 1912, he fought against the rebellion led by Pascual Orozco and, following the 1913 coup d'état of Victoriano Huerta, he joined the northwestern corps of the Constitutionalist Army, which would ultimately be commanded by Gen. Álvaro Obregón, alongside whom he fought in the campaigns against Francisco "Pancho" Villa in the Bajío. He served as Governor of Sonora from August 1914 until January 1915.

Following the victory of Venustiano Carranza he was promoted to Divisional General. In 1920 he was one of the main proponents of the Plan of Agua Prieta, fighting in the military rebellions that ensued. When Obregón assumed the presidency on 1 December 1920, he appointed Hill as his Secretary of War and the Navy. He was seen as a potential presidential successor to Obregón, which brought him into conflict with Interior Secretary Plutarco Elías Calles.

Death and legacy

In 1920, Hill died at age 46 under suspicious circumstances after attending a luncheon; poisoning, at the hands of Calles, has often been suspected.

The town of Benjamín Hill, Sonora, was named in his honour.