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After the Juarista Government issued on June 11th, 1859 a group of laws known as Laws of the Reform stipulated as its main body the separation of the State and the Church: a law for civil marriage and a civil registry that outlawed the marriage by the church as well the nationalization of the church’s assets and proclaimed the freedom of cult or religion. They have an immediate effect in the State of Tamaulipas where the people was in their majority liberal.
However, the nationalization of the church’s assets did not have the foreseen economic effect, on the contrary, the Juárez Administration went bankrupt due to the bad management and the fights between conservatives and liberals. Trying to obtain a solution to the nation’s problems, the government decided to use most of its resources for the reconstruction of the country and declared a moratorium on the foreign debt payments on July 17th, 1861. This, added to the triumph of the liberals and the civil war in the United States, brought the rupture of the diplomatic relations with England, France and Spain that formed an alliance to guarantee the rights of their citizens and intervene in the internal affairs of Mexico, being the city of Tampico a crucial site for this problem. The first foreign expeditionary force to arrive was the Spanish; their fleet took anchor in Veracruz on December 10th, 1861 and disembarked on the 17th. The same month, in Tampico some prominent Spanish citizens where apprehended by military forces in Tampico and expelled from the country. Among them: Don Ángel Sáinz Trápaga. They returned to Tampico on March 1862 after the Soledad Treaty was signed between Mexico and Spain on February 19th, 1862 where the Juárez Government was recognized as well as the independence of Mexico, dissolving the triple alliance for this reason Spain & England withdrew their troops from Mexico. With the support from conservative Mexican groups; Napoleón III, who wanted to expand his empire and stop the growth of the United States, made the decision to repeal the existing treaties and showed his intentions to support the Mexican royalists along with his plans to establish a puppet empire under an European prince. The military operations started at Puebla with the French attack to the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe, defended by the Mexican general Ignacio Zaragoza that resulted with the defeat of the French army on May 5th, 1862. After the defeat, Napoleón III increased the strength of his troops at the command of the French Marshall Elías Federico Forey. It wasn’t until June 1863 that the French troops entered Mexico City along with the Mexican conservative army. The first military operations in Tamaulipas were due to the commitment made by the imperialist Florentino López to deliver 1000 mules in Tampico as long as the port was occupied by the French. Thus, on November 17th, 1862, the French troops departed Veracruz, landing at La Barra and entering Tampico on the 23rd, at 10.00 AM through the Fort Iturbide. Later, the Liberty Square and the Casa Mata (bunker) were occupied. López proclaimed himself as mayor and rent collector to have enough funds to pay the shortage resulted of his commitment to the French. After several months and bloody battles between Mexican and French troops, and the unfulfilled commitment from Lopez, the French left Tampico on January 2nd, 1863, the last of them left town on the 13th, same day that the port was occupied by Mexican troops under Gral. Juan José De La Garza. Tampico was a key town in the French strategy to occupy our country. For this reason, after Mexico City was taken Gral. Forey instructed a regiment under the command of Colonel A. Hennique, later promoted to Superior Commander to occupy the city. On August 5th, embarked at Veracruz 1,280 men and 172 horses, naval force that arrived at Tampico and landed on August 8th. The Fortín de la Barra (fortified position) was taken at the beginning of the conflict since was already evacuated by the 100 Mexican soldiers that defended it. The forces of the French regiment made camp near the fortin and entered the city on the 11th without finding any resistance from the Mexicans that had previously evacuated the 500 strength regiment under the command of Pavón and García.
When Pedro J. Méndez knew about the fall of Tampico, started march from Villa Hidalgo arriving on September 30th, 1863 to the Laguna la Puerta (La Puerta Lagoon) setting his HQ at Rancho Nuevo, between Altamira and the sea since that location allowed to watch the enemy movements and prevented the French to receive reinforcements. At the beginning of 1864, the French were still in control of Tampico, although under frequent guerrilla attacks. For this reason, Carlos Dupin, Colonel of the French HQ was sent from Veracruz to fight them. Col. Dupin had a reputation of having great experience and ruthless and under the excuse of suppressing rebel acts, committed several excesses. However he could not end the rebellion of the people from Tamaulipas that repudiated the Maximilian of Hapbsburg empire, who accepted his crown in Mexico the same year after the conservatives assured him that he was being welcome by the Mexican people. After the signing of the Miramar Treaty in which the Maximilian Empire committed to repay the French Intervention expenses and the policy that his government was to follow, the gradual reduction of French forces started. On march, 1865, the withdraw of the Tampico garrison was ordered, leaving only a company composed by 848 men. Dupin left the city on October to take command again of the counterguerrilla forces in Veracruz, the Tampico siege was maintained until January 1st, 1866. The situation of the Tampico garrison was desperate and everyday more difficult since it was under siege by 2000 republican soldiers with 500 under way. During the night of July 31st, 1866, the Mexican took the Fort Iturbide and on August 1st, Gral. Desiderio Pavón attacked the port. The French and irregulars (190 men) and the rest of the imperialist forces resisted for six days at the Casa Mata and a nearby HQ. Gral. Pavón offered Mr. Langlois who was in charge of the French forces the surrender terms with war honors, putting a small steam boat for their departure. This offering was rejected first until they were convinced that they did not have enough troops to maintain control of the fort and that this was the most honorable solution. The armistice was signed on August 8th, and they departed the next day. On August 20th, 1866 the Port of Tuxpam fell, located at the south of Tampico, leaving thus free of invaders and imperialists the south of the State of Tamaulipas and the adjacent region at the north of the State of Veracruz. Months later, on March 16th, 1867; the French fleet that supported the imperialists departed Veracruz leaving Maximilian of Habpsburg to his own fortune. Juárez returned to Mexico City on July 15th, 1867, after the trial of Maximilian and the resulting firing squad execution; being reelected president of the republic on October, the same year and started the reconstruction of the economy; the reduction of the army and organized an educational reform. at the same time he ordered to put down the military rebellions and confronted the division of the liberals. In 1871, he was reelected by last time as president and died on July 18th, 1872. The Fort Iturbide was situated on the East Side of Tampico. It was a fortress made of stone with materials brought from the cliffs from the eastside of town. It owes it name that it was built during the time where Agustín De Iturbide had ample influence in the nation’s businesses (1821-1823). In 1832, the physiognomy of Tampico started changing with the opening of a channel to link the Carpenters’ Lagoon with the Pánuco River, a channel that during those times functioned as a moat for the Fort Iturbide surrounding it completely, and leaving as the only means to communicate it a moving bridge as a feudal castle. Through the years it was converted to a fixed one until it was demolished and one of the sides of the channel filled in. The channel is known today as the Cortadura Channel a.k.a. Iturbide Channel.
The Casa Mata was a fortification (bunker) that was located in the site that is now occupied by the Diario de Tampico (newspaper) building, marking the boundaries of the city as of 1835 and protecting the entrance of the city from its enemies. It was linked underground by a tunnel to the Fuerte del Ocho (Del Ocho Fort), located where today is the Military Hospital. Such tunnel went from the fort’s patios to the fortress’ pits. The Casa Mata was the last French holdout, that finally surrended to Gral. Desiderio Pavón on August 7th, 1866. Due to the extensive combats between republicans and imperialists, the fortress was left deteriorated and in ruins when it was taken by assault on May, 1871 by Gral. Sóstenes Rocha. .
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Articles from our 14th Edition Tampico, victim of Pirates, Bucaneers, and Privateers
León Trotsky in Tampico
New Street Names
Tampico Wakeboard City
Tajín Summit
Convention Center
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