Carlos O'Donnell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos (Charles) O'Donnell
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|---|---|
| Born | 1772 Cádiz, Spain |
| Died | 1830 (aged 57–58) Madrid, Spain |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain |
| Service/ |
Infantry |
| Rank | Captain General |
Carlos Manuel O'Donnell y Anhetan, also known as Charles O'Donnell (1772–1830), was an important Spanish general. He led Spanish soldiers against the French Empire during the Peninsular War. He had Irish family roots.
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Carlos O'Donnell's Family
Carlos O'Donnell came from a family of soldiers. His father was Joseph O'Donnell the elder. Carlos had five brothers, and all of them fought in Spain's armies. Two of his brothers, Enrique (Henry) O'Donnell and José, also became generals, just like Carlos.
Carlos's son, Leopoldo O'Donnell, followed in his footsteps. He also became a general. Leopoldo even served as the Prime Minister of Spain three times between 1856 and 1866.
Early Military Life
Carlos O'Donnell started his military career very young. In 1777, when he was just five years old, he joined the Regimiento de Irlanda as a cadet. Later, he joined the Regiment of Hibernia.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 1787. For most of 1790, he helped put a stop to bandoleros, who were like bandits or outlaws.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
In 1800, Carlos O'Donnell became a colonel. He was made teniente del rey (which was like a British lord-lieutenant) for Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Commander of the Canary Islands
When the Peninsular War began, O'Donnell was chosen to be the temporary commander general of the Canary Islands. This happened after the local government, called the Junta de Canarias, removed the previous general. They thought the old general was not supporting King Fernando VII.
Later, the main government in Spain, the Junta Suprema de Sevilla, officially confirmed O'Donnell as the new commander general. Some people had accused him of wanting the islands to become independent with help from England. They also said he made up rumors about the previous general. But these claims did not stop his appointment.
Once he was confirmed, in October 1808, O'Donnell sent important help to mainland Spain. He sent two groups of infantry soldiers and two groups of artillery soldiers. He also sent many supplies. In the same month, he was promoted to field marshal, a very high military rank.
Moving to Mainland Spain
O'Donnell wanted to fight directly in Spain to defend his country. His request was approved in June 1809. In August, he gave his command to Field Marshal Carlos Luján and then went to Cádiz.
He was given command of the 2nd Infantry Division. This division was part of the Ejército de la Izquierda (Army of the Left), led by Pedro Caro y Sureda, Marquis of La Romana. O'Donnell fought in important areas like Seville, Portugal, and Extremadura.
Key Battles and Injuries
In March 1810, O'Donnell successfully broke the siege of Cáceres. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to cut off supplies and force it to surrender.
The next month, he placed his troops near Alburquerque to protect the side of the Anglo-Portuguese Army. However, his leading troops suffered many losses when attacked by General Jean Reynier's soldiers.
In October of that year, O'Donnell's army joined forces with Wellington's troops. He helped defend the Lines of Torres Vedras in Portugal. These were strong defensive lines that helped stop the French army. He also helped push Marshal André Masséna out of Portugal. During this time, O'Donnell was wounded several times while fighting.
Later Commands
After General de la Romana died in January 1811, O'Donnell asked to be moved to Catalonia. His brother Enrique was a captain general there. However, he was instead made the temporary captain general of Valencia. He could not take up this new role until April.
By June 1, 1811, O'Donnell was the commanding officer of the 2nd Army, also known as the Army of Valencia. He had a large force of 22,908 soldiers ready for battle. This included a special group of 3,220 men led by Juan Martín Díez, known as "el Empecinado." He also had an additional 1,999 soldiers guarding places like Sagunto, Oropesa, and Peniscola.
See also
In Spanish: Carlos O'Donnell y Anhetan para niños
