Battle of Anton Lizardo

USS Saratoga

Date	March 6, 1860
Location	off Antón Lizardo, Veracruz, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States

Mexico

Commanders and leaders

Thomas Turner

Tomas M. Marin

Strength

1 sloop-of-war
2 steamers
280 crew:
U.S. Navy
U.S. Army
U.S. Marines

1 sloop-of-war
1 steamer
Unknown number of crew:
Mexican Navy
-Mexican Marines

Casualties and losses

1 killed
3 wounded
1 sloop-of-war damaged
1 steamer damaged

~30 wounded
1 sloop-of-war captured
1 steamer grounded

The Battle of Anton Lizardo was a naval engagement of the Reform War which took place off Anton Lizardo, Mexico in 1860. A Mexican Navy officer, Rear Admiral Tomas M. Marin, mutinied and escaped to Havana, Cuba. There he formed a squadron of armed vessels to attack merchant ships and blockade Veracruz. The Mexican Government declared Marin a pirate and permitted foreign navies to attack his ships so the United States accepted the challenge, as they had several vessels patrolling in the Gulf of Mexico.

After the mutiny and passage to Havana, where Cuban military forces there granted him safety, Marin began purchasing small steamships to convert for war. Marin's sympathies were in line with the conservative rebels under President General Miguel Miramón who at that time were fighting the liberal government forces of Veracruz, Veracruz. Tomas Marin hoped to acquire ships, recruit sailors and then sail them back to Veracruz to begin operating in the region. He was also to transport 4,000 muskets and artillery shells to resupply the conservative army. Many of the men under Marin were sailors he had mutinied with, others were recruited Cubans. In mid February, by the time the mutineers and Cubans left for the Mexican coast, four steamers were acquired and armed. Rear Admiral Marin's expedition included his flagship renamed General Miramon, the screw sloop Marquis of Havana or Marquis de la Havana, the Democracy, the Union and the Messic. General Miramon and Marquis of Havana were armed with one howitzer each. They did not all leave Cuba at the same time, so they were directed by Rear Admiral Marin to rendezvous with him off Anton Lizardo, where they would then sail to Sacrificios.

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Wikipedia