The Battle of Fuengirola was a military engagement of the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

fought on 15 October 1810 between a 457-strong Franco-Polish garrison at the

Sohail Castle Sohail Castle () is a castle in Fuengirola, Spain. It is a historic fortress located in the coastal town of Fuengirola, situated along the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. The castle sits atop a hill overlooking the Med ...

near

Fuengirola Fuengirola () is a city on the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is located on the central coast of the province and integrated into the region of the Costa del Sol and the Com ...

and a much larger Anglo-Spanish

field force A field force in British, Indian Army and Tanzanian military parlance is a combined arms land force operating under actual or assumed combat circumstances, usually for the length of a specific military campaign. It is used by other nations, but c ...

of 4,501 men led by

Andrew Blayney, 11th Baron Blayney Lieutenant General Andrew Thomas Blayney, 11th Baron Blayney (30 November 1770 – 8 April 1834), was an Anglo-Irish peer. He ruled the Blayney estate at Castleblayney, County Monaghan, for fifty years from 1784 to 1834. As commanding officer o ...

. Blayney's troops conducted an amphibious assault under the cover of an offshore artillery bombardment against the garrison of Sohail Castle, which consisted of troops from the

army of the Duchy of Warsaw The Army of the Duchy of Warsaw ( Polish: ''Armia Księstwa Warszawskiego'') refers to the military forces of the Duchy of Warsaw. The Army was significantly based on the Polish Legions; it numbered about 30,000 and was expanded during wartime t ...

and the

French Imperial Army French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

. The defenders ultimately managed to frustrate the attacking forces' attempts to capture the castle before a joint Franco-Polish assault captured Blayney and forced his men to re-embark in disarray. The British and Spanish suffered 335 men killed, wounded or captured while the Franco-Polish defenders suffered 120 casualties. Several of the Polish officers involved in the battle were subsequently awarded the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

Background

The Spanish town of

has been an important centre of trade since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. To defend it against a seaborne invasion, the

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

constructed

on a hill between the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

and the Fuengirola River. During the

, the

Costa del Sol The Costa del Sol (; literally "Coast of the Sun") is a region in the south of Spain in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the coastline of the Province of ...

area Fuengirola was located in was considered of secondary importance by both sides, being occupied by the

with little opposition. Until 1810, there was little Spanish guerrilla activity in the region. As such, after suffering losses in the Spanish interior, a number of units of the

were sent there in October 1810 to serve as a garrison and to rest. After they arrived, Sohail Castle was manned by 150 Polish soldiers from the 4th Infantry Regiment and 11 French

dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...

s. The Poles were led by Captain Franciszek Młokosiewicz. A number of similar detachments were garrisoned in the nearby towns of

Mijas Mijas ( ; ) is a municipality in the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Located on the southeastern coast of Spain, Mijas belongs to the region of Costa del Sol Occidental. Its center is a typical Andalusian white- ...

(where 60 infantrymen under

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

Eustachy Chełmicki were stationed) and Alhaurin (where 200 infantrymen and 40 dragoons under

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

Bronisz were stationed). All three detachments were part of the

IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...

under the command of Horace François Bastien Sébastiani de La Porta, who was stationed at

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

. The IV Corps numbered roughly 10,000 men and were stationed in southern

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

to prevent local Spanish guerrillas from receiving supplies from

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

. In the autumn of 1810, Major-General

decided to lead an expeditionary force from

towards Málaga and seize it in a surprise attack, with the beaches near Sohail Castle appearing to be a perfect landing place for his forces. Spanish guerrillas had informed the British about the weakness of the castle's garrison and their lack of reserves. In October 1810, Blayney gathered a

consisting of the 2/89th Regiment of Foot, a battalion of French deserters, a

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

unit,

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

gun crews and the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

's Toledo Regiment. This force numbered approximately 1,700 men, excluding Royal Navy personnel. They boarded a small fleet consisting of two

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

s, ( HMS ''Topaze'' and HMS ''Sparrowhawk''), five

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

s, several

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...

s and transport sloops.

Battle

On 14 October 1810, Blayney's field force reached Cala Moral Bay, about two miles southwest from Fuengirola. His infantry disembarked, and were joined on the beach by a small number of Spanish guerrillas. Blayney led his force northeast along the shore while his fleet sailed parallel toward Fuengirola. At 2:00 pm they arrived in front of Sohail Castle and Blayney sent an emissary to convince Młokosiewicz to surrender. Młokosiewicz refused, and in response the British fleet offshore initiated a naval bombardment of the castle. Despite their numerical inferiority, the Polish garrison in Sohail Castle continued to hold out and even returned fire using two cannon, sinking a British gunboat and leading the other gunboats to withdraw out of range. Under the cover of artillery fire from ''Topaze'' and ''Sparrowhawk'', Blayney ordered a frontal attack on the castle walls. However, after Major Grant, the commander of 2/89th Regiment of Foot, was killed in action, Blayney ordered a general retreat. Under the cover of night, he landed his guns and British engineers constructed two artillery emplacements near Sohail Castle, which they planned to use to destroy the walls. In the meantime, the Polish garrison at Mijas, alerted by the artillery bombardment, snuck through British lines and joined up with the castle's defenders. The garrison at Alhaurin was also alerted and in the morning of 15 October marched to Mijas, where it clashed with a 450-strong force of Spanish and German troops sent there by Blayney, dispersing it with a bayonet charge. On the morning of 15 October, the British artillery bombardment intensified and destroyed one of Sohail Castle's towers. Around 2:00 pm, HMS ''Rodney'' and a

Spanish Navy The Spanish Navy, officially the Armada, is the Navy, maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation ...

ship of the line arrived at Fuengirola, bringing 932 men of the 1/82nd Regiment of Foot. To counter these new arrivals, Młokosiewicz decided to carry out a surprise attack on the British artillery positions. Leaving the castle guarded mostly by wounded soldiers, he led 130 soldiers in a sally, taking the besiegers by surprise. Despite their numerical superiority, Spanish troops protecting the British artillery positions retreated in disorder. After capturing the guns, the Poles turned them away from the castle and started shelling the British. Although their artillery fire mostly missed its targets, as there were no trained artillery officers among the Poles, it made the regrouping of nearby British troops much more difficult. After about half an hour, Blayney managed to reorganise his troops on the beach and ordered an assault against the artillery positions occupied by Polish troops. The outnumbered defenders blew up the gunpowder supplies of their guns and withdrew towards the castle. However, before Blayney's forces could push any further, they were attacked on their left flank by the 200-strong Polish garrison at Alhaurin that had just arrived on the battlefield. They distracted the attackers long enough to let Młokosiewicz regroup his withdrawing force and strike the right flank of the British line. This near-simultaneous attack, supported by approximately 30 French cavalrymen from the 21st Dragoon Regiment, surprised the British, who soon began to waver. After Blayney was taken prisoner by the Poles, his subordinates sounded the retreat and started a chaotic re-embarcation under the fire from Polish troops using capturing artillery.

Aftermath

The British and Spanish had suffered 335 men killed, wounded or captured while the Franco-Polish defenders suffered 20 killed and 100 wounded. Several of the Polish officers involved in the battle were subsequently awarded the

. The battle, along with the battles of Maida and

Albuera La Albuera is a village southeast of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. it had a population of c. 2,000 inhabitants. History It was scene of the Battle of Albuera (16 May 1811) between Spanish, Portuguese and British troops under William Carr Beresf ...

, was one of the few instances during the

French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (sometimes called the Great French War or the Wars of the Revolution and the Empire) were a series of conflicts between the French and several European monarchies between 1792 and 1815. They encompas ...

where British and Polish troops fought against each other. In his memoirs, Blayney downplayed the importance of the battle and claimed he had been captured by a member of the

Society of United Irishmen The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association, formed in the wake of the French Revolution, to secure Representative democracy, representative government in Ireland. Despairing of constitutional reform, and in defiance both of British ...

instead of Poles. He remained in captivity for four years, and his captured

sabre A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...

is currently on display at the

Czartoryski Museum The Princes Czartoryski Museum ( ) – often abbreviated to Czartoryski Museum – is a historic museum in Kraków, Poland, and one of the country's oldest museums. The initial collection was formed in 1796 in Puławy by Princess Izabela Czartor ...

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

. Some British military historians claimed that the battle was decided by the timely arrival of a French relief force under Sébastiani's command from Málaga. However, Sébastiani's own report to

Jean-de-Dieu Soult Marshal General Jean-de-Dieu Soult, 1st Duke of Dalmatia (; 29 March 1769 – 26 November 1851) was a French general and statesman. He was a Marshal of the Empire during the Napoleonic Wars, and served three times as President of the Council of ...

attests that his column reached Fuengirola on the morning of 16 October, some time after the fight. Juan Antonio Martín Ruiz's ''Breve historia de Fuengirola'', Editorial Sarriá, 2000, pp. 62–63.

Notes

References

External links

Battle of Fuengirola, detailed account

Portrait of Eustachy Chełmicki
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fuengirola 1810 Conflicts in 1810 October 1810 1810 in Spain

Battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...