Siege of Querétaro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Querétaro |
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| Part of the Second French intervention in Mexico | |||||||
 Republican militiamen entering Querétaro |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Mexican Republicans |
 Mexican Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Mariano Escobedo | Maximilian I (POW) Miguel Miramón (POW) Leonardo Márquez Tomás Mejía (POW) |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| 42,000 | 10,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2,000 | 9,400 | ||||||
The Siege of Querétaro was a very important battle in the Second French intervention in Mexico. This was a time when France tried to control Mexico. The siege happened between the Mexican Republican army and the army of the Second Mexican Empire. It lasted from March 6 to May 15, 1867.
After the French soldiers left Mexico, the remaining Imperial forces gathered in the middle of the country. Emperor Maximilian, who was the ruler of the Empire, decided to go to the city of Querétaro. A smaller group of his soldiers stayed in the capital city. Republican forces arrived at Querétaro on March 5, and that's when the siege began.
The Imperial soldiers fought hard and even won some small battles. But the Republican army kept growing stronger. This made the Imperial leaders think about trying to escape to the coast. However, their plan failed. A man named Miguel López opened the city gates to the enemy. After this, the Imperial forces were quickly defeated.
Maximilian and his main generals were captured. They were put on trial and sentenced to death. Maximilian, along with his generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía, was executed by a firing squad. This happened on the morning of June 19 at a place called Cerro de las Campanas.
Contents
The Battle for Querétaro
Maximilian Arrives
Emperor Maximilian arrived in Querétaro on February 19. He brought money, 1,600 soldiers, and 12 cannons. General Miramón and other generals welcomed him with excitement. They even held a special party for the Emperor.
A few days later, the soldiers had a review. There were 9,000 men and 39 cannons. About 600 of these soldiers were French. Miramón was put in charge of the foot soldiers. General Mejía led the cavalry, who rode horses. General Márquez was the chief of staff. Maximilian, Miramón, Márquez, Mejía, and Méndez were known as the "five magic M's" of the Empire.
Early Plans and Decisions
On February 22, the Imperial leaders held a meeting. They decided to fight the Republicans right away. They wanted to do this before the Republican forces became too strong. Some historians believe this plan could have led to victory. But General Márquez convinced them not to do it.
As the Republican army started to surround Querétaro, Márquez suggested a new plan. He wanted to escape to Mexico City. Mexico City was still held by the Imperialists. There, they could gather more forces. Then, they would fight one big battle against the Republicans. But this plan was thought to be too difficult.
The Siege Begins
On March 5, the Republican forces appeared near Querétaro. The Imperial soldiers inside the city began to get ready for a long siege. After the fighting started, Márquez again suggested retreating to Mexico City. But Miramón and others strongly disagreed.
Miramón then planned a counter-attack. He wanted to take back a hill called San Gregorio on March 17. But a false alarm happened. Someone thought the Imperial headquarters were under attack. Because of this, the attack on San Gregorio was put off.
Seeking Reinforcements
Miramón then supported a plan to weaken the Republicans' positions on the west side. This would create an escape route if needed. General Márquez was sent to Mexico City to get more soldiers. Miramón was supposed to create a distraction. On March 22, he led an attack that captured a lot of supplies. Márquez was able to leave that night with 1,200 horsemen. Miramón then became the main general in Querétaro.
The Imperialists fought off another Republican attack. The Republicans lost about 2,000 soldiers. During an award ceremony, Miramón gave a medal to Emperor Maximilian. He praised the Emperor's bravery during the battle. Maximilian accepted the medal and wore it as his most prized award.
On April 1, Miramón led another attack on San Gregorio hill. But he didn't get enough help. So, the attack didn't lead to a clear victory.
The Betrayal
No news came from Márquez in Mexico City. So, a group was sent to find out what happened. Miramón urged Maximilian to leave Querétaro too. But the Emperor chose to stay. The mission to Mexico City failed. Now, many officers openly suggested surrendering.
The Imperialists then planned to fight their way out of Querétaro. They wanted to escape to the Sierra Gorda mountains. From there, they hoped to reach the coast. This escape was planned for May 15.
However, their plans were ruined. Colonel Miguel López betrayed them. On the night of May 14, he opened the gates of Querétaro to the Republican forces. He did this in exchange for gold. Republican troops quickly took over the city. Miramón, Mejía, and Maximilian were all captured.
See also
In Spanish: Sitio de Querétaro para niños
