Basilio García facts for kids
Basilio Antonio García y Velasco (born in Ventosa, 1791 – died in Toulon, 1844) was a Spanish soldier. People at the time sometimes called him "Don Basilio de Logroño". He was an important military leader for the Carlist side in Spain. The Carlists supported a different king for Spain.
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Early Battles and Carlist Cause
Basilio García first fought in the Spanish War of Independence. This was a big war against Napoleon's French forces. Later, during a time called the Trienio Liberal (1820-1823), he did not agree with the liberal government. After that, in the "Ominous Decade," he worked as a War Commissioner in Soria.
In 1833, he joined the Carlist cause. He announced that Carlos María Isidro de Borbón should be the King in Logroño. This was a key moment for the Carlist movement.
Expeditions and Promotions
From 1834 to 1836, Basilio García led several short trips from Navarre. Navarre was a region controlled by the Carlists. He would raid villages in the mountain valleys. On one of these trips, he sadly lost his son. His close helper, nicknamed "Caloyo", was also captured and later shot.
During a major Carlist campaign called the "Expedición Real," he worked with Prince Sebastián. Basilio García became a General for his brave actions. This happened during the Battle of Villar de los Navarros.
Challenges and Setbacks
After the "Expedición Real" did not succeed, Basilio García's soldiers needed food. He decided to leave the main army. He hoped to join forces with Ramón Cabrera in the Maestrazgo region. However, government troops chased him. This forced him to change his path, and he never met Cabrera.
Later Campaigns and Defeats
Later, he managed to meet up with other Carlist forces. Together, they captured the town of Úbeda. But Basilio García soon went his own way again. Because of this, government troops defeated him in a battle near Baeza.
After gathering his men again, he entered the village of Calzada de Calatrava. There, he attacked a building where opposing soldiers were hiding. He continued his difficult march. But then, General George Flinter's troops surprised him in Valdepeñas. This was a major defeat for Basilio García.
He returned to Navarre with his few remaining men. There, he was criticized by some people. They called him an "ojalatero." This was a mocking term for people who complained instead of fighting. It came from the Spanish word "ojalá," meaning "I hope."
Conflict and Exile
In 1839, Basilio García received the title of "Supreme Advisor for the War." However, he had disagreements with General Rafael Maroto. These conflicts forced him to leave Spain and go to France.
Return and Final Escape
Basilio García was worried about the low spirits among the Carlist troops in Navarre. He soon decided to return to Spain. He planned to organize actions against General Maroto. But these plans did not work out.
After the Convention of Vergara was signed, he fled back to France. This agreement ended the First Carlist War. He escaped with soldiers from the Sixth Battalion. These soldiers had rebelled against the Convention. They had also killed General Vicente González Moreno. Basilio García used the confusion at the border to cross into France. He died in poverty in Toulon on May 26, 1844.
See also
In Spanish: Basilio García para niños
