Mexico that are now part of Arizona and New Mexico. The sale of Mexican lands to the United States was a tipping point that helped foster the Plan of Ayutla, removing Santa Anna from office once again in 1855. This set the stage for a tug of war between conservatives and liberals in Mexico. Carbajal sided with Minister of Justice Benito Juárez, who became president of Mexico in 1858. General David E. Twiggs abandoned Fort Brown in 1859. On September 28, Juan Cortina captured Brownsville, Texas, to exact revenge on persons he considered his enemies. Two days later, Carbajal led a group of men who persuaded Cortina to depart. When Brownsville formed its own militia, Carbajal loaned the city twenty-five muskets from the National Guard. Cortina continued to cause problems in Mexico, and Carbajal requested the intervention of assistance from the United States. The contested 1861 election for the seat of governor of Tamaulipas caused Carbajal as head of the Rojas Party, to invade Matamoros. With no clear victory in Carbajal's incursion, Benito Juarez declared martial law in Tamaulipas and named Santiago Vidaurri as state military commander. Vidaurri ordered Colonel Julian Quiroga into Matamoros to bring an end to the conflict. Carbajal escaped into Texas. Brigadier General Henry McCulloch ordered Colonel John S. Ford to arrest Carbajal and turn him over to Quiroga. Ford instead told Carbajal of the arrest warrant, and allowed Carbajal to escape. McCullouch then relieved Ford of his command. Carbajal was appointed military governor of Tamaulipas in 1864. French incursion The Reform War drove the Juarez government of Mexico into debt with four powerful countries: France, England, the United States and Spain. In January 1862, France, Great Britain and Spain had taken over the customs house in Veracruz to recoup some of the monies owed them. Great Britain and Spain eventually withdrew. Napoleon III planned an invasion to acquire Mexico for France. Juarez enlisted Carbajal as general of the Liberal forces. On November 12, 1864, Juarez authorized Carbajal to enlist upwards of ten thousand foreign citizens. Juan Cortina had been in control of Matamoros, and surrendered the city to the French, under the control of Tomas Mejia. President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton sent General Lew Wallace on a covert operation to assist Carbajal in procurement of arms and ammunition. In 1866, Napoleon III withdrew his troops from Mexico. Mejia surrendered Matamoros