Battle of Casas Grandes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Casa Grandes
Part of the Mexican Revolution
Casas Grande in Chihuahua.
Date March 6, 1911 Location Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico Result Government victory
Belligerents
Constitutionalists Maderistas	Government Federal Army
Commanders and leaders
General Francisco I. Madero	Colonel Agustín A. Valdez Colonel Samuel G. Cuellar
Strength
~600 rebels	~1,100 infantry, cavalry, 2 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
58 killed, unknown wounded, 41 captured	37 killed, 60 wounded

The Battle of Casas Grandes was an important fight during the Mexican Revolution. It happened in March 1911. This battle was between the Mexican government's army and a group of rebels. The government forces were loyal to President Porfirio Díaz. The rebels were fighting for change and were led by Francisco I. Madero. The battle took place in the town of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, in Mexico. The government forces won this battle.

The Battle Begins

Francisco I. Madero led about 800 rebel soldiers. They attacked the town of Casas Grandes. Some of Madero's fighters were actually from the United States. The town was defended by a government army unit. This unit had over 500 foot soldiers. They were commanded by Colonel Agustín A. Valdez.

General Madero and his men started their attack at 5:00 AM. The fighting was intense for over two hours. At 7:15 AM, more Mexican government soldiers arrived. This reinforcing group had 562 men. They also brought two mortars, which are like small cannons. These were quickly used in the battle.

Francisco Madero and his army in Cuernavaca, Mexico, June 1911.

The Fight Continues

The battle went on for several more hours. Both sides launched attacks and fought back. The government soldiers and the rebels kept pushing each other. By 5:00 PM, the battle was over. General Madero ordered his forces to retreat.

The Mexican government soldiers defending the town lost 13 men. Another 23 were wounded. The soldiers who came as reinforcements lost 24 men. They also had 37 injured, including their commander, Colonel Samuel G. Cuellar. Both General Madero and Colonel Cuellar were wounded in the fight. The rebels lost 58 men. Many more were wounded, and 41 were captured. Among the rebels, 15 of the dead and 17 of the captured were Americans.

What Happened After the Battle?

Besides the soldiers, the rebels also lost many supplies. They lost about 150 horses and 153 mules. They also lost 101 firearms. Madero believed his scouts were to blame for the defeat. Scouts are soldiers who go ahead to gather information. He said his scouts failed to see the extra government soldiers coming. This failure, he stated, led to their loss. The scouts later faced serious consequences under General Madero's orders.