Battle of Palo Hincado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Palo Hincado |
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| Part of the Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo and the Napoleonic Wars | |||||||
 The Battle of Palo Hincado Monument in the Dominican Republic. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Santo Domingo |
 France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Juan Sánchez Ramírez |
Jean-Louis Ferrand |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1,800 | 500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 52 killed and wounded | 400 killed, wounded and captured | ||||||
The Battle of Palo Hincado was a very important fight during the Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo. This was when Spanish and Dominican forces tried to take back their land from the French. The battle happened in what is now the Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.
On November 7, 1808, near El Seibo, about 1,800 Dominican-Spanish soldiers fought against 500 French troops. General Juan Sánchez Ramírez led the Dominican-Spanish side. The French were led by Governor General Jean-Louis Ferrand. The Dominican-Spanish forces won this major battle.
Contents
Getting Ready for Battle
In 1808, General Juan Sánchez Ramírez was a key leader in the eastern part of Hispaniola. Other important commanders included Ciriaco Ramírez in the south and Diego Polanco in the north. They were all working to get the French out.
They received help from the Spanish Governor of Puerto Rico, General Toribio Montes. General Ramírez sent a letter asking for supplies. Soon, ships arrived from Puerto Rico with guns, swords, and ammunition. About 200 volunteers also came to help.
General Ramírez quickly took control of the town of El Seibo on October 26, 1808. Meanwhile, the French Governor General Ferrand was preparing to stop the rebellion.
An important person helping General Ramírez was Lieutenant Francisco Diaz. He knew a lot about war tactics. Diaz helped organize the weapons and chose the best place for the battle. This spot was called Magarín, near the Palo Hincado savanna.
On November 3, Lieutenant Diaz began giving out weapons to the soldiers. The troops gathered for a church service. Then, they heard that Governor Ferrand and his French army were coming close to El Seibo. General Ramírez ordered his troops to march and meet the enemy.
The French had better weapons and training. Governor Ferrand thought it would be easy to defeat the Spanish and Dominican forces. However, he did not realize how determined Ramírez's soldiers were.
The Battle of Palo Hincado
On November 6, General Ramírez and his troops moved to the chosen spot at Magarín. This area was about half a league (a few kilometers) west of El Seibo. They set up a temporary shelter for their weapons. General Ramírez told his soldiers to wait for the French to arrive.
It rained all night, but on the morning of November 7, the weather cleared. General Ramírez and Lieutenant Diaz made sure all the guns had dry ammunition. The soldiers, ready to fight, were prepared to face Napoleon's forces.
The battle began between nine and ten in the morning. Lieutenant Francisco Díaz was positioned at the front with nearly 300 riflemen. General Ramírez was in the center, giving orders. He placed Manuel Carvajal on his right and Pedro Vásquez on his left.
General Ramírez gave a powerful speech to his troops. He told them this battle was very important. He said that after the first shot, they should attack with their knives. This was to avoid the French's better rifles. He also said that any soldier who ran away would be shot. This made everyone understand that they had to fight bravely. He ended his speech by shouting, "Long live Fernando VII!"
The French army advanced and started firing around noon. Some French horsemen tried to go around the Spanish forces. But Captain Antonio Sosa and his riders quickly met them, stopping their attack.
General Ramírez then ordered his cavalry, led by Captain Vicente Mercedes, to charge forward. This attack was very fast and strong, overwhelming the French. The fighting lasted only about ten minutes. The battlefield was soon covered with fallen soldiers.
The Spanish forces moved quickly to get close to the French, where their knives were more effective than the French rifles. This tactic worked very well. The Spanish lost only seven soldiers, while the French had many more casualties.
Sadly, Captain Antonio Sosa and Captain Vicente Mercedes, two brave cavalry leaders, died in the battle. They are buried in El Seibo. The Battle of Palo Hincado ended on November 7, 1808, with a big victory for the Spanish and Dominican forces.
What Happened Next
After losing the battle, French Governor General Ferrand and some officers quickly tried to escape back to Santo Domingo. A group of Spanish soldiers, led by Colonel Pedro Santana, chased them. The French managed to cross a flooded river, and their pursuers could not follow.
The French stopped to rest in a place called Glen Guaiquía. There, Governor Ferrand, feeling very sad and defeated, took his own life.
After the victory, a meeting called the Assembly of Bondillo was held. At this meeting, General Juan Sánchez Ramírez was chosen as the new acting governor. They also recognized King Ferdinand VII of Spain as the ruler of the colony.
The Battle of Palo Hincado was a very important event. It showed the strong will of the Dominican people. It was seen as the third major victory for them. The first was the siege in 1655, and the second was the Battle of the Sabana Real in 1691.
Today, there is a monument at the battle site in the Dominican Republic to remember this important event.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Palo Hincado para niños
- Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo
- West Indies Campaign 1804–10
Images for kids
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The Battle of Palo Hincado Monument in the Dominican Republic.
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Palo Hincado map.gif
Map showing the location of the Battle of Palo Hincado.
