The Battle of Arlabán of 1812, also known as the Second Surprise of Arlabán, took place in the mountain pass of Arlabán,
Guipúzcoa
Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French depa ...
,
Basque Country, near the border with
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, on 9 April 1812, during the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
. A Spanish force of 3,000–3,500 men led by
Francisco Espoz y Mina
Francisco Espoz Ilundáin (17 June 1781 – 24 December 1836), being better known as Francisco Espoz y Mina, was a Spanish guerrilla leader and general.
Biography
He was born in Idocin in Navarre. His father, Juan Esteban Espoz y Mina, and hi ...
intercepted a great French convoy (2,000–3,000 regulars and 150 cavalry) of General of Division
Caffarelli Caffarelli may be
*Caffarelli (castrato), stage name of the castrato Gaetano Majorano (1710-1783)Carmela Cafarelli(1889-1979) was proprietor of Cleveland Ohio's Cafarelli Opera Company
*Luis Caffarelli (born 1948), American-Argentine mathematician
* ...
.
The attack was a success, and after one hour, the French were completely defeated. The Spanish casualties were estimated at 30 killed and wounded, and the French lost between 600 and 700 men, and 300 captured. The Spanish also rescued 800 Spanish, British and Portuguese prisoners (five officers), and captured the valuable convoy (weapons and baggage, two colours, letters from
Joseph Bonaparte
it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte
, house = Bonaparte
, father = Carlo Buonaparte
, mother = Letizia Ramolino
, birth_date = 7 January 1768
, birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic of ...
to
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, and a great amount of jewelry, valued between 700,000 and 800,000
francs
The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...
).
Joseph Bonaparte
it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte
, house = Bonaparte
, father = Carlo Buonaparte
, mother = Letizia Ramolino
, birth_date = 7 January 1768
, birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic of ...
's personal secretary, Jean Deslandes, was killed in this action.
See also
*
Battle of Arlabán (1811)
Notes
References
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Further reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arlaban 1812, Battle of
Battles of the Peninsular War
Battles of the Napoleonic Wars
Battles involving France
Battles involving Spain
Battles in the Basque Country (autonomous community)
1812 in Spain
April 1812 events