Bombardment of Punta Sombrero
Encyclopedia
The Bombardment of Punta Sombrero, was an American
naval bombardment in response to a Mexican
attack on a United States Navy
warship
which occurred during the Mexican-American War in October of 1847.
and the christening of schooner
USS Libertad, Lieutenant
Tunis Craven took command and set sail north, up the Gulf of California
. Libertad was most likely armed with three or four cannon
s taken from Loreto days earlier by the crew of USS Dale.
Her mission was to disrupt enemy communications from Mulegé
's garrison
to other communities and fortifications
. According to reports, the Mexican population of coastal towns grew terrified of the repeated appearances of Libertad in the waters off their settlements. No engagements occurred until October 31, when Tunis Craven spotted a Mexican merchant schooner at 10:00 pm.
Unknown to Craven at the time, the Mexican schooner was protected by an artillery battery
of considerable strength with several riflemen
to guard the battery.
"I heard no sound ashore, but the passing of the sentry's call, till about half-past ten o'clock, when bang! bang! bang! they commenced from every direction. I jumped out of my bed, seized my gun and fired at the group nearest me, which I could only discern by the flashes of their guns".
The Libertad, well armed and prepared for action, immediately abandoned the attempt to capture a prize ship
. Instead she opened fire on the Mexican batteries with her guns, one of which was a pivot gun
which was set up in hast just after hostilities commenced. The Mexicans found themselves in a good defensive position that night.
The moon
was rising behind the American vessel leaving her silhouette
d against the horizon. This made the United States ship easier to see despite having to engage in an artillery duel at night. Craven ordered his men to fire on what appeared to be the largest concentrations of Mexican forces.
Craven reported that the Mexicans kept up a steady stream of cannon balls on their target, most of them however flew over the ship or passed just across Libertads bow. The fighting lasted about two hours, slowly the batteries reduced their rate of fire before being mostly silenced at about 11:00 pm and by 12:00 midnight, all was quiet again.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naval bombardment in response to a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
attack on a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
which occurred during the Mexican-American War in October of 1847.
Background
Following the Battle of MulegeBattle of Mulege
The Battle of Mulegé was an American attack on Mulegé, Baja California Sur, during the Mexican-American War. On October 1, 1847, United States Marines and sailors fought with Mexican militia.-Background:...
and the christening of schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
USS Libertad, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Tunis Craven took command and set sail north, up the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
. Libertad was most likely armed with three or four cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s taken from Loreto days earlier by the crew of USS Dale.
Her mission was to disrupt enemy communications from Mulegé
Mulegé
Mulegé is an oasis town in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, situated at the mouth of the Río de Santa Rosalía. It is the fourth-largest community in Mulegé Municipality...
's garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
to other communities and fortifications
Fortify
Fortify may refer to:* the verb to fortify, meaning to build a fortification* Fortify Software's software code analysis product* Fortify , a software hack for the Netscape Navigator...
. According to reports, the Mexican population of coastal towns grew terrified of the repeated appearances of Libertad in the waters off their settlements. No engagements occurred until October 31, when Tunis Craven spotted a Mexican merchant schooner at 10:00 pm.
Unknown to Craven at the time, the Mexican schooner was protected by an artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of considerable strength with several riflemen
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
to guard the battery.
Bombardment
The American Lieutenant advanced his ship, at this time the Mexican batteries witnessed the attack and opened fire. Tunis Craven later reported the initiation of the action:"I heard no sound ashore, but the passing of the sentry's call, till about half-past ten o'clock, when bang! bang! bang! they commenced from every direction. I jumped out of my bed, seized my gun and fired at the group nearest me, which I could only discern by the flashes of their guns".
The Libertad, well armed and prepared for action, immediately abandoned the attempt to capture a prize ship
Prize Ship
Prize Ship is a science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick, first published in 1954 in Thrilling Wonder Stories and later in The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick...
. Instead she opened fire on the Mexican batteries with her guns, one of which was a pivot gun
Pivot gun
A pivot gun was a type of cannon mounted on a fixed central emplacement which permitted it to be moved through a wide horizontal arc. They were a common weapon aboard ships and in land fortifications for several centuries but became obsolete after the invention of gun turrets...
which was set up in hast just after hostilities commenced. The Mexicans found themselves in a good defensive position that night.
The moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
was rising behind the American vessel leaving her silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
d against the horizon. This made the United States ship easier to see despite having to engage in an artillery duel at night. Craven ordered his men to fire on what appeared to be the largest concentrations of Mexican forces.
Craven reported that the Mexicans kept up a steady stream of cannon balls on their target, most of them however flew over the ship or passed just across Libertads bow. The fighting lasted about two hours, slowly the batteries reduced their rate of fire before being mostly silenced at about 11:00 pm and by 12:00 midnight, all was quiet again.