The Reconquest of Vigo
March 28th, is Vigo’s reconquest day. People from Vigo celebrate this festivity to remember how our ancestors recovered the Village from the French army’s control. Lets write a few words to honor our day:
Background
In November 1807 the French army, supported by the Spanish loyalty, arrives to the Iberian Peninsula. Napoleon’s intentions are to conquest Portugal. Napoleon and Spanish King Charles IV, have signed a secret treaty which guarantees to Spain part of the conquered territory. Eventually, with the excuse of reinforcing the French-Spanish army occupying Portugal, Napoleon’s army seizes the major Spanish provinces.
Short after that, the loyal family is forced to abdicate and the Spanish throne is given to Napoleon’s brother, Joseph. On May 2nd, 1808 a popular revolution explodes. Citizens of Madrid rise up in rebellion against French occupation. This is the beginning of the Spanish revolution.
On May 24th, the Junta General del Principado of Asturias declares itself independent and declares war to France. On May 30th la Junta Suprema del Reino de Galicia does the same. Soon, all throughout Spain, a popular resistance, known with the name of guerillas, arises against French occupation.
In response to the Spanish rebellion, French occupation increases trying to take control of the situation. Napoleon orders his generals to eliminate the Spanish resistence.
On August 1808, British forces (supporting Portuguese goverment) land in Portugal under the command of the future Duke of Wellington. The last consequences are the relieve of Portugal. Afterwards, General Moore take command of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula.
Eventually, on October 1808, Napoleon himself appears with his army in the Iberian Peninsula. His intentions are to reconquest Portugal and recover the control in Spain.
On November, Moore leaves Portugal and marches toward Madrid with the objective of relieving the French pressure over the capital. Reaching Valladolid, the British army finds the resistance of Soult’s army (of course, french army). At this point, Moore doesn’t know that Napoleon himself has already taken Madrid. Meanwhile, Napoleon is informed and he marches anxiously to reach Moore’s army.
The British army commanded by Moore have to draw the French northwards while retreating to his embarkation ports of A Corunna and Vigo.
When Napoleon is pursuing Moore’s British army, the Austrian Empire declares war to France (January, 2009) so on January 3rd he decides to leave Spain to take control of this last event. Before leaving, Napoleon orders to defeat the British in the northwest, relieving his army to Mariscal Soult. General Ney, is part of this army, and marches with Soult with the goal of help him in the occupation of Galicia.
Battalion of Marques de la Romana (Spanish army), who had retreated from Leon due to the French pressure, joins Moore's army when retreating to Galicia, splitting from each other in El Bierzo. De La Romana enters Galicia from Valdeorras meanwhile Moore enters Galicia from Pedrafita.
Eventually, Mariscal Soult battles Moore at the Battle of Elviña. On January 17th 1809, Soult conquers the City of A Coruña. Within weeks the most important villages of Galicia were conquered. Vigo surrenders on January 31st. Finally, Galicia is occupied and controlled by the French army.
On February 15th Mariscal Soult leaves Vigo, marching southward, towards Portugal, where, eventually he will conquer O Porto on March 29th. Mariscal Ney is in charge of the control of the northern region and Asturias. He establishes his militar base in Lugo.
On February 17th, more French march to Portugal. The military presence in Vigo is about 1,000 French soldiers.
The Guerrillas in Vigo – The reconquest
Steadily, popular alarms arise throughout the different Counties. In March, Ney tries to control the western coast but he doesn’t succeed in controlling the guerillas disturbing the French everywhere.
On March 7th, Vigo, in French possession, is blocked by the popular resistance. The gates of the village are closed. No supplies are entering the village and the citizens begin to complain. The popular resistance is leaded by the Spanish soldier Pablo Morillo and the local hero Bernardo Gonzalez “Cachamuíña”.
March 28th, is Vigo’s reconquest day. People from Vigo celebrate this festivity to remember how our ancestors recovered the Village from the French army’s control. Lets write a few words to honor our day:
Background
In November 1807 the French army, supported by the Spanish loyalty, arrives to the Iberian Peninsula. Napoleon’s intentions are to conquest Portugal. Napoleon and Spanish King Charles IV, have signed a secret treaty which guarantees to Spain part of the conquered territory. Eventually, with the excuse of reinforcing the French-Spanish army occupying Portugal, Napoleon’s army seizes the major Spanish provinces.
Short after that, the loyal family is forced to abdicate and the Spanish throne is given to Napoleon’s brother, Joseph. On May 2nd, 1808 a popular revolution explodes. Citizens of Madrid rise up in rebellion against French occupation. This is the beginning of the Spanish revolution.
On May 24th, the Junta General del Principado of Asturias declares itself independent and declares war to France. On May 30th la Junta Suprema del Reino de Galicia does the same. Soon, all throughout Spain, a popular resistance, known with the name of guerillas, arises against French occupation.
In response to the Spanish rebellion, French occupation increases trying to take control of the situation. Napoleon orders his generals to eliminate the Spanish resistence.
On August 1808, British forces (supporting Portuguese goverment) land in Portugal under the command of the future Duke of Wellington. The last consequences are the relieve of Portugal. Afterwards, General Moore take command of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula.
Eventually, on October 1808, Napoleon himself appears with his army in the Iberian Peninsula. His intentions are to reconquest Portugal and recover the control in Spain.
On November, Moore leaves Portugal and marches toward Madrid with the objective of relieving the French pressure over the capital. Reaching Valladolid, the British army finds the resistance of Soult’s army (of course, french army). At this point, Moore doesn’t know that Napoleon himself has already taken Madrid. Meanwhile, Napoleon is informed and he marches anxiously to reach Moore’s army.
The British army commanded by Moore have to draw the French northwards while retreating to his embarkation ports of A Corunna and Vigo.
When Napoleon is pursuing Moore’s British army, the Austrian Empire declares war to France (January, 2009) so on January 3rd he decides to leave Spain to take control of this last event. Before leaving, Napoleon orders to defeat the British in the northwest, relieving his army to Mariscal Soult. General Ney, is part of this army, and marches with Soult with the goal of help him in the occupation of Galicia.
Battalion of Marques de la Romana (Spanish army), who had retreated from Leon due to the French pressure, joins Moore's army when retreating to Galicia, splitting from each other in El Bierzo. De La Romana enters Galicia from Valdeorras meanwhile Moore enters Galicia from Pedrafita.
Eventually, Mariscal Soult battles Moore at the Battle of Elviña. On January 17th 1809, Soult conquers the City of A Coruña. Within weeks the most important villages of Galicia were conquered. Vigo surrenders on January 31st. Finally, Galicia is occupied and controlled by the French army.
On February 15th Mariscal Soult leaves Vigo, marching southward, towards Portugal, where, eventually he will conquer O Porto on March 29th. Mariscal Ney is in charge of the control of the northern region and Asturias. He establishes his militar base in Lugo.
On February 17th, more French march to Portugal. The military presence in Vigo is about 1,000 French soldiers.
The Guerrillas in Vigo – The reconquest
Steadily, popular alarms arise throughout the different Counties. In March, Ney tries to control the western coast but he doesn’t succeed in controlling the guerillas disturbing the French everywhere.
On March 7th, Vigo, in French possession, is blocked by the popular resistance. The gates of the village are closed. No supplies are entering the village and the citizens begin to complain. The popular resistance is leaded by the Spanish soldier Pablo Morillo and the local hero Bernardo Gonzalez “Cachamuíña”.
On the left side, Cachamuíña's performance, addresing to the citizens of Vigo after the reconquest ( 2008 reconquest popular celebration).
The French gubernator is reluctant to surrender. To establish dialog with the gubernator (there is no ranked official among the popular resistance) Pablo Murillo is upgraded to Coronel. With the warning of being attacked from the British navy ships, the French decide to wave white flag in the morning of March 28.
It is too late, the assault has begun. The popular resistance leaded by Morillo and Cachamuíña breaks into the village through Gamboa’s gate (On the right side, fake gamboa's gate on 2008 reconquest popular celebration). The legendary “Carolo”, trying to destroy the gate, dies with an axe in his hand. Cachamuíña retrieves it and goes ahead, being wounded by 4 bullets. The French ask for stopping the fire, since they are already surrended. Pablo Morillo, himself, has to order stopping the fire. The French sign the surrender and embark in British navy ships leaving 39 canons, 107 boxes of ammunition, 57 hundredweight of gunpowder, 339 horses, 60 carriages and 117,000 francs.
This picture overlaps the current city with the old Village of Vigo in the XIX century. Vigo's old wall is showed.
The wall had 6 gates: Falperra, Berbes, O Mar, Laxe, Gamboa, Sol and O Pra.
Gamboa’s gate was located at the beginning of current Rua da Victoria. The popular resistance, leaded by Morillo and the local hero Cachamuíña assaulted the village from our current famous Alameda Viguesa.
The French gubernator is reluctant to surrender. To establish dialog with the gubernator (there is no ranked official among the popular resistance) Pablo Murillo is upgraded to Coronel. With the warning of being attacked from the British navy ships, the French decide to wave white flag in the morning of March 28.
It is too late, the assault has begun. The popular resistance leaded by Morillo and Cachamuíña breaks into the village through Gamboa’s gate (On the right side, fake gamboa's gate on 2008 reconquest popular celebration). The legendary “Carolo”, trying to destroy the gate, dies with an axe in his hand. Cachamuíña retrieves it and goes ahead, being wounded by 4 bullets. The French ask for stopping the fire, since they are already surrended. Pablo Morillo, himself, has to order stopping the fire. The French sign the surrender and embark in British navy ships leaving 39 canons, 107 boxes of ammunition, 57 hundredweight of gunpowder, 339 horses, 60 carriages and 117,000 francs.
This picture overlaps the current city with the old Village of Vigo in the XIX century. Vigo's old wall is showed.The wall had 6 gates: Falperra, Berbes, O Mar, Laxe, Gamboa, Sol and O Pra.
Gamboa’s gate was located at the beginning of current Rua da Victoria. The popular resistance, leaded by Morillo and the local hero Cachamuíña assaulted the village from our current famous Alameda Viguesa.
The battle of Pontesampaio
During March, Galicia recovers the villages of Tui and Pontevedra. Thus, making more difficult the connections between Soult’s army in Portugal and Ney’s army in northern Galicia.
Meanwhile, a combined Portuguese-British army, commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley, pushes Soult back to Galicia and defeats another French army at Talavera in Spain.
On 1st of April, De La Romana is marching towards Asturias. In May, Ney has news about de La Romana and, in a wrong decision, marches towards Asturias to fight him. De la Romana decides to avoid Ney’s army, marching back to Galicia towards Becerrea and finally Ourense, where he arrives in the first days of June.
Meanwhile, Soult’s return from Portugal to Ourense is very difficult, since the Guerrilla daily harasses them.
On May 29, Soult and Ney meet in Lugo and agree a new strategy. Soult would seek De La Romana’s army in the southern Galicia and Ney would march towards Pontevedra and Vigo to try to recover the villages. This performance would recover Galicia to the French. Nevertheless, the popular resistance (Vigueses and galegos from the surrounding) leaded by Conde de Noroña, fights Ney’s army in the Battle of Pontesampaio. This battle, takes place at Pontesampaio’s Bridge, over Verdugo river, on June 7th. Morillo is one of the commanders. The major consequence is the retreat of Ney’s army to A Corunna.
Some schollars agree that Ney’s retreat to A Corunna was due to a misunderstanding with Soult. They state that attacks at Pontesampaio were performed merely to keep the resistance employed until reports of the officers brought back news from Soult, who was supposed to be fighting De la Romana in Ourense. The news, collected from peasants near Ourense, were that Soult was retreating over Castilla. This, indigned Rey who decided to retreat to A Coruña. Notice that some schollars doubt that 10,000 of the best french soldiers could have been resisted by an equal number of raw troops and peasant, one-third of whom were without arms.Of course, they have no idea of how brave the people of Galicia are!
Whatever really happened, a series of circumstances favored the popular resistance. The French army would occupy the country for other six months. Eventually, Ney and Soult would desist to conquer Gallaecia, retreating their troops.
Whatever really happened, a series of circumstances favored the popular resistance. The French army would occupy the country for other six months. Eventually, Ney and Soult would desist to conquer Gallaecia, retreating their troops.
Gallaecia was the firs relieved country in the Peninsula.
