Battle of Tétouan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Tétouan was a battle fought near Tétouan
, Morocco
between the Spanish Army of Africa
and the Moroccan Army
in 1860. The battle was part of the Spanish-Moroccan war of 1859-1860
.
The expeditionary Spanish force, which departed from Algeciras
, was componed of 36,000 men, 65 pieces of artillery
, and 41 ships, which included steamships, sailboats, and smaller vessels. Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
, Prime Minister of Spain, personally took charge of the expedition and divided these forces into three corps. These were commanded by Generals Juan Zavala de la Puente, Antonio Ros de Olano and Ramón de Echagüe. Reserves were placed under the command of Juan Prim
. The admiral Segundo Díaz Herrero commanded the fleet.
The objective of the Spanish forces was to take Tétouan.
Hostilities between Moroccan and Spanish troops erupted on 17 December by the column commanded by Zavala de la Puente, which occupied the Sierra de Bullones. On 19 December, Echagüe captured the Palacio del Serrallo. O'Donnell commanded a force that landed at Ceuta
on 21 December. By Christmas Day, the three columns had consolidated their positions and awaited orders to advance towards Tétouan.
On 1 January 1860, Prim advanced towards the port of Guad al Gelu. Zavala’s forces and the Spanish navy guarded his flank. Melees continued until 31 January 1861, when a major Moroccan offensive was stopped. O’Donnell began the march towards the objective, and was supported by forces composed of Catalan
volunteers. Covering fire was provided by Generals Ros de Olano and Prim. Spanish artillery decimated the Moroccan ranks; the Moroccan force that remained took refuge in Tétouan. The city fell on 6 February 1861.
A week of further fighting followed. The capture of the city prevented further attacks on Ceuta and Melilla
by Moroccan forces.
O'Donnell returned with his forces to Spain; they camped at a spot north of Madrid
while a triumphal entry into the capital was arranged. The camp, which acquired permanent structures as well as shops over time, became the Madrid neighborhood known as Tetuán de las Victorias. O’Donnell acquired the noble title of "First Duke of Tetuán."
Tétouan
Tetouan is a city in northern Morocco. The Berber name means literally "the eyes" and figuratively "the water springs". Tetouan is one of the two major ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea. It lies a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and about 40 mi E.S.E. of Tangier...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
between the Spanish Army of Africa
Spanish Army of Africa
The Army of Africa was a Spanish field army that garrisoned Spanish Morocco from the early 20th century until Morocco's independence in 1956....
and the Moroccan Army
Military of Morocco
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are the summation of the armed forces of the kingdom of Morocco.It was founded in 1956 after Morocco's independence from France and Spain...
in 1860. The battle was part of the Spanish-Moroccan war of 1859-1860
Spanish-Moroccan War (1859)
The Hispano-Moroccan War, also known as the Spanish–Moroccan War, the First Moroccan War, the Tetuán War, or, in Spain, as the African War , was fought from Spain's declaration of war on Morocco on 22 October 1859 until the Treaty of Wad-Ras on 26 April 1860...
.
The expeditionary Spanish force, which departed from Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
, was componed of 36,000 men, 65 pieces of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, and 41 ships, which included steamships, sailboats, and smaller vessels. Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
Don Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuan, 1st Count of Lucena, 1st Viscount of Aliaga, Grandee of Spain, , was a Spanish general and statesman...
, Prime Minister of Spain, personally took charge of the expedition and divided these forces into three corps. These were commanded by Generals Juan Zavala de la Puente, Antonio Ros de Olano and Ramón de Echagüe. Reserves were placed under the command of Juan Prim
Juan Prim
Don Juan or Joan Prim, Marquis of los Castillejos, Grandee of Spain, Count of Reus, Viscount of the Bruch was a Spanish general and statesman.-Life:...
. The admiral Segundo Díaz Herrero commanded the fleet.
The objective of the Spanish forces was to take Tétouan.
Hostilities between Moroccan and Spanish troops erupted on 17 December by the column commanded by Zavala de la Puente, which occupied the Sierra de Bullones. On 19 December, Echagüe captured the Palacio del Serrallo. O'Donnell commanded a force that landed at Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
on 21 December. By Christmas Day, the three columns had consolidated their positions and awaited orders to advance towards Tétouan.
On 1 January 1860, Prim advanced towards the port of Guad al Gelu. Zavala’s forces and the Spanish navy guarded his flank. Melees continued until 31 January 1861, when a major Moroccan offensive was stopped. O’Donnell began the march towards the objective, and was supported by forces composed of Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
volunteers. Covering fire was provided by Generals Ros de Olano and Prim. Spanish artillery decimated the Moroccan ranks; the Moroccan force that remained took refuge in Tétouan. The city fell on 6 February 1861.
A week of further fighting followed. The capture of the city prevented further attacks on Ceuta and Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
by Moroccan forces.
O'Donnell returned with his forces to Spain; they camped at a spot north of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
while a triumphal entry into the capital was arranged. The camp, which acquired permanent structures as well as shops over time, became the Madrid neighborhood known as Tetuán de las Victorias. O’Donnell acquired the noble title of "First Duke of Tetuán."