Third Battle of Topolobampo
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Third Battle of Topolobampo | |||||||
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Part of the Mexican Revolution | |||||||
A map of Topolobampo and Topolobampo Bay. Shell Point is clearly visible, west of Topolobampo, sticking out into the Gulf of California. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Constitutionalists |
Huertistas | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Captain Hilario Malpica | Captain Navio Torres | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1 gunboat | 1 gunboat | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
none, 1 gunboat sunk |
3 wounded, 1 gunboat damaged | ||||||
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The Third Battle of Topolobampo was a
Background
After two small bloodless engagements off Topolobampo within a few weeks earlier,
Battle
At 4:32 pm on March 31, 1914, the day after Morelos left, Tampico steamed out of the harbor and attacked Guerrero. At this time, Captain Navio Torres was returning an official call from the United States protected cruiser, USS New Orleans, who was observing the naval campaign off Topolobampo. Tampico's fire from two 4-inch (102 mm) guns and one 6-pounder (3 kg) gun failed to hit the target but were not far off. Guerrero returned with six 4-inch guns and quickly New Orleans turned towards the Huertista vessel and got under way immediately; she was too close for safely observing the conflict. Guerrero took up a position off the channel with her broadside towards Tampico. At around 5:30 pm, Captain Malpica in Tampico reached a position abreast of Shell Point. There she opened fire on Guerrero again at a range of 9,000 yards (8,200 m).
Immediately she was answered by Guerrero's broadsides; shots managed to hit the officers quarters twice, causing considerable damage. Tampico suffered four more hits to her
When almost 6:30 pm, because of the approaching darkness, Captain Navio Torres, in the
Aftermath
Both of the vessels had ceased their firing by 6:40 pm because of the coming nightfall. Guerrero anchored off the bar and continued blockading, not realizing Tampico had sunk after entering the bay. Firing on both sides was again reported to be very wild by the Mexicans and the Americans. The range varied from 9,000 to 2,000 yards (8,200 to 1,800 m) away from each other; the range closed when Tampico exited the harbor for her attack. Tampico fired over 160 shells during the fight, from her 4-inch and 6-pounder guns. Guerrero fired 162 4-inch shells, of which 20 were shrapnel rounds and the others armor-piercing shells. Captain Malpica, just before the Fourth Battle of Topolobampo, told the officers of USS New Orleans their perspective of the engagement. USS New Orleans and eventually three other American warships would all have a hand in observing the situation.
On April 2, Morelos returned from Altata and learnt of the battle. The federal gunboats did not know yet but they suspected that Tampico was
See also
References
- [1]
- Stefoff, Rebecca. Independence and Revolution in Mexico. (New York, Facts On File Inc, 1993).