[1]: 337, 338  He next decided to move against the city of San Juan Bautista (present day Villahermosa), the capital of the state of Tabasco.

[1]: 340  At 5:45 PM, at an "s" curve in the river known as the "Devil's Bend", Perry encountered Mexican fire from the chaparral, dispersed some cavalry with the Vesuvius, and anchored for the night intending to deal with the obstructions ahead during daylight the next day.

[1]: 341 In the meantime Lieutenant David D. Porter, on board the Spitfire, managed to remove the piles obstructing the river and move the steamers past by 10 AM.

[1]: 341  The mistake was quickly remedied, and Porter kept on moving upriver, soon reaching Fort Iturbide guarding the city from the riverbank.

Van Brunt, but yellow fever and the constant presence of guerrillas persuaded Perry to withdraw the garrison on 22 July, but maintained the blockade at Frontera, periodically patrolling the river.