1838 - Shellfire on Trial

Admiral Charles Baudin, 54 years old, achieves to silence the strong fortress which defends Vera Cruz, considered as impregnable, within five hours of fire on the 28th of November. Afterwards the citadel surrenders under the threat of a resumption of bombing. This feat is even more outstanding that it is the outcome of three frigates and two bomb vessels, with some help of a corvette and of two steam tugs.

The battle takes place in the Pastry War between Mexico and France – a war which owes its rather ridiculous name to the trade of a French victim of looting by Mexican officials amongst many others. France decided to blockade Vera Cruz and to demand reparation for its ransacked nationals. Negotiation has failed.

The battle marks a breakthrough in the history of naval artillery. The three frigates are armed in the new French style, with a uniform battery of 30-pound guns and carronades plus two new 223mm shell guns each.

The ships are set at seven or eight cables of the fortress which is bold as they are exposed to 186 guns of different calibres, 12-, 18- and 24-pounders. The French fire the mortars of the bomb vessels, the long 30-pounders and the shell guns, the range of the carronades being too short for the operation.

On the French side, rate of fire and accuracy are very high. On the Mexican one, the rate of fire turns to be chaotic and inaccurate after the first blows, even if the most courageous servants return fire until the ceasefire. Overall the French fire 7771 cannonballs, 177 shells and 302 bombs. Bombs provoke the explosion of an ammunition magazine. Bombs and shells make a big impression on the British and American observers – and especially on the gun servants of the citadel.

This is the baptism of fire for the 223mm shell guns invented in 1822 by Colonel Henri-Joseph Paixhans, 55 years old by now. They fire 23-kilogram explosive shells which burst after a few seconds of flight and crash.

The battle is widely considered as a feat owing to the shell guns. Actually, the French have fired the two thirds of their ammunition for a result which is more spectacular than decisive, but the morale of the garrison has been broken. Even if overrated, shellfire makes a decisive splash.

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SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Henri-Joseph Paixhans – Nouvelle Force Maritime ou exposé des moyens d'annuler la force des marines actuelles de haut bord et de donner à des navires très petits assez de puissance pour détruire les plus grands vaisseaux de guerre – Paris, 1821 - available on the Internet

Henri-Joseph Paixhans - Nouvelle Force Maritime et application de cette force à quelques parties du service de l'armée de terre ou Essai sur les moyens actuels de l'usage de la force maritime, sur une espèce nouvelle d'artillerie de mer qui détruirait promptement les vaisseaux de haut bord, sur la construction de navires à voile et à vapeur de grandeur modérée qui, armés de cette artillerie, donnerait une marine moins coûteuse et plus puissante que celles existantes et sur la force que le système de bouches à feu proposé offrirait à terre pour les batteries de siège, de place, de côtes et de campagnes – Paris, 1822

Adrien Dauzats & Pharamond Blanchard – Relation de l'expédition française au Mexique, sous les ordres de M. le contre-amiral Baudin – Paris, 1839

Edmond Jurien de la Gravière – L’Amiral Baudin – Paris, 1888