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Battle of Alsasua

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471: 609: 649: 187: 693:") and requested them to release their officer prisoners under threat of executing the parents and family members of Carlist soldiers. Zumalacárregui saw the threats as morally unforgivable, as " were foreign to the struggle we are involved in", and announced so in his response. He executed his prisoners and Quesada shortly followed on his threat. Two days after the battle, Zumalacárregui commended his troops with special mention to the 1st Navarrese battalion. 621: 194: 661:
elevation. Meanwhile, he positioned his artillery at the centre of the semicircle and behind it the convoy's baggage and cavalry as well as a battle hospital. The Carlist forces attacked repeatedly and while they managed to take control of the elevation, they were unable to maintain the position, which allowed Quesada to retreat towards Villafranca, albeit losing the baggage in the process.
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defeat. However, Fernandez's troops were tied up aiding officer Armildez de Toledo against the Carlists elsewhere. Quesada's scouts were unable to provide information on Zumalacárregui's strength or movements until their arrival to the town, though a lack of farmers on his way there led him to take "opportune precautions".
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and ordered most of the prisoners to be shot "in just reprisal to the inhumane conduct which the usurper government was observing"—the execution of Carlists by Liberals as political criminals. He threatened to shoot the 100 remaining prisoners he still held if Carlists weren't treated as prisoners of
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strategy of smaller-scale engagements and convoy attacks resulting in between a few dozen and up to 200 dead per side, without them being considered full battles. One source commented on the frequent marches that the strategy demanded, saying "In one side and the other those poor soldiers were always
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He stayed overnight in Salvatierra awaiting Fernández´s reinforcements which did not materialize, then marched to Alsasua. General Quesada had expected an attack in the vicinities of Alsasua, but could not have predicted the absence of the necessary reinforcements, which he would later blame for the
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In the morning of April 22, Zumalacárregui ordered fifty cavalrymen and their guides on reconnaissance duty and to act as bait for Quesada while his troops waited in ambush in the woods near the towns of Ciordia and Olazagutia. However, Quesada was well aware of the possibility of an ambush and,
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Quesada established a semi-circular formation with most of his forces and a second regiment's second battalion of regional volunteers covering the main path from Zumalacárregui's position, while two sections of the fourth Royal Guard Infantry regiment and 40 carabiniers guarded the peak of the
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The engagement started shortly thereafter. Quesada's forces, significantly outnumbered, were in "critical condition" an hour into the fighting. However, his vanguard managed to stave off the Carlists with enough success as to allow the rest of his forces to reach less disadvantageous terrain.
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and had minimal international support. The Isabelinos, on the other hand, managed to prevent the majority of the kingdom for joining the insurrectionists, had access to many more men and resources than the Carlists, and controlled the central government. However, they had implemented various
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Quesada left Vitoria on April 21, with a reserve brigade of two infantry battalions, one grenadier battalion, one sniper company, twenty carabiniers, two cavalry units, and four mountaineer sub-units, carrying with him "in passing" 500,000 gold
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Zumalacárregui and Quesada attempted to engage in an exchange of prisoners, but negotiations were unsuccessful. Quesada did not view the Carlists as honorable enough to negotiate equally with (calling Zumalacárregui "chief of the
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reforms that were highly unpopular amidst an economic crisis and so the Carlists had popular support in the majority of regions where the war was fought. In light of these factors, the Carlists decided on a strategy of
560:, where both sides were gathering supplies and strengthening their forces. On April 1, Zumalacárregui had published an address to his Navarrese and Alavese troops offering rewards for distinguished soldiers, which 582:
in order to pay Liberal troops in Navarre. As soldiers were in short supply, his forces were weak relative to the goods they carried with them. However, before leaving Vitoria Quesada had ordered General
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in movement. Quesada believed he gained advantages from pursuing the Carlists relentlessly, running after them Zumalacárregui started to fear the persecution that gave him neither truce nor rest".
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However, the terrain was rough and the soldiers had to cross multiple streams with water "up to their thigh and stomach" until they were able to reach the Etzegarate pass.
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after consulting maps of the local topography and deliberating with his infantry lieutenant and carabinier sargeant, continued forward with an altered formation. While his
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war rather than political prisoners, while allowing various officers to avoid their possible execution, although how they did so is unclear in contemporary sources.
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Alsasua lies 41 km east of Vitoria-Gasteiz and 85 km west from Pamplona. Geographically, the town sits between mountains dividing the
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would be treated throughout the conflict. In addition, it strained Liberal supply lines in the area and was part of Zumalacárregui's successful
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The battle cut Pamplona off from supplies from Vitoria, leaving the Navarrese capital vulnerable to on-and-off sieges throughout the war.
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described it as the "largest town in Navarre". An alternative northern route avoiding Alsasua would have necessitated crossing the
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Zumalacárregui and Quesada had fought against each other multiple times before in the war as the Carlist general pursued a
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through the mountains with less than 150 men to avoid further combat and would not arrive in Pamplona until April 27.
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The most striking events of a twelvemonth's campaign with Zumalacarregui, in Navarre and the Basque Provinces
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The Liberals suffered many casualties and Zumalacárregui took many prisoners, as well as half a million
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Modern day Etzegarate pass on the bottom right, where a service station can be seen at its tail
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and had eight battalions under his command, four of which had joined him that same night.
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450 dead and wounded and 400 prisoners, including the capture of a full infantry company.
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Quesada, cut off from a retreat towards Vitoria by the Carlist forces, had to hike to
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Vie de Zumalacarregui, duc de la Victoire, capitaine général de l'armée de Charles V.
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This battle was one of the first in the First Carlist War, a succession war between
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Troop movements under Quesada and Zumalacárregui leading up to the Battle of Alsasua
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Galeria Militar Contemporanea - Historia de la Guerra Civil en el Norte y Cataluña
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Galeria Militar Contemporanea - Historia de la Guerra Civil en el Norte y Cataluña
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Galeria Militar Contemporanea - Historia de la Guerra Civil en el Norte y Cataluña
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to reinforce the convoy with his troops by morning on the next day in
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The battle took place after a time of relative peace in the Navarran
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Historia de la guerra civil y de los Partidos Liberal y Carlista
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Historia de la guerra civil y de los Partidos Liberal y Carlista
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Historia de la guerra civil y de los Partidos Liberal y Carlista
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endorsed in a personal letter to the general a week later.
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Manuel Lorenzo: militar y gobernador de Santiago de Cuba
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After the encounter, Zumalacárregui spent the night at
1086:. Julio Aróstegui. Madrid: Turner. pp. 238–243. 1064:. Robarts - University of Toronto. London, J. Murray. 851:. Julio Aróstegui. Madrid: Turner. pp. 270–274. 1187:"Gran Enciclopedia de Navarra | ALSASUA, BATALLA DE" 1211:Hemeroteca Digital. Biblioteca Nacional de España 1312: 1236:. Julio Aróstegui. Madrid: Turner. p. 274. 814:Ayuntamiento de Altsasu / Alsasua / Curiosidades 743: 496:that had only managed to secure support in the 809: 807: 231: 1057: 914:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 804: 796:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 238: 224: 458:campaign until his death in the siege of 193: 1207:"La Revista española (Madrid). 1/5/1834" 978: 928: 879: 761: 647: 469: 1313: 1229: 1079: 1058:Henningsen, Charles Frederick (1836). 844: 1181: 1179: 1154: 1152: 1150: 1148: 1123: 1121: 1119: 1117: 1115: 1113: 1111: 1075: 1073: 1071: 1053: 1051: 1049: 245: 219: 840: 838: 836: 834: 832: 830: 828: 757: 755: 972: 13: 1176: 1145: 1108: 1068: 1046: 922: 883:Spain's First Carlist War, 1833-40 765:Spain's First Carlist War, 1833-40 206:Location of Alsasua within Navarre 14: 1352: 825: 752: 744:Muriel Hernández, Manuel (2012). 641:would lead the way, the convoy's 1336:Battles of the First Carlist War 1265:Juan Antonio Zaratiegui (1845). 619: 607: 409:la Acción de la Venta de Alsasua 192: 185: 1258: 1223: 1199: 16:Battle of the First Carlist War 1022: 873: 737: 614:Carlist General Zumalacárregui 1: 1000:10.1080/09592318.2019.1638539 988:Small Wars & Insurgencies 979:Lawrence, Mark (2019-07-29). 950:10.1080/09592318.2019.1638539 938:Small Wars & Insurgencies 929:Lawrence, Mark (2019-07-29). 699: 465: 886:. New York, NY. p. 33. 598:Zumalacárregui had slept in 535:Charles Frederick Henningsen 7: 1341:Military history of Navarre 427:led by the Liberal general 10: 1357: 545:or a longer route through 664: 631: 429:Vicente Genaro de Quesada 257: 180: 167: 162:Vicente Genaro de Quesada 150: 105: 34: 26: 21: 1230:Pirala, Antonio (1858). 1080:Pirala, Antonio (1858). 845:Pirala, Antonio (1858). 880:Lawrence, Mark (2014). 819:April 25, 2008, at the 762:Lawrence, Mark (2014). 626:Liberal General Quesada 553:between the two sides. 480:Infante Carlos of Spain 421:Tomás de Zumalacárregui 157:Tomás de Zumalacárregui 121:Infante Carlos of Spain 653: 475: 356:Villar de los Navarros 151:Commanders and leaders 143:and her regent mother 651: 473: 372:Post-Royal Expedition 168:Casualties and losses 486:. The Carlists were 484:Isabella II of Spain 403:, also known as the 203:class=notpageimage| 173:200 dead and wounded 141:Isabella II of Spain 1293: /  74: /  51:Alsasua (Altsasu), 1297:42.8953°N 2.1689°W 675:Leopoldo O'Donnell 654: 558:area of operations 476: 282:Venta de Echávarri 78:42.8953°N 2.1689°W 1331:April 1834 events 1326:Conflicts in 1834 893:978-1-137-40174-8 775:978-1-137-40174-8 585:Lorenzo Fernández 543:Izki Natural Park 520:guerrilla warfare 413:First Carlist War 405:Battle of Altsasu 401:Battle of Alsasua 396: 395: 249:First Carlist War 214: 213: 101: 100: 29:First Carlist War 22:Battle of Alsasua 1348: 1308: 1307: 1305: 1304: 1303: 1302:42.8953; -2.1689 1298: 1294: 1291: 1290: 1289: 1286: 1273: 1272: 1262: 1256: 1255: 1227: 1221: 1220: 1218: 1217: 1203: 1197: 1196: 1194: 1193: 1183: 1174: 1173: 1171: 1169: 1156: 1143: 1142: 1140: 1138: 1125: 1106: 1105: 1077: 1066: 1065: 1055: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1034:earth.google.com 1026: 1020: 1019: 994:(4–5): 797–817. 985: 976: 970: 969: 944:(4–5): 797–817. 935: 926: 920: 919: 913: 905: 877: 871: 870: 842: 823: 811: 802: 801: 795: 787: 768:. New York, NY. 759: 750: 749: 741: 735: 734: 732: 730: 717: 623: 611: 539:basque mountains 344:Royal Expedition 277:Alegría de Álava 252: 250: 240: 233: 226: 217: 216: 196: 195: 189: 89: 88: 86: 85: 84: 83:42.8953; -2.1689 79: 75: 72: 71: 70: 67: 36: 35: 19: 18: 1356: 1355: 1351: 1350: 1349: 1347: 1346: 1345: 1311: 1310: 1301: 1299: 1295: 1292: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1280: 1279: 1277: 1276: 1263: 1259: 1244: 1228: 1224: 1215: 1213: 1205: 1204: 1200: 1191: 1189: 1185: 1184: 1177: 1167: 1165: 1158: 1157: 1146: 1136: 1134: 1127: 1126: 1109: 1094: 1078: 1069: 1056: 1047: 1038: 1036: 1028: 1027: 1023: 983: 977: 973: 933: 927: 923: 907: 906: 894: 878: 874: 859: 843: 826: 821:Wayback Machine 812: 805: 789: 788: 776: 760: 753: 742: 738: 728: 726: 719: 718: 707: 702: 667: 634: 627: 624: 615: 612: 600:Etxarri-Aranatz 531:Pamplona basins 504:, and areas of 494:traditionalists 488:insurrectionary 468: 439:at the town of 433:Vitoria-Gasteiz 431:traveling from 397: 392: 253: 248: 246: 244: 210: 209: 208: 207: 205: 199: 198: 197: 145:Maria Christina 139: 118: 97:Carlist victory 82: 80: 76: 73: 68: 65: 63: 61: 60: 59: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1354: 1344: 1343: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1275: 1274: 1257: 1242: 1222: 1198: 1175: 1144: 1107: 1092: 1067: 1045: 1030:"Google Earth" 1021: 971: 921: 892: 872: 857: 824: 803: 774: 751: 736: 704: 703: 701: 698: 666: 663: 633: 630: 629: 628: 625: 618: 616: 613: 606: 551:pitched battle 482:and his niece 467: 464: 394: 393: 391: 390: 385: 380: 374: 373: 369: 368: 363: 358: 353: 347: 346: 340: 339: 334: 329: 324: 319: 314: 309: 304: 299: 294: 289: 284: 279: 274: 269: 264: 258: 255: 254: 243: 242: 235: 228: 220: 212: 211: 201: 200: 191: 190: 184: 183: 182: 181: 178: 177: 174: 170: 169: 165: 164: 159: 153: 152: 148: 147: 123: 108: 107: 103: 102: 99: 98: 95: 91: 90: 50: 48: 44: 43: 40: 32: 31: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1353: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1321:1834 in Spain 1319: 1318: 1316: 1309: 1306: 1270: 1269: 1261: 1253: 1249: 1245: 1243:84-7506-138-9 1239: 1235: 1234: 1226: 1212: 1208: 1202: 1188: 1182: 1180: 1163: 1162: 1155: 1153: 1151: 1149: 1132: 1131: 1124: 1122: 1120: 1118: 1116: 1114: 1112: 1103: 1099: 1095: 1093:84-7506-138-9 1089: 1085: 1084: 1076: 1074: 1072: 1063: 1062: 1054: 1052: 1050: 1035: 1031: 1025: 1017: 1013: 1009: 1005: 1001: 997: 993: 989: 982: 975: 967: 963: 959: 955: 951: 947: 943: 939: 932: 925: 917: 911: 903: 899: 895: 889: 885: 884: 876: 868: 864: 860: 858:84-7506-138-9 854: 850: 849: 841: 839: 837: 835: 833: 831: 829: 822: 818: 815: 810: 808: 799: 793: 785: 781: 777: 771: 767: 766: 758: 756: 747: 740: 724: 723: 716: 714: 712: 710: 705: 697: 694: 692: 686: 683: 678: 676: 672: 662: 658: 650: 646: 644: 640: 622: 617: 610: 605: 604: 603: 601: 596: 592: 590: 586: 581: 580: 573: 570: 565: 563: 559: 554: 552: 548: 544: 540: 536: 532: 528: 523: 521: 516: 512: 507: 503: 499: 498:Basque region 495: 492: 489: 485: 481: 472: 463: 461: 457: 453: 449: 444: 442: 438: 434: 430: 426: 422: 418: 414: 410: 406: 402: 389: 386: 384: 381: 379: 376: 375: 371: 370: 367: 364: 362: 359: 357: 354: 352: 349: 348: 345: 342: 341: 338: 335: 333: 330: 328: 325: 323: 322:Villarrobledo 320: 318: 315: 313: 310: 308: 305: 303: 300: 298: 295: 293: 290: 288: 285: 283: 280: 278: 275: 273: 270: 268: 265: 263: 260: 259: 256: 251: 241: 236: 234: 229: 227: 222: 221: 218: 204: 188: 179: 175: 172: 171: 166: 163: 160: 158: 155: 154: 149: 146: 142: 137: 136: 134: 130: 124: 122: 119: 116: 115: 110: 109: 104: 96: 93: 92: 87: 58: 54: 49: 46: 45: 42:22 April 1834 41: 38: 37: 33: 30: 25: 20: 1278: 1267: 1260: 1232: 1225: 1214:. 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Index

First Carlist War
Navarre
Spain
42°53′43″N 2°10′08″W / 42.8953°N 2.1689°W / 42.8953; -2.1689
Carlists
Infante Carlos of Spain
Liberals (Isabelinos or Cristinos)
Isabella II of Spain
Maria Christina
Tomás de Zumalacárregui
Vicente Genaro de Quesada
Battle of Alsasua is located in Navarre
class=notpageimage|
v
t
e
First Carlist War
Mayals
Alsasua
Gulina
Alegría de Álava
Venta de Echávarri
Mendaza
1st Arquijas
2nd Arquijas
Artaza
Mendigorría
Arlabán
Terapegui
Villarrobledo

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