The Maya forces have taken over most…
April 1848 CE
In his letter of 1849, Cecilio Chi will note that Santiago Méndez had come to "put every Indian, big and little, to death" but that the Maya had responded in kind.
He will write "it has pleased God and good fortune that a much greater portion of them [whites] than of the Indians [have died].
Yucatecan troops hold the road from Mérida to the port of Sisal.
The Yucatecan governor Miguel Barbachano has prepared a decree for the evacuation of Mérida, but is apparently delayed in publishing it by the lack of suitable paper in the besieged capital.
The decree becomes unnecessary when the republican troops suddenly break the siege and take the offensive with major advances.
Historians disagree on the reason for this defeat.
According to some, the majority of the Maya troops, not realizing the unique strategic advantage of their siege situation, had left the lines to plant their crops, planning to return after planting.
It is said that the appearance of flying ants swarming after heavy rains was the traditional signal for the Maya to start planting.
They abandoned the battle.
Others argue that the Maya had not laid up enough supplies for the campaign, and were unable to feed their forces any longer, and their break up was to search for food.
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