Sherman Expedition Explained

Conflict:Sherman Expedition
Date:August 1873
Place:Honduras
Result:Honduran governmental victory [1]
Combatants Header:Combatants
Combatant1: Honduras
Supported by
Guatemala
Combatant2: Guatemalan rebels
Honduras rebels
Salvadorans Rebels
Supported by
Costa Rica [2]
Commander1: Celeo Arias
Ricardo Streber
Gregorio Solares
Commander2: Enrique Palacios
Carlos Alvarado

The Expedition was an expedition made by Guatemalan, Salvadoran, and Honduran rebels supported by Costa Rica in an attempt to change the governments of Honduras and Guatemala in 1873.

Conflict

The conservative party, defeated in Guatemala in 1871, organized a counter-revolution in 1873 with an expedition led by General Enrique Palacios aboard the General Sherman steamship. Their goal was to change the governments of Honduras and Guatemala by attempting to seize the port of Omoa. However, the small garrison at the castle in Omoa skillfully defeated them through a clever maneuver on August 7, 1873, forcing the expedition to hastily re-embark. [3]

Another part of the expedition, having entered the country through Puerto Cortés to San Pedro Sula, confronted General Gregorio Solares and his 600 Guatemalan troops entrenched north of the Chamelecón River, about two leagues from the city. On August 9 of the same year, the invading expedition, comprising 450 men, suffered a defeat with significant casualties, including General Casto Alvarado. This defeat rendered them incapable of further actions. [4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Algunos datos o referencias para la biografía del benemérito general Justo Rufino Barrios: reformador de Guatemala y caudillo de la Unión de Centro-América. Jesús E.. Carranza. December 30, 1930. Tip. nacional. Google Books.
  2. Web site: Fechas de la historia de Honduras. Víctor Cáceres. Lara. December 30, 1964. Tipografía Nacional. Google Books.
  3. Web site: Elementos de historia de Honduras. Félix. Salgado. December 30, 1927. Tipografia nacional. Google Books.
  4. Web site: Revista del Archivo y de la Biblioteca Nacional de Honduras. December 30, 1905. Tipografía Nacional. Google Books.