Second Battle of Topolobampo

Last updated
Second Battle of Topolobampo
Part of the Mexican Revolution
Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico.png
A map of Topolobampo and Topolobampo Bay. Shell Point is visible, west of Topolobampo, sticking out into the Gulf of California.
DateMarch 13, 1914
Location
Result See aftermath
Belligerents
Flag of Mexico.svg Constitutionalists Flag of Mexico.svg Hueristas
Commanders and leaders
Lieutenant Hilario Malpica Captain Navio Torres
Strength
1 gunboat 2 gunboats
Casualties and losses
none none


  • Both federal and rebel forces flew the same Mexican National Ensign during the naval campaign off Topolobampo.

The Second Battle of Topolobampo was a bloodless naval engagement during the Mexican Revolution. In March 1914, a rebel Constitutionalist gunboat attempted to break the blockade of Topolobampo, Sinaloa in Mexico. The attack forced federal gunboats to a further distance but failed to lift the blockade.

Contents

Battle

On March 13, 1914, at 8:50 am, the rebel gunboat Tampico, under Lieutenant Hilario Malpico, stood out for an attack on the federal gunboats, Guerrero and Morelos, commanded by Captain Navio Torres. Tampico was spotted sailing out past the bar and as fast as possible the two federal warships were underway in Tampico's direction. Guerrero fired the first shots at 9:00 am with her gun battery of six 4-inch (102 mm) guns. Just like during the First Battle of Topolobampo, as soon as Tampico cleared Shell Point, she fired her broadside of two 4-inch guns and one 6-pounder (3 kg) gun at Morelos. Her first shot landed about 20 yards (18 m) too short at a range of 9,000 to 10,000 yards (8,200 to 9,100 m); none of the others hit Morelos.

Guerrero and Morelos followed Tampico until stopping so Morelos could return Tampico's broadside with some of her own fire. Morelos fired and then turned about to retreat southwestward; none of her shots hit either. During the retreat, Tampico continued to fire on Morelos which put the American cruiser USS New Orleans, which was observing the battle, in direct line of Tampico's fire. Realizing that he may hit a neutral vessel, Lieutenant Malpica shifted Tampico's fire to Guerrero. Captain Torres in Guerrero, receiving fire again, chose to do the same as Morelos by turning around and fleeing, apparently in fear of Tampico's guns. New Orleans, shifted berth as well, to a safer position in the battle area.

Tampico steamed back to the safe side of the bar and the two federal gunboats anchored farther south than their prior anchorage. All the firing ceased by 9:12 am; Guerrero fired a total of thirteen shells, Morelos nine, and Tampico fired six rounds. The range varied between 9,000 to 10,000 yards and no hits were made. This time the officers of USS New Orleans noted in their log that the gunnery of Tampico was considerably better than that of Guerrero or Morelos.[ citation needed ]

Aftermath

Ultimately Lieutenant Malpica in Tampico failed to lift the federal blockade, but in the gunnery duel she was able to force Guerrero and Morelos to break off their attack, despite not actually hitting the federal ships with her guns. Tampico won a tactical victory by forcing the federal gunboats away though the federal gunboats continued a naval blockade of Topolobampo. Morelos left for Altata on March 30, a day before the Third Battle of Topolobampo and the sinking of Tampico. Guerrero continued the blockade.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Brooklyn</i> (1858) Sloops-of-war of the United States Navy

USS Brooklyn was a sloop-of-war authorized by the U.S. Congress and commissioned in 1859. Brooklyn was active in Caribbean operations until the start of the American Civil War at which time she became an active participant in the Union blockade of the Confederate States of America.

CSS <i>McRae</i> Confederate gunboat

CSS McRae was a Confederate gunboat that saw service during the American Civil War. Displacing around 680 tons, she was armed with one 9-inch (229 mm) smoothbore and six 32-pounder (15 kg) smoothbore cannon.

USS <i>Minnesota</i> (1855) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Minnesota was a wooden steam frigate in the United States Navy. Launched in 1855 and commissioned eighteen months later, the ship served in east Asia for two years before being decommissioned. She was recommissioned at the outbreak of the American Civil War and returned to service as the flagship of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

The first USS Arizona was an iron-hulled, side-wheel merchant steamship. Seized by the Confederate States of America in 1862 during the American Civil War, she was captured later the same year by the United States Navy.

USS <i>Congress</i> (1841)

USS Congress—the fourth United States Navy ship to carry that name—was a sailing frigate, like her predecessor, USS Congress (1799).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tampa</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Tampa, also known as the "Yankee Outrage at Tampa", was a minor engagement of the American Civil War fought June 30 – July 1, 1862, between the United States Navy and a Confederate artillery company charged with "protecting" the village of Tampa, Florida. Although small, Tampa's port was a key hub of trade for Central Florida, and several blockade runners from Tampa regularly slipped past the Union naval blockade that extended down the Atlantic coast around to Florida's west coast.

CSS <i>Selma</i> Steamboat in the Confederate States Navy

CSSSelma was a steamship in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. She served in the Confederate Navy first as Florida, and later as Selma. She was captured by the Union Navy steamer USS Metacomet during the Battle of Mobile Bay. She served as USS Selma until the end of the war, when she was decommissioned and sold for use as a merchant ship.

USS <i>Sciota</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Sciota was a Unadilla-class gunboat built on behalf of the United States Navy for service during the Civil War. She was outfitted as a gunboat, with both a 20-pounder rifle for horizontal firing, and two howitzers for shore bombardment, and assigned to the Union blockade of the waterways of the Confederate States of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ancrum Winslow</span>

John Ancrum Winslow was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. He was in command of the steam sloop of war USS Kearsarge during her historic 1864 action off Cherbourg, France, with the Confederate sea raider CSS Alabama.

USS <i>Varuna</i> (1861) Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Varuna was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Under construction in 1861, she was purchased incomplete on 31 December. After being commissioned in February 1862, she traveled to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Varuna was present when Flag Officer David Glasgow Farragut led an attack against Confederate positions at Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip on 24 April. During the action, Varuna ran ahead of the other Union ships, and was engaged in a chase with the Louisiana gunboat Governor Moore. After closing in on the Union ship, Governor Moore rammed Varuna twice, with the gunboat CSS Stonewall Jackson adding a third blow. Varuna sank within 15 minutes, but Farragut was able to capture the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip</span> Naval battle of the American Civil War

The battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip was the decisive battle for possession of New Orleans in the American Civil War. The two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River south of the city were attacked by a Union Navy fleet. As long as the forts could keep the Federal forces from moving on the city, it was safe, but if they fell or were bypassed, there were no fall-back positions to impede the Union advance.

The second United States Navy vessel to bear the name, USS Sachem was a screw steamer built in 1844 at New York City, where the U.S. Navy purchased her on 20 September 1861.

USS <i>Winslow</i> (TB-5) Torpedo boat of the United States Navy

USS Winslow was a United States Navy torpedo boat noted for its involvement at the First and Second Battle of Cardenas during the Spanish–American War. She was named for Rear Admiral John Ancrum Winslow.

USS <i>Winona</i> Gunboat of the United States Navy

USS Winona was a Unadilla-class gunboat built for service with the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Winona was heavily armed, with large guns for duels at sea, and 24-pounder howitzers for shore bombardment. Winona saw significant action in the Gulf of Mexico and in the waterways of the Mississippi River and was fortunate to return home safely after the war for decommissioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Topolobampo</span> Naval battle during the Mexican Revolution

The First Battle of Topolobampo was a bloodless engagement and one of the few naval battles of the Mexican Revolution. The small action occurred off Topolobampo, Mexico and involved three gunboats, two from the Mexican Navy and another which mutinied from the armada and joined the rebel Constitutionalists. It was fought on the morning of March 4, 1914 and was the first battle of the naval campaign in the Gulf of California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Battle of Topolobampo</span>

The Third Battle of Topolobampo was a single ship action during the Mexican Revolution. At the end of March 1914, a Constitutionalist gunboat attempted to break the blockade of Topolobampo, Sinaloa after failing in the First and Second Battles of Topolobampo. The Constitutionalist warship, Tampico, was sunk in a battle lasting a few hours by a Huertista gunboat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth Battle of Topolobampo</span> 1914 battle

The Fourth Battle of Topolobampo was a single ship action fought during the Mexican Revolution and the last naval battle of the Topolobampo Campaign. In June 1914, a Huertista gunboat sank a Constitutionalist gunboat off Topolobampo, Sinaloa in the Gulf of California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Head of Passes</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of the Head of Passes was a bloodless naval battle of the American Civil War. It was a naval raid made by the Confederate river defense fleet, also known as the “mosquito fleet” in the local media, on ships of the Union blockade squadron anchored at the Head of Passes. The mosquito fleet deployed three fire rafts, which were ignited and followed the ironclad ram CSS Manassas into the action. The attack occurred after moonset in the early hours of October 12, 1861, and routed the Union fleet, which fled in disorder down the Southwest pass of the delta. After sunrise Commodore George N. Hollins, running low on ammunition and fuel, ordered the mosquito fleet to withdraw upriver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Cárdenas</span>

The First Battle of Cárdenas was a naval action fought in May 1898 during the Spanish–American War. A force of three Spanish vessels attempted to lift the blockade of Cárdenas but were repulsed and sent back into harbor by two United States Navy warships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio de Janeiro Affair</span>

The Rio de Janeiro Affair refers to a series of incidents during the Brazilian Naval Revolt in January 1894. Following three attacks on American merchant ships in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, a bloodless naval engagement occurred between a United States Navy warship and an ironclad of Rear Admiral Saldanha da Gama's rebel fleet. Ultimately the Americans completed their objective, and Gama offered to surrender his fleet to the Americans, but the offer was never pursued.

References