Siege of Cuautla

Siege of Cuautla
Part of the Mexican War of Independence
Map of Cuautla Amilpas (today known as Cuautla Morelos) drawn in 1812.
Date 19 February – 2 May 1812 Location Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico Result Disputed,[1] Mexican rebels abandon the city after 72 days of Spanish siege.
Belligerents
Mexican Rebels	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Gen. José María Morelos y Pavón Mariano Matamoros Hermenegildo Galeana Leonardo Bravo Víctor Bravo Nicolás Bravo José Antonio Galeana Manuel de Ordiera	Viceroy Francisco Xavier Venegas Félix María Calleja Ciriaco del Llano José Gabriel de Armijo José Antonio Andrade Captain Anastasio Bustamante
Strength
~17,000 soldiers	~12,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
6,000	3,000

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18°48′43″N 98°57′18″W / 18.811810°N 98.955090°W / 18.811810; -98.955090

The siege of Cuautla was a battle of the War of Mexican Independence that occurred from 19 February through 2 May 1812 at Cuautla, Morelos. The Spanish royalist forces loyal to the Spanish, commanded by Félix María Calleja, besieged the town of Cuautla and its Mexican rebel defenders fighting for independence from the Spanish Empire. The rebels were commanded by José María Morelos y Pavón, Hermenegildo Galeana, and Mariano Matamoros. The battle results are disputed, but it is generally agreed that the battle resulted more favorably for the Spanish whose siege was ultimately successful with the Mexican withdrawal on 2 May 1812.^[2]

The siege had many consequences to the political, military and social environment in the contemporary Viceroyalty of New Spain which was ruled since 1810 by Francisco Xavier Venegas. Calleja was turned from military commander of all central Mexico to the military commander of Mexico City after fears began of an insurgent attack on the capital. Morelos would continue gaining strength, reinforcing his army and taking new cities throughout the south of the country such as Oaxaca and Córdoba. A further consequence came with the rise to the throne of Ferdinand VII of Spain, when Venegas was relieved of his command as viceroy in February 1813.