The Battle of Celaya took place on 8 and 9 March 1858 in

Celaya Celaya (; ) is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality ...

(in the state of Guanajuato,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

), an early battle of the

Reform War The Reform War, or War of Reform ( es, Guerra de Reforma), also known as the Three Years' War ( es, Guerra de los Tres Años), was a civil war in Mexico lasting from January 11, 1858 to January 11, 1861, fought between liberals and conservativ ...

. Fought between elements of the

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

army, under General Anastasio Parrodi, governor of Jalisco, and elements of the

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

army, commanded by General Luis G. Osollo. The victory was won by the conservative side and corresponded to the first liberal defeat. The defeat made General Parrodi fell back to

Salamanca Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Herit ...

, where the next battle was fought and won by the conservatives.Hamett, Brian R. "Wars of Reform (Three Years' War)" in ''

Encyclopedia of Mexico The ''Encyclopedia of Mexico'' is a two-volume reference work in English, focusing on the history and culture of Mexico. There are over 500 signed articles are by more than 300 scholars. There are overview articles on large topics; shorter article ...

'', 1601. The liberal defeat had two main reasons. First, General Moret did not hold the force of cavalry that he commanded since he and other leaders of the liberal coalition forces had little communication. Also, a fire in a carriage park of liberal soldiers contributed to the defeat of their combined forces.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Celaya (1858) History of Guanajuato 1858 in Mexico Conflicts in 1858 March 1858 events Reform War