Battle of Cuautla

Overview

The Battle of Cuautla was a battle between the forces of Emiliano Zapata and the federal army of the Mexican government that took place in the state of Morelos from May 11–19, 1911, during the Mexican Revolution. It has sometimes been described as "six of the most terrible days of battle in the whole Revolution". Eventually, the remains of the defending "Golden Fifth" regiment, the Fifth Cavalry Regiment of the Federal Army, withdrew and Zapata took control of the town. The Zapatista victory convinced Porfirio Díaz to come to terms with Francisco Madero, agree to the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez and resign as president.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Cuautla, fought in the state of Morelos from May 11–19, 1911, carried immediate political consequences that extended well beyond the town itself. Emiliano Zapata's Maderista forces, despite sustaining roughly 1,000 casualties out of a force of approximately 4,000, drove the federal 'Golden Fifth' regiment—the Fifth Cavalry Regiment—to withdraw and secured control of Cuautla. The Zapatista victory directly pressured President Porfirio Díaz to negotiate with Francisco Madero, leading to the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez and Díaz's resignation. Contemporary accounts described the engagement as 'six of the most terrible days of battle in the whole Revolution,' a characterization that reflects both the intensity of the fighting and its outsized political weight. By demonstrating that federal forces could be expelled from a defended town in Morelos, the battle signaled that the Díaz regime could not sustain its military position and accelerated the collapse of the Porfiriato.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)