Second Battle of Topolobampo
Introduction The '''Second Battle of Topolobampo''' was a bloodless naval engagement during the Mexican Revolution. In March 1914, a rebel Constitutionalist gunboat attempted to break the blockade of Topolobampo, Sinaloa in Mexico. The attack forced federal gunboats to a further distance but failed to lift the blockade.
Battle On March 13, 1914, at 8:50 am, the rebel gunboat ''Tampico'', under Lieutenant Hilario Malpico, stood out for an attack on the federal gunboats, ''Guerrero'' and ''Morelos'', commanded by Captain Navio Torres. ''Tampico'' was spotted sailing out past the bar and as fast as possible the two federal warships were underway in ''Tampico''s direction. ''Guerrero'' fired the first shots at 9:00 am with her gun battery of six  guns. Just like during the First Battle of Topolobampo, as soon as ''Tampico'' cleared Shell Point, she fired her broadside of two 4-inch guns and one  gun at ''Morelos''. Her first shot landed about  too short at a range of ; none of the others hit ''Morelos''. ''Guerrero'' and ''Morelos'' followed ''Tampico'' until stopping so ''Morelos'' could return ''Tampico''s broadside with some of her own fire. ''Morelos'' fired and then turned about to retreat southwestward; none of her shots hit either. During the retreat, ''Tampico'' continued to fire on ''Morelos'' which put the American cruiser , which was observing the battle, in direct line of ''Tampico''s fire. Realizing that he may hit a neutral vessel, Lieutenant Malpica shifted ''Tampico''s fire to ''Guerrero''. Captain Torres in ''Guerrero'', receiving fire again, chose to do the same as ''Morelos'' by turning around and fleeing, apparently in fear of ''Tampico''s guns. ''New Orleans'', shifted berth as well, to a safer position in the battle area. ''Tampico'' steamed back to the safe side of the bar and the two federal gunboats anchored farther south than their prior anchorage. All the firing ceased by 9:12 am; ''Guerrero'' fired a total of thirteen shells, ''Morelos'' nine, and ''Tampico'' fired six rounds. The range varied between 9,000 to 10,000 yards and no hits were made. This time the officers of USS ''New Orleans'' noted in their log that the gunnery of ''Tampico'' was considerably better than that of ''Guerrero'' or ''Morelos''.
Aftermath Ultimately Lieutenant Malpica in ''Tampico'' failed to lift the federal blockade, but in the gunnery duel she was able to force ''Guerrero'' and ''Morelos'' to break off their attack, despite not actually hitting the federal ships with her guns. ''Tampico'' won a tactical victory by forcing the federal gunboats away though the federal gunboats continued a naval blockade of Topolobampo. ''Morelos'' left for Altata on March 30, a day before the Third Battle of Topolobampo and the sinking of ''Tampico''. ''Guerrero'' continued the blockade.
See also * First Battle of Topolobampo* Third Battle of Topolobampo* Fourth Battle of Topolobampo
References * * Stefoff, Rebecca. Independence and Revolution in Mexico. (New York, Facts On File Inc, 1993).