Battle of Antón Lizardo The Battle of Anton Lizardo was a naval engagement of the Reform War which took place off Anton Lizardo , Mexico in 1860 . A Mexican Navy officer named Rear Admiral Tomas M . Marin mutinied from the Mexican fleet and escaped to Havana , Cuba . There he formed a squadron of armed vessels to attack merchant ships and blockade Veracruz . The Mexican Government declared Marin a pirate and permitted foreign navies to attack his ships so United States accepted the challenge , as they had several vessels patrolling in the Gulf of Mexico . Background . After the mutiny and passage to Havana , where Cuban military forces there granted him safety , Marin began purchasing small steamships to convert for war . Marin ' s sympathies were in line with the conservative rebels under President General Miguel Miramón who at that time were fighting the liberal government forces of Veracruz , Veracruz . Tomas Marin hoped to acquire ships , recruit sailors and then sail them back to Veracruz to begin operating in the region . He was also to transport 4 , 000 muskets and artillery shells to resupply the conservative army . Many of the men under Marin 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 acquired and armed . Rear Admiral Marin ' s expedition included his flagship renamed " General Miramon " , the screw sloop " Marquis of Havana " or " Marquis de la Havana " , the " Democracy " , the " Union " and the " Messic " . " General Miramon " and " Marquis of Havana " were armed with one howitzer each . They did not all leave Cuba at the same time , so they were directed by Rear Admiral Marin to rendezvous with him off Anton Lizardo , where they would then sail to Sacrificios . " General Miramon " and " Marquis of Havana " arrived off Anton Lizardo north of the San Juan de Ulúa 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 . It was then realized that the vessels were from the expedition so immediately the soldiers began strengthening their position . They also warned the nearby American ship . USS " Savannah " signaled the rebel ships but once again no response was made . Her commander then sent for and issued orders to USS " Saratoga " to arrest Rear Admiral Marin , with the help of two chartered steamers . 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 " had a complement of eighty officers , crew members and soldiers . USS " Saratoga " was commanded by Commodore Thomas Turner of the Home Squadron and was manned on average by 200 officers and men . She was armed with four 8 - inch ( 200mm ) guns and eighteen 32 - pounders . USS " Savannah " did not engage and never left anchorage , as she was apparently too slow to chase the rebel steamers . Mexican troops in the fortress were too far out of range and did not participate either . Battle . " 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 . The Mexican sailors sighted the American sloop - of - war and immediately began to flee towards Sacrificios . The Americans closed range to within hailing distance and ordered the rebels to stop , these orders were ignored so " Saratoga " fired a warning shot . When this was also ignored , " Saratoga " fired four more warning shots . This time " General Miramon " replied by firing her howitzer into the pilot - house of " Indianola " . Not expecting resistance , the Americans were surprised but soon returned fire . " Indianola " then closed in to board " General Miramon " while her crew and the soldiers fired their muskets . In an attempt to avoid friendly fire , Commodore Turner directed his men to change targets from Rear Admiral Marin ' s ship 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 through the hull of the wooden steamer , apparently above the waterline . " 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 commander Marin was near escape , " Saratoga " joined in and quickly advanced with her big sails . " Saratoga " came alongside the " General Miramon " and Turner ' s crew 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 " drew close again , but the Mexicans chose not to resist any longer . Aftermath . Thirty wounded men were aboard the " General Miramon " when she was taken . An unknown number of rebels were taken prisoner , the wounded were quickly removed to the " Saratoga " and received medical attention . In addition to about 4 , 000 rifles captured , Commodore Turner ' s men took over 1 , 000 artillery shells off the Mexican vessels . The shells were much needed by conservative forces who had already failed one siege of Veracruz due to a lack of ammunition for their cannon . The battle played an important role in ending the Reform War with a liberal victory . Due to the loss of supplies , the conservatives under General Miramon failed to take Veracruz from the liberals for a second time . Soon after Miramon surrendered his army which ended the conventional phase of the war and started the guerilla phase . 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 ' s flagship failed , so the ships set sail for Veracruz . One American sailor was killed in the battle , and another three men were wounded . Both " Saratoga " and " Indianola " were slightly damaged . Tomas M . Marin , his mutineers and their Cuban allies were handed over to the Mexican authorities at Veracruz . " Marquis of Havana " eventually ended up in Confederate States Navy service during the American Civil War and was renamed CSS " McRae " . Commodore Turner later served with distinction during the Battle of Charleston Harbor and was awarded the rank of admiral .