Is Cinco de Mayo Mexico's Independence Day?

Often mistaken as Mexico's Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is not Mexico's Independence Day. Mexico's independence was declared on September 16, 1810, 52 years earlier than May 5, 1862, the date the Cinco de Mayo holiday is commemorating. 

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the defeat of the French army by the Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, between 2,000-5,000 Mexican troops stood firm against France's 6,000. The battle was fought throughout the day and came to an end when French General Charles de Lorencez retreated his army. It is estimated fewer than 100 Mexcian soldiers were lost in the battle to the nearly 500 French soldiers. Although Mexico's war with France continued for five more years, ultimately ending in 1867, the Battle of Puebla was a great moral victory for Mexico and re-energized the country in its ongoing violent affair with France.

So how did a smaller, less experienced Mexican army defeat the French? Perhaps the map below can shed some light. The map is of the city of Puebla and its surroundings and depicts the locations of both Mexican and French troops during the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

To learn more about the map and view the map's record in its entirety on the Portal to Texas History, click here.