General Ignacio Zaragoza

Zaragoza's victory reached past Mexico. The French had planned to aid the Confederacy in Texas, and the costly delay at Puebla is believed to have shortened their intervention and changed its outcome. The Handbook puts French dead at 476 to 1,000, many already sick from the coast, against about eighty-six Mexican losses. His private life was hard: on army duty in 1857 he married Rafaela Padilla by proxy, three of their four children died in infancy, and she died a month before he began fortifying Puebla. Abigail Vargas Carbajal of Goliad worked for years to preserve his birthplace.

What the plaque says

General Ignacio Zaragoza (January 14, 1829 - September 8, 1862) Nacio en este lugar cuando se llamaba "Bahia del Espiritu Santo." En 1855, al mando de un ejercito de voluntarios Mexicanos, contribuyo a la derrota del dictador Santa Anna. Siempre fue caudillo en la defensa de su patria, el 5 de mayo de 1862, durante la invasion de las fuerzas Francesas de Napoleon III y Maximiliano, en la Batalla de Puebla y al Mando de 4,000 soldados mal armados, derroto a 8,000 zuavos veteranos Franceses. Esta heroica victoria dio a Mexico su gran fiesta patriotica nacional "El Cinco de Mayo." Born on this site when it was called "Bahia del Espiritu Santo." In 1855, at the head of an army of Mexican volunteers, contributed to the defeat of dictator Santa Anna. Always a leader in the defense of his country, on May 5, 1862, during the invasion of the French forces of Napoleon III and Maximilian, in the Battle of Puebla, he led 4,000 poorly armed soldiers to defeat 8,000 veteran French zouaves. This heroic victory gave Mexico its great national patriotic anniversary, "El Cinco de Mayo." (1967)

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Angel of Goliad — steps away
• Grave of Colonel J. W. Fannin and His Men — steps away
• Aranama College — 0.7 mi
• Cattle Drive from La Bahia — 0.7 mi