Battle of Oriamendi

The Battle of Oriamendi (Basque: Oriamendiko Gudua) was a battle fought on 16 March 1837 during the First Carlist War.

Battle of Oriamendi
Part of First Carlist War
Date 16 March 1837 Location Oriamendi hill, south of San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain Result Carlist victory
Belligerents
Carlists supporting Infante Carlos of Spain	Liberals (Isabelinos or Cristinos) supporting Isabella II of Spain and her regent mother Maria Christina British Auxiliary Legion
Commanders and leaders
Sebastian de Borbón	Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara De Lacy Evans Pedro Sarsfield
Casualties and losses
	~1,000 and 1,500

The battle was part of a campaign in spring 1837 when the liberal Army tried to chase the Carlists from the Basque Country. They attacked from three points: General Pedro Sarsfield from Pamplona, General Espartero from Bilbao and a British-Spanish force under George de Lacy Evans from San Sebastián.

On March 15 the British Legion conquered a fortification known as Oriamendi on a strategic hill near San Sebastián.
The next day the Carlists under Sebastian de Borbón counterattacked and, after a long battle, drove the British-liberal army back to their trenches outside San Sebastian. This force had suffered between 1,000 and 1,500 casualties and covering fire from the Royal Navy prevented the withdrawal from becoming a disaster. The success of the Carlist troops laid in a defence-in-depth and their infantry's high mobility.

After the battle the Carlists tightened their grip around San Sebastián, but never succeeded in taking the city.

The defeat caused an outrage at the British parliament. The battle was a great boost in morale for the Carlists, and lives on in the Marcha de Oriamendi, which became the anthem of the Carlist movement.

See also

Oriamendi, south of San Sebastián

• Battle of Andoain
• Oliver de Lancey
• Maurice O'Connell

External links

• Balagan
• Historia militar del siglo XIX en el País Vasco