The Battle of La Paz' was an engagement of the Pacific Coast Campaign during the Mexican-American War. The belligerents were United States marines and sailors and Mexican insurgents, commanded by Mexican Army officers. The battle occurred on November 16 and 17, 1847.

Background

In late September, Captain Manuel Pineda of the Mexican Army began to assembe a large militia force of farmers and ranchers to defend the Gulf of California region of Mexico from the inading United States military. Hundreds of menwere among Pineda's ranks. In March and April 1847, the New York Volunteers, an American miltia force from New York State, arrived in San Francisco, California.

Their mission; to reinforce the United States Navy and marines, occupying various Mexican ports to the south. Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Burton, of the United States Army, was in command. On May, 30, 1847, Burton recieved orders to embark the steam ship USS Lexington with companies A and B and procede to La Paz for it's capture.

On July 21, 115 New York Volunteers landed peacefully at La Paz. Lieutenant E. Gould Buffum, of Company B, later described the port city; "The houses were all of adobe, plastered white, and thatched with the leaves of the palm tree, and were most delightfully cool. The whole beach was lined with palms, date, fig, tamarind and coconut trees, their delicious fruit hanging down on them in clusters."

Battle

With a force of over 500 men, raised by pressing men into service and supplied by requisitioned supplies from plundered property of American "collaborators", Pineda set out for a campaign against La Paz and San Jose del Cabo, both occupied by United States forces. When November 16 came, Pineda's army, estimated by Colonel Burton at nearly 300, attacked the American garrison of La Paz.

The garrison was stationed at an adobe barracks. At the same time, about 150 of Pineda's militia, under three lieutenants, were sent to attack the American garrison at San Jose de Cabo. Burton's command of 112 militiamen occupied a position overlooking La Paz at the south side of a gulch.

The New York Volunteers piled palm logs around their barracks and around an emplacement for their two 6-pound field guns with canister rounds. When the Mexicans assaulted the barracks, the American defended themselves, the two 6-pounders and muskets of the militia were especially efficient in repulsing the Mexican attack.

Pineda, after failing to capture the American held barracks and realizing the good American defenses, ordered a retreat the next day. On November 17, the Mexicans withdrew to La Laguna, about six miles away. Before leaving, the insurgents burned Governor Miranda's town house and other buildings belonging to those who "collaborated" with the American occupation force.

Aftermath

The New York Volunteers lost one man killed in this battle and another few wounded, the Mexicans four or five killed and many more wounded. The Mexican attempt to destroy the American garrison failed but the battle at San Jose del Cabo still continued and eventually Pineda would attack the towns again, in prolonged engagements known as the Siege of La Paz and the Siege of San Jose del Cabo.

References

Nathan Covington Brooks, A Complete History of the Mexican War (The Rio Grande Press, Inc., 1965). Justin H. Smith, The War With Mexico, Vols. I and II. (Peter Smith, Gloucester, Mass., 1963).

John R. Spears, The History of the Navy, Vol. III (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1897), pp. 401-409. K. Jack Bauer, Surfboats and Horse Marines (U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md., 1969).

President James K. Polk's Message on War with Mexico, May 11, 1846, in Documents of American History, 9th edition, Vol. I (Prentice Hall, Inc., 1979), p. 311.