For you gringos out there – of which I’m one – Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day.

Rather, it’s the commemoration and celebration of the victory by the Mexican Army in the Battle of Puebla over French expeditionary forces invading Mexico with the motive of capturing Mexico City and conquering the country in the name of emperor Napoleon III – who wanted to establish a puppet regime.

The Battle of Puebla was waged on May 5, 1862.

The French forces vastly out-weaponed and out-numbered the Mexicans and a French victory seemed imminent. But when the battle ended, 462 French soldiers lay dead on the battlefield – compared to just 83 fatalities on the Mexican side.

Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian

The victory boosted morale throughout Mexico and sent ripples of awareness throughout the world that the Mexicans planned to offer resistance. But the boost was short-lived because Napoleon III sent in reinforcements, won a Second Battle of Puebla, and pressed on to Mexico City.

The French won the war and Napoleon III installed Archduke Maximilian – a Hapsburg – as the new emperor of Mexico.

Maximilian was deposed and executed in 1867.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow