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Published on: Ev

May 31, 1863

General Bazaine’s French army defeated General Comonfort’s Mexican forces (who had attempted to break the siege of Puebla) at San Lorenzo, south of Puebla. Shortly thereafter (on May 17), Puebla surrendered to the French. On May 31, President Juárez and his cabinet fled the city, retreating northward (to El Paso del Norte), taking the state treasury with them.