Battle of Arlabán (1812) facts for kids

The Battle of Arlabán of 1812, also known as the Second Surprise of Arlabán, was an important fight during the Peninsular War. This war was a big conflict in Spain and Portugal between 1807 and 1814. It happened on 9 April 1812, in the Arlabán mountain pass in the Basque Country, near the border with France.

In this battle, a Spanish army led by Francisco Espoz y Mina attacked a large French group. The French group was a "convoy," which means a group of vehicles or ships traveling together, often for protection. This French convoy was carrying important supplies and had many soldiers. The Spanish forces were successful, winning a big victory against the French.

Quick facts for kids Battle of Arlabán (1812)
Part of the Peninsular War
Date 9 April 1812 Location Arlabán, Spain 42°50.67′N 2°45.62′W / 42.84450°N 2.76033°W / 42.84450; -2.76033 Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
French Empire	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Marie-François de Caffarelli	Francisco Espoz y Mina
Strength
2,000–3,000 150 cavalry	3,000–3,500
Casualties and losses
600–700 killed or wounded 300 captured 800 prisoners released	30 killed, wounded or captured

What Happened?

The Spanish forces, led by Francisco Espoz y Mina, had between 3,000 and 3,500 soldiers. They faced a French convoy with 2,000 to 3,000 regular soldiers and 150 cavalry (soldiers on horseback). The French convoy was commanded by General Caffarelli.

The Battle

The Spanish army launched a surprise attack on the French convoy. The fighting lasted for about an hour. The Spanish soldiers fought bravely and quickly defeated the French. This battle was a big success for the Spanish side.

A Big Win for Spain

The Spanish army had very few losses, with only about 30 soldiers killed or wounded. The French, however, suffered greatly. Between 600 and 700 French soldiers were killed or wounded, and 300 were captured.

Even more importantly, the Spanish rescued 800 prisoners. These prisoners were Spanish, British, and Portuguese soldiers who had been captured by the French. The Spanish also seized a lot of valuable items from the convoy. This included weapons, baggage, and two flags. They also found letters from Joseph Bonaparte, who was the King of Spain at the time, to his brother Napoleon. A large amount of jewelry, worth a lot of money (between 700,000 and 800,000 francs), was also captured. Sadly, Joseph Bonaparte's personal secretary, Jean Deslandes, died during this battle.

See also

• Battle of Arlabán (1811)