On April 28, the Sixth Battalion of the National Guard of the State of Puebla, formed by 4, precariously armed Mexicans, had their first encounter against superior French troops at the Cumbres de Acultzingo. On the night of May 3, General Zaragoza arrived in Puebla.
Sources vary on the exact number of men under his command, with estimates ranging from 2, to 5, men. Because he was outnumbered and outgunned, it was crucial that Zaragoza formulate a strong defense to hold the city.
Puebla was surrounded by several stone forts, most notably Loreto and Guadalupe, which both stood atop a hill on the northern side of the city. The soldiers fortified Puebla by digging trenches, building breastworks, and repairing the forts as best they could.
Zaragoza then placed his men in strategic points throughout Puebla. Roughly a thousand would defend the northern side and its forts, with the remaining troops kept in reserve to counterattack any direct assault. The plan was set, and now all Zaragoza and his men had to do was wait for the French to arrive.
Just after 9 a. Zaragoza and his men sat tight, while Lorencez began his attack. The plan may have seemed sound on paper, but in practice it failed to make much impact. The French began shelling Fort Guadalupe at a. Discouraged, Lorencez moved his artillery closer, but the angle of the new position made targeting more difficult. By midday more than half their ammunition was gone, with little impact on the forts.
It was time to change tactics. Lorencez ordered his soldiers to attack. The brilliant defenses set up by Zaragoza kept the French at bay. As the soldiers advanced, Mexican guns in the forts fired on them from above. On the ground the ragtag fighters held true, some armed only with machetes and metal-tipped wooden spears. Three times, Lorencez sent in waves of his soldiers, and three times they were turned back.
Around 2 p. It was as if Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, was displaying his fury against the French soldiers. With the ground made slick by rain and mounting casualties, Lorencez was forced to retreat. Zaragoza and his men had won the day. The other miscalculation was to position his cannons over a mile from the fortifications, much too far away for the projectiles to strike with full force. When Napoleon III heard of his incompetence, he immediately relieved him of his command.
But just after 4 p. Their columns attacking the Loreto and Guadalupe hills have been repelled and we were probably attacked by four thousand men. All their push was towards the hill. Then their columns retreated and our forces advanced towards them. A heavy storm then started. He said nothing, however, of the final result. Just before 8 p. I am very happy with the behavior of my generals and soldiers.
They have all performed well. Let this be for good, Mr. I wish that our dear homeland, now so despondent, is one day happy and respected by all Nations. The joy was, however, short-lived, and only delayed the inevitable.
There is pity for the condemned man, and perhaps criticism for the manner in which Napoleon III had sacrificed this puppet king to his ignominious death. In any case, with this execution, European colonial activity in Mexico—which had begun in —was now at an end. Ignacio Zaragoza would never live to see the French expelled from Mexico.
At only age 33, he died of typhus four months after the famous victory. Since then, Mexican celebrations of Cinco de Mayo have traditionally been held in Puebla. Unfortunately, the victory was short lived.
Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon had found an excuse to send more troops overseas to try and invade Mexico again, against the wishes of the French populace. For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla.
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This Day In History. History Vault. Zaragoza Defeats French Invaders Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, an estimated 2,—5, Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the assault by the well-equipped French force. Roaring Twenties.
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