The Third Battle of Topolobampo was a single ship action during the Mexican Revolution. At the end of March 1914, a Constitutionalist gunboat attempted to break the blockade of Topolobampo, Sinaloa after failing in the First and Second Battles of Topolobampo. Constitutionalist warship, Tampico, was sunk in a battle lasting a few hours by a Huertista gunboat. Background After two small bloodless engagements off Topolobampo within a few weeks earlier, Lieutenant Hilario Malpica was promoted to the rank of captain by General Álvaro Obregón, a future president of Mexico. Despite the promotion, Captain Malpica still had the problem of fighting two gunboats, just outside Topolobampo's harbor bar. Morelos and Guerrero, under Captain Navio Torres aboard Guerrero, were conducting a naval blockade of the port. Guerrero had blockaded Topolobampo continually since March 2, 1914. Morelos arrived a couple days after Guerrero and occasionally left the blockade for provisioning and coal. On March 30, Morelos left again for supplies, leaving Guerrero alone and outside the bar. This gave Captain Malpica a chance to finally lift the blockade of his home port. Battle At 4:32 pm on March 31, 1914, the day after Morelos left, Tampico steamed out of the harbor and attacked Guerrero. At this time, Captain Navio Torres was returning an official call from the United States protected cruiser, , who was observing the naval campaign off Topolobampo. Tampicos fire from two guns and one gun failed to hit the target but were not far off. Guerrero returned with six 4-inch guns and quickly New Orleans turned towards the Huertista vessel and got under way immediately; she was too close for safely observing the conflict. Guerrero took up a position off the channel with her broadside towards Tampico. At around 5:30 pm, Captain Malpica in Tampico reached a position abreast of Shell Point. There she opened fire on Guerrero again at a range of . Immediately she was answered by Guerreros broadsides; shots managed to hit the officers quarters twice, causing considerable damage. Tampico suffered four more hits to her bow, and one struck underneath the waterline. Five other shots struck Tampico at the waterline, one amidship. Amazingly neither Captain Malpica or any of her sixty other officers and crew sustained injuries. All of the said hits reportedly occurred while Tampico made the first dash towards Guerrero. Despite the damage, the ships continued to fire at this position until 6:00 pm