Juan O'Neylle facts for kids
Juan O'Neylle (born 1765 – died February 24, 1809, in Zaragoza) was an important Spanish military leader. He was a Field Marshal, which is a very high rank in the army. Juan O'Neylle had family roots in both Spain and Ireland. He is mostly remembered for his role as a commander during the Battle of Tudela.
Contents
Juan O'Neylle's Military Career
Juan O'Neylle's father, Félix O’Neille y O’Neille, was born in Creggan, County Armagh, Ireland, and moved to Spain when he was young. When his father passed away in 1792, Juan O'Neylle was already a commander of an infantry battalion.
His first important actions in the military happened in Roussillon and Catalonia in May 1808. He showed great skill and was chosen to work closely with José Rebolledo de Palafox y Melzi, a famous Spanish general.
First Siege of Zaragoza
O'Neylle served as Palafox's second-in-command during the successful Spanish defense of the First Siege of Zaragoza. This was a very important battle where the Spanish army managed to protect the city.
He led his troops from Valencia to Aragon. There, he played a key role in ending the French siege of Zaragoza. He helped push back the French forces led by François Joseph Lefebvre, who had to retreat to Navarre. Palafox trusted O'Neylle and the Marqués de Lazán to keep chasing Lefebvre's retreating army. This brave attack made the French army leave Tudela. O'Neylle himself was responsible for destroying a French group near Nardués.
The Battle of Tudela
On November 23, 1808, the Spanish army gathered again under the command of Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén. Palafox was his second-in-command. This battle became known as the very difficult Battle of Tudela. The French forces, led by Jean Lannes, defeated the Spanish army. The Spanish troops had to retreat back to Zaragoza.
Even though the Spanish lost at Tudela, Palafox recognized O'Neylle's brave actions. He promoted O'Neylle to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Battle of Arrabal
On December 21, 1808, O'Neylle was involved in the Battle of Arrabal, which took place just outside Zaragoza. In this battle, Spanish forces from Murcia and Valencia successfully fought off many attacks from a French division. They forced the French to retreat.
O'Neylle also helped chase the retreating French forces a few days later, on December 25. The French had built a temporary bridge across the Ebro river to connect their camps. O'Neylle led 4,000 men to attack the French position at the bridge. He managed to drive them away. However, he couldn't keep control of the bridge, so the attack didn't fully succeed. O'Neylle and his men then went back behind the walls of Zaragoza.
Juan O'Neylle's Death
In late January 1809, Juan O'Neylle became very sick with typhoid fever in Zaragoza. He seemed to get better for a while. However, some reports say that when he heard the news that the Spanish forces had surrendered to the French that same year, he became very ill again and passed away. Other sources state that he died from typhoid fever.
Juan O'Neylle died on February 24, 1809. He was buried in the Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza.
See also
In Spanish: Juan O'Neylle para niños
