Battle of Monte Cristi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Monte Cristi |
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| Part of the Dominican Restoration War | |||||||
 Illustration of the Battle of Monte Cristi |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Empire |
 Dominican separatists |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| José de la Gándara |
Benito Monción |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 | 500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 100 killed or wounded | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Monte Cristi was an important fight during the Dominican Restoration War. This war took place from 1863 to 1865. The battle happened on May 15, 1864, in the Dominican Republic. It was fought between Spanish forces and Dominican separatists. The Spanish won this battle, but it was a tough fight.
Contents
What Was the Battle of Monte Cristi?
The Battle of Monte Cristi was a key moment in the war. This war was about the Dominican Republic trying to become independent again. Spain had taken control of the Dominican Republic in 1861. Many Dominicans wanted their country back. They fought to restore their independence.
Who Fought in the Battle?
The Spanish army was led by General José de la Gándara. He had recently become the captain-general of Santo Domingo. His forces were very strong. They had about 6,000 soldiers. They also had 13 cannons to help them.
The Dominican separatists were led by Benito Monción. These were Dominicans who wanted to separate from Spain. They were fighting for their country's freedom. The Dominican forces were much smaller. They had about 500 fighters.
How Did the Battle Unfold?
The Dominican separatists had taken shelter in the town of Monte Cristi. The Spanish army attacked them there. Even though the Dominicans were outnumbered, they fought bravely.
The battle was fierce. The Dominicans were eventually forced to retreat. This meant they had to pull back from the town. However, they managed to hurt many Spanish soldiers. About 100 Spanish soldiers were killed or wounded. A future Spanish general, Fernando Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte, was also injured during this battle.
What Happened After the Battle?
The Battle of Monte Cristi was the biggest victory for Spain in 1864. But it did not end the war. After this battle, the Dominicans changed their fighting style. They avoided big, direct battles. Instead, they used guerrilla tactics. This means they fought in small groups, using surprise attacks. They would hit and run.
This type of fighting made it very hard for the Spanish. It forced the Spanish soldiers to stay mostly in Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo was the capital city. Spain realized that winning the war would be very difficult and costly. Queen Isabella II of Spain decided to give up. On May 3, 1865, Spain agreed to leave the Dominican Republic. This allowed the Dominican Republic to become independent once more.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Monte Cristi para niños
