Which Mexican general commanded the defense of Puebla during the 1863 French siege?

Jesús González Ortega commanded the defense of Puebla during the 1863 French siege.

González Ortega took charge of the Mexican forces defending Puebla after Ignacio Zaragoza’s death in 1862. When France returned with a larger army, Puebla became the target of a prolonged siege rather than the scene of the earlier one-day battle.

The defenders resisted for 62 days, but the blockade caused severe shortages. With food and ammunition exhausted, González Ortega surrendered the city on May 17, 1863. Many defenders were taken prisoner, though some later escaped or returned to the republican cause.

González Ortega is sometimes confused with Zaragoza, who commanded Mexico at the 1862 Battle of Puebla. The two generals led the city’s defense during different stages of the French intervention.