Benjamín G. Hill
A steadfast revolutionary commander, he was the loyal tactical counterpart to his cousin Álvaro Obregón during Mexico's bloody civil war.
1874–1920 (age 46)·Mexican general·Birthday: March 31·The Gilded Age
Biography
Benjamín G. Hill commanded troops at the 1915 Battle of Celaya, where Álvaro Obregón lost an arm defeating Pancho Villa's División del Norte. From Sonora, Hill was a kinsman and unwavering ally of Obregón, forming one of the revolution's most effective military partnerships. His cool competence complemented Obregón's strategic boldness. His loyal service earned him the somber nickname 'Obregón's lost right arm.' After the Constitutionalist victory, he held significant posts, including Secretary of War and Navy, tasked with stabilizing a shattered nation. His death in 1920, just as the violent decade of revolution closed, marked the end of a key figure in the faction that shaped modern Mexico.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Benjamín was born in 1874, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Benjamín Was Born
The biggest hits of 1874
Benjamín's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1874Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Started school
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Became a teenager
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Could drive
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1892Could vote
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Turned 21
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1904Turned 30
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1914Turned 40
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Died at 46
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
Key Achievements
- Served as a leading general under Álvaro Obregón during the Mexican Revolution, playing a key role in the Constitutionalist faction.
- Appointed Secretary of War and Navy in the post-revolutionary government of President Venustiano Carranza.
- Successfully governed his native state of Sonora during the turbulent revolutionary period.
Did You Know?
He was a cousin of revolutionary leader and later President Álvaro Obregón.
The town of Benjamin Hill in Sonora, Mexico, is named in his honor.
He died in 1920, the same year his cousin Obregón was elected president.
“The revolution is not made with roses; it is made with blood and iron.”
