British Legion (1835)
Encyclopedia
The Auxiliary Legion or the British Legion (La Legión Británica) of the Spanish Legion existed from 1835 to 1837. It was a British military force sent to Spain
to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain
against the Carlists in the First Carlist War
.
Under the Quadruple Alliance
Great Britain had controlled maritime traffic along the Cantabrian
coast since the beginning of the war.
In 1835 the war was not going well for the Liberal side and they asked their allies to become more involved in the war. The French sent their Foreign Legion which landed at Tarragona on 17 August with around 4,000
man and was renamed the Spanish Legion. Although the British refused to send troops directly, in June 1835, they decided to form a military volunteer corps, and that became designated an auxiliary to the Spanish Legion.
By the end of the summer of 1836 a force of 10,000 men under the command of De Lacy Evans had assembled in San Sebastian
. They fought near Hernani
and Vitoria, but were pushed back and had to hold the fort on Mount Urgul de San Sebastián, to prevent the Carlists from taking the city.
In November 1836 they were put under the command of Baldomero Espartero
and helped to lift the siege of Bilbao
.
In 1837 they suffered a serious defeat in the Battle of Oriamendi
, but were successful in stopping the Expedición Real, an attempt by the Carlists to march on Madrid.
The volunteers had signed on for a tour of two years and by the end of 1837 most of the men had returned home. Some 1,000-1,500 men remained, and fought on several fronts. Their casualties were so heavy that in practical terms the unit was dissolved.
In total a quarter of the force - some 2,500 men - died, only half of them in combat. Their presence had not been well received by the Carlists; one former soldier wrote that "to our foes, we of the British Legion were the most odious of all; strangers, mercenaries, heretics, scoffers, polluters of their sacred soil; so they did term us. For us there was no quarter; in the heat of battle, or by cold judicial form, it was all the same: to fall into their hands was certainly a tortured death."
, Royal Marines
, Royal Artillery
, and Royal Engineers
. Recruiting and training began in 1835. The Legion was to comprise of 8,500 infantry (in 10 battalions), 550 rifles, 700 cavalry and 300 artillery.
The first British Marines under Lord John Hay (the British Commodore) landed to garrison Portugalete
in Apr 1836 . In May the Royal Marines were expanded to a full battalion under Major Owen . Small detachments of Royal Marine Artillery, Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers were subsequently added.
In Nov 1836 39 officer and men of the British Royal Artillery joined the Naval force supporting the British Auxiliary Legion . 60 additional men arrived in Jan 1837. There were also 100 men of the Royal Marine Artillery. Cairns says all British Artillery used 9-pounder smoothbore field pieces and 51/2” howitzers, along with a few Congreve rocket launchers and light mountain pieces. Somerville (1995), however, gives the British Auxiliary Legion 6-pounders and short 12-pounders (presumably howitzers) and the Royal Artillery larger pieces including large howitzers.
Legion artillery organisation ):
British Royal and Marine Artillery:
British Auxiliary Legion Artillery
Spanish artillery:
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
against the Carlists in the First Carlist War
First Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833-1839.-Historical background:At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, promulgated the Salic Law, which declared illegal the inheritance of the Spanish crown by women...
.
History
Quadruple Alliance
The term "Quadruple Alliance" refers to several historical military alliances; none of which remain in effect.# The Quadruple Alliance of August 1673 was an alliance between the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Spain, Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, in...
Great Britain had controlled maritime traffic along the Cantabrian
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
coast since the beginning of the war.
In 1835 the war was not going well for the Liberal side and they asked their allies to become more involved in the war. The French sent their Foreign Legion which landed at Tarragona on 17 August with around 4,000
man and was renamed the Spanish Legion. Although the British refused to send troops directly, in June 1835, they decided to form a military volunteer corps, and that became designated an auxiliary to the Spanish Legion.
By the end of the summer of 1836 a force of 10,000 men under the command of De Lacy Evans had assembled in San Sebastian
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
. They fought near Hernani
Hernani, Spain
Hernani is a town and municipality located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is located at Latitude: 43° 16' 0N , Longitude: 1° 58' 0W. Hernani has an altitude of 200 ft .-External links:* and Basque.* Basque, , and ....
and Vitoria, but were pushed back and had to hold the fort on Mount Urgul de San Sebastián, to prevent the Carlists from taking the city.
In November 1836 they were put under the command of Baldomero Espartero
Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara
Don Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Alvarez de Toro, 1st Prince of Vergara, 1st Duke of la Victoria, 1st Duke of Morella, 1st Count of Luchana, 1st Viscount of Banderas was a Spanish general and political figure...
and helped to lift the siege of Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
.
In 1837 they suffered a serious defeat in the Battle of Oriamendi
Battle of Oriamendi
The Battle of Oriamendi was a battle fought on 16 March 1837 during the First Carlist War.The battle was part of a campaign in spring 1837 when the liberal Army tried to chase the Carlists from the Basque Country...
, but were successful in stopping the Expedición Real, an attempt by the Carlists to march on Madrid.
The volunteers had signed on for a tour of two years and by the end of 1837 most of the men had returned home. Some 1,000-1,500 men remained, and fought on several fronts. Their casualties were so heavy that in practical terms the unit was dissolved.
In total a quarter of the force - some 2,500 men - died, only half of them in combat. Their presence had not been well received by the Carlists; one former soldier wrote that "to our foes, we of the British Legion were the most odious of all; strangers, mercenaries, heretics, scoffers, polluters of their sacred soil; so they did term us. For us there was no quarter; in the heat of battle, or by cold judicial form, it was all the same: to fall into their hands was certainly a tortured death."
Organization
It would appear that most of the 9,600 men forming the Legion were volunteers from British Army line regiments. The only "regular" troops who served in the war were men of the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, and Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. Recruiting and training began in 1835. The Legion was to comprise of 8,500 infantry (in 10 battalions), 550 rifles, 700 cavalry and 300 artillery.
Legion Units
- Cavalry - Consisted of two Regiments:
- 1st Reina Isabel Lancers - English
- 2nd Queen's Own Irish Lancers - Irish
- Infantry - Consisted of ten battalions organised into "English", "Scottish" and "Irish" brigades, All foot units were single Battalion Regiments with six Battalion/Centre companies, one Light Company, and one Grenadier Company.
- 1st English Battalion
- 2nd English Battalion
- 3rd Westminster Grenadiers - English
- 4th Queen's Own Fusiliers - English
- 5th Scotch - Scottish
- 6th Scotch Grenadiers - Scottish
- 7th Irish Light Infantry - Irish
- 8th Highlanders - Scottish
- 9th Irish Grenadiers - Irish
- 10th Munster Light Infantry - Irish
- Irish Brigade - includes the 7th "the Irish Light Infantry", 9th Battalion, the Irish Grenadiers and 10th battalion, Munster Light Infantry, were brigaded together under Brigadier-General Charles Shaw, a veteran of 1815 and the Portuguese Civil War. The brigade quickly won a reputation for being one of the toughest units of the Legion.
- Light Infantry - The Rifle Brigade, British Auxiliary Legion
- Artillery - English
- Corps of Sappers and Miners - multiethnic
- Hospital Transport Corps - multiethnic
British Regulars attached to the Legion
On occasion some regular British troops were attached to the Legion, including- Royal MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
- 400 men according to- Royal Marine Artillery
- Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- The ChapelgorrisChapelgorrisChapelgorris were a type of volunteer unit during the First Carlist War, raised at the beginning of the war in the province of Guipúzcoa...
, a CristinoInfante Alfonso of SpainInfante Alfonso of Spain was the younger brother of King Juan Carlos of Spain.-Early life:...
volunteer unit, was attached to the Legion from 1836.
The first British Marines under Lord John Hay (the British Commodore) landed to garrison Portugalete
Portugalete
Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.The town has 51,066 inhabitants and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Estuary of Bilbao, on the left bank...
in Apr 1836 . In May the Royal Marines were expanded to a full battalion under Major Owen . Small detachments of Royal Marine Artillery, Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers were subsequently added.
In Nov 1836 39 officer and men of the British Royal Artillery joined the Naval force supporting the British Auxiliary Legion . 60 additional men arrived in Jan 1837. There were also 100 men of the Royal Marine Artillery. Cairns says all British Artillery used 9-pounder smoothbore field pieces and 51/2” howitzers, along with a few Congreve rocket launchers and light mountain pieces. Somerville (1995), however, gives the British Auxiliary Legion 6-pounders and short 12-pounders (presumably howitzers) and the Royal Artillery larger pieces including large howitzers.
Legion artillery organisation ):
British Royal and Marine Artillery:
- 1 x Field Battery: 2 x light 6-pounders and 2 x 12-pounder howitzers in total; wagons drawn by mules
- 1 x Mountain Battery (Royal Artillery): 4 x 12-pounder mountain howitzers; some 12-pounder rockets; mules
- 1 x Royal Artillery Rocket detachment
- 1 x Reserve Artillery: 2 x 18-pounder guns
British Auxiliary Legion Artillery
- 1 x Field Battery with two light 6-pounders and two 12-pounder howitzers in total
Spanish artillery:
- 1 x Mountain Battery with 4 guns