"Comments on Battle of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo?" Topic

Anniversary today, a solemn day in Mexico. Informal party day on the US, as for my Mexican-US son-in-law, and my two grandchildren!

Anyone have any comments about the battle?

GdeP

Anniversary today, a solemn day in Mexico. Informal party day on the US, as for my Mexican-US son-in-law, and my two grandchildren!

Anyone have any comments about the battle?

GdeP

Awful lot of lopsided engagements involving Mexico – Alamo, Pueblo, what's the other Mexican-American War where Mexico lost thousands and the US just a handful?

I don't think of Puebla as lopsided. The French did have a fighting chance.

Awful lot of lopsided engagements involving Mexico – Alamo, Pueblo, what's the other Mexican-American War where Mexico lost thousands and the US just a handful?

San Jacinto.

LT

The "Maximillian Adventure" was the last time the Americas were invaded. Mexico did a splendid job in sending them packing and showing that we are done done done with European monarchies.

"lopsided engagements . . ."
Agua Verde--the final battle in Peckinpah's "Wild Bunch"!

Vincent, I'm surprised you didn't post a link to your AAR from last year:
TMP link

Chris

I recreated Puebla at Historicon in 2012.

Link for that battle:
link

You can also see all my Maximilian posts along with how I made the forts for Puebla in my blog:

link

I am running a 54mm Battle of Puebla game at my local library today. Too many in my town, both children and adults, do not know the origin of the holiday. It is celebrated more in California (where I live) and the western US than in Mexico. I read that the celebrations started in the California gold mining country with Mexican miners shooting off their pistols when they got word of the unexpected victory. In the late 60's and early 70's it became associated with the Chicano movement and in the 80's beer companies picked up on it as a marketing target for beer sales. I have run the battle as a game several times, including on its 150th anniversary, but this is the first time I have run it for kids.

Tacos for Dinner tonight!!

Eric Burgess' site is full of great info and really helped me put together my game scenarios.

Here in Arizona, it is largely an excuse for white people to get wasted, believing it to be the Mexican national holiday. I'm not sure any Mexicans celebrate it, and I certainly advise staying off the roads.

Thanks DinofBattle, very nice. Flirting with the period, and will most likely do in 25mm using "Sharp Practice 2"

Another great Texican victory. Gen. Zaragosa was born in Goliad!

Puebla was certainly lopsided – 8000 French vs 4000 Mexican troops.

So were the casualties – 462 French vs 83 Mexican.

As to the Mexican-American War, the battles are a mix with the US outnumbering the Mexicans in many if not most.

I made tacos al carbon for 50 people

Is there a good troop list/OOB/Map for this battle?

Looking for one. Is there a current academic specialist on the subject? This would seem to be a worthy subject for the Osprey Campaign treatment.

Panfilov, there are several OOB's in the files section of the Yahoo Maximilian War Group.

I seem to remember US forces ALWAYS being outnumbered. The Mexican problems were compounded by using too much power in their muskets, causing them to fire from the waist to avoid damage to the shoulder.

On the other hand, they UNDER-loaded their artillery, with most missiles falling short.

It did not help to have 1 officer for every two other-ranks in the overall Mexican army.

GdeP

Funny. In the Lomas, as a chile' when I spent summers at my grandparents house in Mehico, the 4th of July Celebration was way larger than the Cinco de Mayo celebrations, which, come to think of it, I dont remember ANY May 5yh hoopla

They actually had events for 4th of July in Mexico when I was young. American Mexicans celebrated, but so did a LOT of Mexicans. Fireworks, Mexicans waiving US flags, lots of food, and lots of Modelo. They used to like us.

And the fireworks! NOBODY makes m-80 equivalents like old Indian ladies in the adobe villages we'd hike to. The "Cannone" was a cylinder the diameter of your thumb, about four inches long, with a fuse in the middle (a short fuse, about an inch long). Would blow your arm off. From 30 feet away, the blast wave would knock you 3 feet back. We used to cover it in Plasticine, roll it on a table over bird shot, and throw them out over our wall (long narrow street lined by 10-20 foot concrete walls) The shot would bounce all over.

And "Palomas!. It was a newspaper "football" triangle, about 10 inches long at its…the long line of a triangle. Like a giant paper football you flicked on a table and flicked field goals with as kids. Had a half pound of gunpowder in it. Had an uncle, who made millions designing fake hands that moved so you could grab things (Like a 3 clawed hook that each moved) because when he was younger, with my Mom, a Paloma blew up as he lit it. Blew both arms off right below the elbow.

These things were BAD! And when you throw them, sometimes they boomerang around and fly right back at you. Fun times.

Never forget when I was like 10, and I stuffed my suitcase full of Canoes and palomas (and a bunch of bottles of kaluah my mom insisted I take as it was illegal to export then).

Customs NEVER checked the child's suitcase back then.

We get home, and my Mom and dad find out I brought about 50 lbs of explosives on the plane. LOL! They yelled and yelled.