Battle of San Juan Bautista The Battle of San Juan Bautista was a battle in the French intervention in Mexico fought on 27 February 1864 . Mexican Republicans were victorious and retook control of the city . The Republican forces consisted only of the Tabasquian militia from the surrounding areas ranging between 300 and 1 , 100 men , only half of whom were equipped with firearms the others fought with machetes . San Juan Bautista , Capital of Tabasco was seized by the Imperialist forces on the 13 June 1863 by General Marin Dating from December 2 , 1863 the Republican forces started attacking the state capital from several points . Second Lieutenant Juan Morales with 30 men stood on the banks of Tinto , cut off all communication with San Juan Bautista and recruited soldiers , commander Narciso Sáenz positioned himself in San Juan Buenavista with his forty volunteers from Cunduacán and the national guard of Cárdenas , Colonel Lino Merino in Pueblo Nuevo de las Raices and Colonel Pedro Fuentes in Mazaltepec . From these points , Republicans began attacking the French in the state capital . On January 1 , 1864 Don Pedro Fuentes along with three dragoons broke into to the Esquipulas church and rang its bells in defiance to the enemy fire , and following a brief shootout , returned unharmed to his camp . On the 3rd he reached the " plazuela del Águila " driving away some French . On the 7th Commander Narciso Sáenz prepared to march 400 infantry and 60 cavalry and a mountain cannon from Mazaltepec , and settled in Tierra Colorada on the 9th , Pedro Fuentes moved to Atasta , meanwhile Lino Merino and Juan Morales unified their forces and established headquarters in Mazaltepec . At three in the morning on the 14th the Zaragoza section ( the right ) , waded through a forest track to arrive directly on the left flank of the main square , taking positions in the " La Punta " district , the companies 1st , 2nd " Hidalgo " and auxiliaries from Juchitan , marched to join the Valle section in Tierra Colorada , which would occupy the bottom of the street Loma de los Perez , which was at the French right flank . At five o ' clock in the morning , after a cavalry reconnaissance , the Republican center was detached on the National Road , to take up positions against the French center , covered by the mountain artillery composed of three pieces , two from the 4th and one from the 3rd . The rear guard was defended by a line of siege artillery behind them . The reserve constituted of the Castillo section in the Campo Santo , at the bottom of the hill of the same name . The Mexican scout cavalry was discovered at the gates of the city by the French vanguard commanded by the former commander Antonio Castillo . The first series of shots wounded two of the Mexican lancers . The events quickly turned against the defenders whereas the cavalry company completely disrupted the Imperialist garrison , four soldiers and commander Castillo were left dead , nine taken prisoners , including an officer , who was condemned to death by martial laws . The Imperialists concentrated the defense of San Juan Bautista around the " Principal " and the Governor ' s House that were barricaded and perforated with loopholes from top to bottom . These buildings were adjacent to the Comercio Street , which prolonged the trenchline squarewise . These blocks was linked internally by tunnels whose exit led to the Comercio Street . The house north of the market , which had walls pierced with loopholes onto the Esquipulas Street was occupied by the Republican center . The first defense line was formed by buildings and trenches , with the exception of the Romano tradehouse on the Aurora street , which was equipped by light weapons . The second line were trenches , comprising four blocks immediately to the river , and besides that , the last line followed the flow of the Grijalva and Jícaro rivulets , connecting all together by ditches and exterior walls defended by loopholes . The Republican Army fully sealed the siege on the town starting from 18 January and installed five of the smaller culverins and two 24 pounder cannon around San Juan Bautista . The besieged were entrenched in the streets , along the coast , under the covering protection of two French steam gunships " La Tourmente " and " La Pique " ; the Pailebot " Pizarro " , the steamboats " Corina " , " Aurora " and " Diana " and the steam gunships " Conservador " and " Guaraguso " , from the Mexican side . Eduardo González Arévalo ' s troops counted 350 Mexican riflemen , and about 250 French marines . On the first days of the siege the beleaguered Imperialists made some breakout attempts , without any significant egress . It is worth to note that during the siege more Imperialist soldiers were wounded by machete cuts than gunshots . On January 19 , General Manuel Diaz de la Vega as the newly appointed Imperial Governor of the Regency and surrogate of Arévalo was transported to San Juan Bautista from la Frontera by " Conservador " and " Guaraguso " on the river . His convoy was attacked by a band of 30 liberals whereas some Imperialist were injured among them was their Captain Gabriel Escoffié . Immediately , on the 20th , the new imperial governor requested the surrender of the Republicans by offering guarantees and compensations . He was declined and subsequently a clash broke out between the Republican center and the besieged ones . Commander Francisco Ramírez repelled the sneak attack and took 18 - 20 prisoners who were deported to Atasta . On the 5th February the garrison received a reinforcement of 280 creole soldiers from Martinique , while on 12th about 50 - 60 retreating Imperialist soldiers from Palenque led by Pedro Pocurrul sought refuge at Vega ' s camp . The Republicans advanced forward house by house in close fights as the French was tearing down the buildings while retreating . The Republicans , with a 24 pounder bombard hit the " Tourmente " nine times until they ran out of ammunition . They collected the cannonballs of the enemy fire from the ground to recharge their own battery . When the Republicans reached the fortified houses and barricades of the defenders , the French considered to give up the city . On February 11 , 1864 , Tabasco forces begin an assault on " The Principal " where there were entrenched French troops . From three o ' clock the Zaragoza section was ordered to advance in order to cut the enemy from the " casa de Paillet " . While this was taking place , two sections of Cardenás raided the house . Under the covering fire by the Zaragoza section the Castillo guerrillas attacked the French guardpost at the entrance . The assault lasted over an hour , but the result was the occupation of the Principal . As the " Casa Fuerte " remained the last resort of the defenders right at the river , the Republicans decided to attack with heavy artillery from the hill of the Encarnación . Having seen the shelling the French auxiliaries and General Vegas ' Mexicans thus evacuated themselves to the ships and sailed to Laguna . The fleeing garrison left big amount of supplies behind among these were two pieces of 68 - pound artillery , one 12 - pound and 4 - pounder culverins , an 8 pounder cannon and its rotating platform , three small 2 - pounder pieces , 90 firearms with bayonets , 8 lances , 77 cans of shrapnel , a barrel of grenades and five horses . Mexican order of battle . Reorganized Mexican divisions after the extraordinary general order of Felipe J . Serra of January 14 , 1864 .