Battle of Puruarán

Overview

The Battle of Puruarán took place during the War of Mexican Independence on 5 January 1814 in the area around Puruarán, Michoacán. The battle was fought between the royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown and the Mexican rebels fighting for independence from the Spanish Empire. The Mexican insurgents were commanded by Mariano Matamoros y Guridi and the Spanish by Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu who would later go on to become the Mexican emperor, and by Ciriaco del Llano. The battle lasted approximately one hour and resulted in a victory for the Spanish Royalists.

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

Significance

The Battle of Puruarán, fought in January 1814 near Puruarán, Michoacán, resulted in a royalist victory over insurgent forces commanded by Mariano Matamoros y Guridi. With the rebel force of roughly 1,000 sustaining casualties equal to that entire strength, the engagement effectively destroyed the insurgent contingent engaged. The loss of Matamoros as a field commander dealt a significant blow to the independence movement at a moment when royalist forces were pressing hard across Michoacán. One of the Spanish commanders at Puruarán, Agustín de Iturbide, would later switch allegiances and ultimately lead Mexico to independence, making the battle a notable early moment in his military career within the conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)