Capture of Orizaba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capture of Orizaba
Part of the Mexican War of Independence
Date 28 October 1812 Location Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico Result Mexican rebel victory
Belligerents
Mexican Rebels	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Gen. José María Morelos y Pavón Gen. Hermenegildo Galeana	Col. José Antonio Andrade
Strength
~10,000 soldiers	600 soldiers

The Capture of Orizaba was an important battle during the Mexican War of Independence. It happened on October 28, 1812, in a city called Orizaba, in Veracruz, Mexico. This fight was between two sides:

• The royalist forces, who were loyal to the Spanish king. Their leader was General José Antonio Andrade.
• The Mexican rebels, who wanted Mexico to be free from Spanish rule. They were led by José María Morelos y Pavón.

The Mexican rebels won this battle.

Why Orizaba Was Important

At this point in the war, José María Morelos had a big goal. He wanted to take control of the mountains in southeastern Mexico. This was a tough job. It meant capturing strong Spanish cities like Acapulco and Oaxaca.

To reach his goals, Morelos needed to cut off communication. He wanted to stop messages and supplies from moving between Mexico City and the port city of Veracruz. To do this, he had to take either Puebla or Orizaba. Both cities were located right in the middle of these important routes.

Morelos's Plan

Morelos was staying in Tehuacán. From there, he looked at the defenses of Orizaba. He decided that capturing Orizaba would be the best move. It was a smart military choice.

He also chose Orizaba because it had a lot of money and valuable goods. These belonged to the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which was the Spanish government in Mexico. Taking these would help the rebel cause.

Morelos and his army left Tehuacán on October 25. His army had about 10,000 soldiers. They arrived at Orizaba on October 28, 1812.

Spanish Defenses

The city of Orizaba was defended by about 600 Spanish loyalist soldiers. They were led by Colonel José Antonio Andrade. Morelos wanted to avoid a big fight. He knew his army was much larger. So, he sent someone to talk to the Spanish soldiers. He offered them a chance to surrender. But the Spanish commander quickly said no.

The Battle Begins

After the Spanish refused to surrender, the rebel army moved forward. They advanced towards the city. They reached a place called the Bartizan, where Colonel Andrade had set up his defenses.

The rebel soldiers faced a strong attack. The Spanish fired cannons and muskets. This caused many casualties for Morelos's army. Morelos pulled his troops back from their first attack. He regrouped his forces. He waited for his soldiers from Santa Catarina and San Cristóbal to get into their attack positions.

Rebel Strategy

Morelos then ordered General Hermenegildo Galeana to attack the city from the front. Morelos himself took charge of the Santa Catarina group. With this group, he successfully captured the Cerro del Borrego. This was a high hill overlooking the city.

From the Cerro del Borrego, Morelos began firing cannons at the city plaza. Colonel José Antonio Andrade, the Spanish leader, was caught. He was being attacked from two sides: by Galeana's forces and by Morelos's cannons.

Around 11:00 AM, Colonel Andrade decided to retreat from the city. Morelos's forces were then able to enter Orizaba. The Mexican rebels had won the battle.

See also

In Spanish: Toma de Orizaba para niños