Battle of La Paz
Encyclopedia
The Battle of La Paz was an engagement of the Pacific Coast Campaign
during the Mexican-American War. The belligerents were United States
Army troops against Mexican
militia
, commanded by Mexican Army
officers. The battle occurred on November 16 and 17, 1847.
began to assemble a large militia force of farmers and ranchers to defend the Gulf of California
region of Mexico from the invading United States military. Hundreds of men were among Pineda's ranks. In March and April 1847, the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
, an American volunteer regiment from New York State, arrived in San Francisco, California
.
Their mission was to reinforce the United States Navy
and marines
, occupying various Mexican ports to the south and also to take ports themselves. Lieutenant Colonel
Henry S. Burton, of the United States Army
, was in command. On May, 30, 1847, Burton received orders to embark the sloop-of-war
USS Lexington
with companies A and B and proceed to La Paz
for its capture.
On July 21, 112 New York Volunteers landed peacefully at La Paz. Lieutenant
E. Gould Buffum, of Company B, later described the port city; "The houses were all of adobe, plastered white, and thatched with the leaves of the palm tree, and were most delightfully cool. The whole beach was lined with palms, date, fig, tamarind and coconut trees, their delicious fruit hanging down on them in clusters."
, both occupied by United States forces. When November 16 came, Pineda's army, estimated by Colonel Burton at nearly 300, attacked the American garrison
of La Paz.
The garrison was stationed at an adobe barracks
. At the same time, about 150 of Pineda's militia, under three lieutenants, were sent to attack
the American garrison at San José del Cabo. Burton's command of 112 infantry
occupied a position overlooking La Paz at the south side of a gulch
.
The New York Volunteers piled palm logs around their barracks and around an emplacement for their two 6-pound field gun
s with canister rounds for ammunition. When Captain Pineda's men assaulted the barracks, the American defended themselves effectively. The two 6-pounders and musket
s of the Americans were placed in a good position and repulsed the Mexican attack.
Pineda, after failing to capture the American held barracks and realizing the good American defenses, ordered a retreat the next day. On November 17, the Mexicans withdrew to La Laguna, about six miles away. Before leaving, the insurgents burned Military Governor Colonel
Francisco Palacios Miranda's town house and other buildings belonging to those who "collaborated" with the American force.
and the Siege of San José del Cabo
. The same day Pineda retreated from La Paz, another battle involving USS Dale occurred across the Sea of Cortez at Guaymas
.
Pacific Coast Campaign
The Pacific Coast Campaign refers to United States naval operations against targets along Mexico's Pacific Coast during the Mexican-American War. It excludes engagements of the California Campaign in Alta California. The objective of the campaign was to capture Mazatlan, a major Mexican seaport...
during the Mexican-American War. The belligerents were United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army troops against Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, commanded by Mexican Army
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
officers. The battle occurred on November 16 and 17, 1847.
Background
In late September, Captain Manuel Pineda of the Mexican ArmyMexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
began to assemble a large militia force of farmers and ranchers to defend the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
region of Mexico from the invading United States military. Hundreds of men were among Pineda's ranks. In March and April 1847, the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
1st Regiment of New York Volunteers
1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, was raised in 1846 during the Mexican American War by Jonathan D. Stevenson. Accepted by the United States Army on August 1846 the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers was transported around Cape Horn to...
, an American volunteer regiment from New York State, arrived in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Their mission was to reinforce the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, occupying various Mexican ports to the south and also to take ports themselves. Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Henry S. Burton, of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, was in command. On May, 30, 1847, Burton received orders to embark the sloop-of-war
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
USS Lexington
USS Lexington (1825)
The second USS Lexington was a sloop in the United States Navy built at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York, in 1825; and commissioned on 11 June 1826, Master Commandant William B. Shubrick in command....
with companies A and B and proceed to La Paz
La Paz, Baja California Sur
La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...
for its capture.
On July 21, 112 New York Volunteers landed peacefully at La Paz. Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
E. Gould Buffum, of Company B, later described the port city; "The houses were all of adobe, plastered white, and thatched with the leaves of the palm tree, and were most delightfully cool. The whole beach was lined with palms, date, fig, tamarind and coconut trees, their delicious fruit hanging down on them in clusters."
Battle
Pineda raised a force of over 500 men by pressing them into service. They were fed by requisitioned supplies of plundered property, taken from the so called "collaborators" of the American occupation. Pineda set out for a campaign against La Paz and San José del CaboSan José del Cabo
The city of San José del Cabo is located in Baja California Sur Mexico and is the seat of the municipality of Los Cabos at the south end of the Baja California peninsula. In the 2010 census it had a population of 69,788. Together with neighboring Cabo San Lucas it forms a major tourist destination...
, both occupied by United States forces. When November 16 came, Pineda's army, estimated by Colonel Burton at nearly 300, attacked the American garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
of La Paz.
The garrison was stationed at an adobe barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
. At the same time, about 150 of Pineda's militia, under three lieutenants, were sent to attack
Battle of San José del Cabo
The Battle of San José del Cabo was a military engagement of the Mexican-American War which took place on two November days in 1847, after the fall of Mexico City.-Background:...
the American garrison at San José del Cabo. Burton's command of 112 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
occupied a position overlooking La Paz at the south side of a gulch
Gulch
A gulch is a deep V-shaped valley formed by erosion. It may contain a small stream or dry creek bed and is usually larger in size than a gully. Occasionally, sudden intense rainfall may produce flash floods in the area of the gulch....
.
The New York Volunteers piled palm logs around their barracks and around an emplacement for their two 6-pound field gun
Field gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
s with canister rounds for ammunition. When Captain Pineda's men assaulted the barracks, the American defended themselves effectively. The two 6-pounders and musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
s of the Americans were placed in a good position and repulsed the Mexican attack.
Pineda, after failing to capture the American held barracks and realizing the good American defenses, ordered a retreat the next day. On November 17, the Mexicans withdrew to La Laguna, about six miles away. Before leaving, the insurgents burned Military Governor Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Francisco Palacios Miranda's town house and other buildings belonging to those who "collaborated" with the American force.
Aftermath
The New York Volunteers lost one man killed in this battle and another few wounded, the Mexicans four or five killed and many more wounded. The Mexican attempt to destroy the American garrison failed but the battle for San José del Cabo still continued and eventually Pineda would attack the towns again, in prolonged engagements known as the Siege of La PazSiege of La Paz
The Siege of La Paz was a Mexican siege of their own city of La Paz in Baja California Sur. Mexican militia forces attempted to destroy the United States Army garrison, occupying the peninsular town...
and the Siege of San José del Cabo
Siege of San José del Cabo
The Siege of San José del Cabo, from January to February 1848, was a prolonged battle of the Mexican-American War in which Mexican militia besieged a smaller force of American marines, sailors and Californio militia...
. The same day Pineda retreated from La Paz, another battle involving USS Dale occurred across the Sea of Cortez at Guaymas
Guaymas
Guaymas is a city and municipality located in the southwest part of the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. The city is located 117 km south of the state capital of Hermosillo, and 242 miles from the U.S. border, and is the principal port for the state. The municipality is located in the...
.