First Battle of Tabasco

First Battle of Tabasco
Part of Mexican-American War
Mississippi, Commodore Perry's flagship during the First Battle of Tabasco.
Date October 24–26, 1846 Location Villahermosa, Tabasco Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Matthew C. Perry	Juan B. Traconis
Strength
7 ships 500 (landing force)	300
Casualties and losses
2 killed 2 wounded 2 drowned	50 killed & wounded

The First Battle of Tabasco was fought during the Mexican–American War, in October 1846.

Background

The battle was part of the efforts of the Home Fleet of the United States Navy to blockade the main Mexican ports in the Gulf of Mexico.

Battle

Colonel Juan Bautista Traconis, governor and military commander of Tabasco

Commodore Matthew Perry led a detachment of seven vessels along the coast of the Mexican state of Tabasco. He arrived at the Tabasco River (now the Grijalva River) on 22 October and seized the town of Frontera and two ships. Leaving a small garrison behind, he advanced with his troops towards the city of San Juan Bautista (today Villahermosa).

Perry arrived in the city on 24 October, seizing five Mexican vessels. Colonel Juan Bautista Traconis, governor and military commander of Tabasco lacked the strength to fight the invading forces, so fled. However, at night, Traconis's forces returned to the city, barricading themselves inside buildings. Traconis received a delegation of U.S. Marines who requested their surrender, but responded "Tell Commodore Perry that I would sooner die with my garrison before handing over this place."

Perry realized that a bombardment of the city was the only option to drive out the Mexican troops, and withdrew his forces to prepare them for the attack. On the morning of October 26, as Perry's troops prepared to launch their assault, the Mexican forces began firing. As the U.S troops began to bombard the town, the flagpole of the Mexican headquarters was shot though and fell. The Americans, believing that this signalled a surrender, stopped firing and sent a delegation to investigate, receiving the same answer as before from Traconis, who then fixed the flagpole to the tower of the Church, and the battle recommenced, continuing until evening.

Unable to capture the city, Perry decided to leave and return to Frontera, where he established a naval blockade.

See also

• Second Battle of Tabasco

References

• Nevin, David, ed (1978). The Old West: The Mexican War. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books. 
• Bauer, K. Jack (1974). The Mexican-American War 1846-1848. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.. 
• "Roll of Honor - U.S. Casualties of Naval Actions in the War with Mexico". Descendants of Mexican War Veterans. 2002. http://www.dmwv.org/honoring/naval.htm. Retrieved 6 August 2013. 

External links

• "A Continent Divided: The U.S.-Mexico War". The Center for Greater Southwestern Studies, The University of Texas Arlington. http://library.uta.edu/usmexicowar/.