Battle of Antón Lizardo: Difference between revisions

Battle of Anton Lizardo
Part of the Marin Expedition
USS Saratoga
Date March 6, 1860 Location off Anton Lizardo, Mexico Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States	Marin's Mutineers
Commanders and leaders
unknown	Thomas M. Marin
Strength
1 frigate, 1 sloop-of-war, 2 steamers	2 steamers
Casualties and losses
1 sloop-of-war damaged, 1 steamer damaged, 1 killed, 3 wounded	~30 wounded, 1 steamer captured, 1 steamer grounded

The Battle of Anton Lizardo was a naval engagement which took place of Anton Lizardo, Mexico in 1860. A Mexican Navy officer named Captain Thomas M. Marin mutineed from the fleet escaped to Havana, Cuba to build a squadron of armed vessels to attack merchant ships. The Mexican Government declared Marin a pirate and permitted foreign navies to attack his ships. The United States accepted the challenge as they had several warships patrolling in the Gulf of Mexico.

After the mutiny and passage to Havana, where military forces there granted him safety, Marin began procuring small steamships to convert for war. Marin sympathies were in line with the Mexican rebels who at that time were fighting the government forces of Vera Cruz under a general named Miramon. Thomas Marin hoped to aquire ships and then sail them back to Vera Cruz to begin operating in the region. Many of the men with him 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 aquired and armed. Captain Marin's expedition included his flagship renamed General Miramon, the Marquis of Havana, the Democracy, the Union and the Messic. General Miramon and Marquis of Havana were armed with one howiter each. They did not all leave Cuba at the same time so they were directed by Captain Marin to rendevous with him off Anton, Lizardo where they would then steam to Sacrificios.

General Miramon and Marquis of Havana arrived off Lizardo north of the San Juan d'Ulloa fortress on March 6, 1860 where a United States Navy frigate was operating. The Mexican garrison of the fortress signaled Marin's ships to identify themselves, but the two steamers did nothing. The Mexican garrison realized the vessels were that of the expedition and immediately began strengthening their position. They also warned the American ship nearby. USS Savannah signaled the rebel ships but once again no rsponse was made. She then sent for and issued orders to USS Saratoga with two chartered steamers to arrest Captain Marin. Only Saratoga was armed, the chartered steamers Wave and Indianola did not have guns but carried United States Navy sailors and United States Army troops. Indianola carried eighty officers, crew members and soldiers. USS Saratoga was manned on average by 200 officers and men and carried four 8-inch (200mm) guns and eighteen 32-pounders. USS Savannah did not engage as she was apparently too slow to chase the rebel steamers. Mexican troops in the fortress were way too far out of range and did not paricipate either.

Saratoga and the steamers left their patrol at 8:30 at night on March 6. When they reached Anton Lizardo and the two anchored rebel ships it was almost midnight. When the Mexican sailors sighted the American sloop-of-war, they immediately began to flee towards Sacraficios. The Americans closed range to within shouting distance and ordered the rebels to stop. These orders were denied so Saratoga fired into the air. The warning shot was ignored so Saratoga fired four more shots into the air. This time Captain Marin in General Miramon replied. The steamer fired a shot into the pilot-house of Indianola. Non suspecting resistance, the Americans were suprised. Indianola then closed in to board General Miramon while her crew and the soldiers discharged their muskets. In an attempt to avoid friendly fire, Saratoga was directed to change targets from Captain Marin to the Marquis of Havana.

Saratoga dueled with the Marquis of Havana for a moment and at least one shell hit the rebel ship. The shot blew a hole straight throught the wooden steamer. Marquis of Havana then surrendered by raising her colors which in fact was a Spanish flag, probably from Cuba. USS Saratoga captured her while Indianola and Wave chased General Miramon. Seeing that that Captain Marin was near escape, Saratoga joined in and quickly advanced with her big sails. Saratoga came alongside the General Miramon and she boarded the vessel the hard way, without grappling hooks and not by means of launches. Marin's men fought off the first attempt at capture so Saratoga tried again. At this point Marin was steaming through shallow waters and ran aground on a shoal. Saratoga boarded again but the Mexicans and Cubans chose not to resist any longer.

Thirty wounded men were aboard the General Miramon when she was taken. An unknown number of rebels were taken prisoner, the wounded were quickly taken aboard the Saratoga and recieved mediacal attention. The two United States steamers anchored for the night right at the wreck of General Miramon and both tried to free her of the shoal at 5:00 am. The salvage of Captain Marin' flagship failed so the ships set sail for Vera Cruz. One American sailor was killed in the battle and another three men were wounded. Both Saratoga and Indianola were slightly damaged. Captain Marin, his muniteers and their Cuban allies, were handed over to the Mexican authorities at Vera Cruz, with Marquis of Havana.

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Secretary of the Navy Official site
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