Bombardment of Punta Sombrero

USS Dale (right) and USS Liberdad (left) burning Alerta (center) off Loreto, Mexico.

Date	October 31, 1847
Location	Punta Sombrero, Mulege, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Result	United States victory, Mexican shore batteries silenced.

Belligerents

United States

Mexico

Commanders and leaders

Tunis Craven

Unknown

Strength

1 schooner Libertad

1 shore battery

Casualties and losses

none
1 schooner damaged

unknown

The Bombardment of Punta Sombrero was an American naval bombardment in response to a Mexican attack on a United States Navy warship during the Mexican-American War, on October 31, 1847.

Following the Battle of Mulege and the christening of the chartered schooner Libertad, Lieutenant Tunis Craven took command and set sail north, up the Gulf of California. Libertad was most likely armed with three or four cannons taken from Loreto days earlier by the crew of USS Dale.

Her mission was to disrupt enemy communications from Mulegé's garrison to other communities and fortifications. According to reports, the Mexican population of coastal towns grew terrified of the repeated appearances of Libertad in the waters off their settlements. No engagements occurred until October 31, when Tunis Craven spotted a Mexican merchant schooner, in the anchorage of Mulege at 10:00 pm.

Unknown to Craven at the time, the Mexican schooner was protected by an artillery battery of considerable strength at the mouth of the anchorage on Punta Sombrero, with several riflemen to guard the battery.

The American Lieutenant advanced his ship, but the Mexican batteries witnessed the attack and opened fire. Craven later reported the initiation of the action:

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Wikipedia