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It's the morning of May 5, 1862 in the town of Puebla in central Mexico. An army general named Ignacio Zaragoza strides along the ramparts of a stone fortress.

Ignacio peers over the parapet into the valley below,

where a force of almost 6,000 French soldiers marched toward the fortress walls, their bayonets gleaming.

As Ignacio turns to survey his own battalion, a force of only 2,000 men, a look of concern

creeps across his face. He's outnumbered by close to three to one. He knows defeat is

all but certain. But he also knows his men are courageous patriots who will stop at nothing to

defend Mexico from the invading French army, who are readying their cannons. The deafening blast

shatters the morning tranquility. The air fills with smoke and debris as artillery shells rain down on the

Mexican defenses. The sound of explosions and shrapnel and agonized screams reverberate around the

fortress balls. Amidst the chaos, Ignacio orders his men to return fire, but there are simply

too many French soldiers. Before long, the invaders are at the fortress gates.

Ignacio tries to rally his men, but morale is beginning to waver.

But just when Ignacio himself is beginning to lose hope,

a thunder-clap echoes through the valley.

A split second later, the heavens open,

and torrential rain begins pouring from the sky.

Within minutes, the steep incline toward the fortress has turned into a muddy bog,

and the French attackers cannot find purchase in the slippery wet earth.

...