Battle of San Juan Bautista

Battle of San Juan Bautista
Part of the French intervention in Mexico
French evacuation at San Juan Bautista
Date February 27, 1864 Location San Juan Bautista, Mexico Result Mexican Republican victory
Belligerents
French Empire Mexican Empire	Mexican Republicans
Commanders and leaders
Eduardo González Arévalo Manuel Diaz de la Vega Gabriel Escoffié Antonio Castillo †	Gregorio Méndez Andrés Sánchez Magallanes Lino Merino Pedro Fuentes Narciso Sáenz
Units involved
French Navy city garrison Martinican volunteers	liberal Tabasco Army (see details)
Strength
700 several ships	1,100
Casualties and losses
4 dead 19 injured	13 dead 11 injured

The Battle of San Juan Bautista was a battle in the French intervention in Mexico fought on February 27, 1864. Mexican Republicans were victorious and retook control of the city. The Republican forces consisted only of the Tabasquian militia from the surrounding areas ranging between 300 and 1,100 men, only half of whom were equipped with firearms the others fought with machetes.

San Juan Bautista, Capital of Tabasco was seized by the Imperialist forces on June 13, 1863, by General Marin Dating from December 2, 1863, the Republican forces started attacking the state capital from several points. Second Lieutenant Juan Morales with 30 men stood on the banks of Tinto, cut off all communication with San Juan Bautista and recruited soldiers, commander Narciso Sáenz positioned himself in San Juan Buenavista with his forty volunteers from Cunduacán and the national guard of Cárdenas, Colonel Lino Merino in Pueblo Nuevo de las Raices and Colonel Pedro Fuentes in Mazaltepec. From these points, Republicans began attacking the French in the state capital.

On January 1, 1864, Don Pedro Fuentes along with three dragoons broke into to the Esquipulas church and rang its bells in defiance to the enemy fire, and following a brief shootout, returned unharmed to his camp. On the 3rd he reached the plazuela del Águila driving away some French. On the 7th Commander Narciso Sáenz prepared to march 400 infantry and 60 cavalry and a mountain cannon from Mazaltepec, and settled in Tierra Colorada on the 9th, Pedro Fuentes moved to Atasta, meanwhile Lino Merino and Juan Morales unified their forces and established headquarters in Mazaltepec.

At three in the morning on the 14th the Zaragoza section (the right), waded through a forest track to arrive directly on the left flank of the main square, taking positions in the La Punta district, the companies 1st, 2nd "Hidalgo" and auxiliaries from Juchitan, marched to join the Valle section in Tierra Colorada, which would occupy the bottom of the street Loma de los Perez, which was at the French right flank. At five o'clock in the morning, after a cavalry reconnaissance, the Republican center was detached on the National Road, to take up positions against the French center, covered by the mountain artillery composed of three pieces, two from the 4th and one from the 3rd. The rear guard was defended by a line of siege artillery behind them. The reserve constituted of the Castillo section in the Campo Santo, at the bottom of the hill of the same name.

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