[3] By 1854 he had the position of captain of the third light infantry belonging to the brigade under the orders of the conservative Félix Zuloaga, fighting against the Plan of Ayutla in the state of Guerrero.

[3] In April 1855, Arteaga was part of the light brigade in the liberal ranks of General Álvarez which was made available to Ignacio Comonfort.

To defend the 1857 Constitution against the Plan of Tacubaya, Arteaga organized a coalition of states with Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, and Querétaro, which lasted until January 1858.

[2] During the Reform War, Artega participated in Michoacán supporting the activity of Governor General Epitacio Huerta, promoting the manufacture of ammunition, cannons and military equipment.

Beginning in May 1860, General Álvarez asked him to evict Colonel Juan Vélez, who had become a Conservative, from Cutzamala de Pinzón in Ajuchitlán.

When Colonel Juan Vélez arrived in Cutzamala, he placed men in the nave of the monumental church and its tower, keeping tortilla chips and salted meat in the attached former convent.

After 45 days of bitter fighting, on the afternoon of June 21, and during a strong storm, Colonel Juan Vélez left the church at full gallop and headed north, accompanied by his officers, to cross the swollen Cutzamala River.

When France sent troops to overthrow the Republic and install a monarchy in its place, Robles Pezuela accepted an offer from General Juan Almonte to join his government that was working with the French.

Arteaga brought Robles Pezuela before General Zaragoza in San Andrés Chalchicomula, Puebla, where he was court-martialed and shot on March 23.

On October 13, 1865 General Arteaga arrived with his subordinates at the town of Santa Ana Amatlán, where he and his troops were subsequently surprised by forces under the command of Ramón Méndez, who took around 400 soldiers and 100 officers prisoner.

[10]General Arteaga along with his companions General Salazar, Colonels Jesús Díaz and Trinidad Villagómez, and Captain Juan González were shot on October 21, 1865, in Uruapan, Michoacán following the Bando Negro or "Black Decree"[11] issued by Maximilian on October 3 that called for execution of all Republican guerrillas captured by Imperial forces.

[5][12][1] The name of Querétaro de Arteaga was proposed by the governor and military commander Colonel Julio M. Cervantes; the decree declared: General José María Arteaga devoted his entire life to the service of the Nation, being a brave supporter of its freedom and its reforms and fighting firmly and constantly for independence, without compromising for a single moment with the enemies of Mexico; that during the time he was governor of the State of Querétaro, he took great care that it progressed, promoting primary and secondary education and the progress of the press, reforming scientific and literary establishments, creating new ones and seeking all kinds of material improvements, repeatedly saving the capital from aggressions from the mountains.On July 17, 1869, the bodies of Arteaga and Salazar were taken with honors to the San Fernando pantheon in Mexico City, where their remains were deposited.