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Reconquista (Santo Domingo)
Encyclopedia
The war for Spanish reestablishment in Santo Domingo
, better known as Reconquista was fought between November 7, 1808 and July 9, 1809. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
, the criollos
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule.
The first battle took place in Palo Hincado
on November 7, 1808, when Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, leading an army of local and Puerto Rican
soldiers, attacked by surprise and a garrison of the French Army
under the command of Governor Gen. Louis Ferrand, who committed suicide later after. Gen. Dubarquier heard the news and garrisoned 2000 soldiers in Santo Domingo.
The Siege of Santo Domingo of 1808, was the second and final major battle and was fought between November 7, 1808 and July 11, 1809 at Santo Domingo
, Colony of Santo Domingo
. A force of Dominican and Puerto-Rican of 1850 troops led by Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, with a naval blockaded by British
Commander Hugh Lyle Carmichael, besieged and captured the city of Santo Domingo after an 8 months garrisoning of 2000 troops of the French Army
led by General Dubarquier.
British Major General Hugh Lyle Carmichael departed Jamaica with the 2nd West Indian, 54th, 55th, and Royal Irish Regiments to aid Britain’s newfound Spanish allies in reducing the isolated French garrison besieged in south-eastern Hispaniola. His convoy is escorted by Capt. William Price Cumby’s HMS Polyphemus
, Aurora, Tweed, Sparrow, Thrush, Griffin, , , , and . Carmichael disembarks at Polingue (30 miles west of Santo Domingo) on 28 June, hastening ahead of his army to confer with his Spanish counterpart—one General Juan Sánchez Ramírez, commander of a Puerto Rican regiment and numerous local guerrillas—who for the past eight months has been investing the 1,200-man French garrison of Brig. Gen. J. Dubarquier. Four hundred of 600 Spanish regulars are sick, yet they advance on 30 June at Carmichael’s behest to seize San Carlos Church on the outskirts of the capital and cut off communication between Santo Domingo and Fort San Jerónimo two miles west,while simultaneously securing a beach for Cumby’s supporting squadron. The demoralized French defenders have already requested an armistice and been rebuffed, repeating the suggestion on 1 July as the first British troops arrive overland (hampered by torrential rains). As negotiations progress Carmichael maintained pressure by installing heavy siege batteries around the city and massing his forces for an assault. On 6 July the capitulation is finalized, Barquier pointedly surrendering to the British rather than to the Spaniards. Next day redcoats occupy the city and Fort San Jerónimo, the French defenders being transported directly to Port Royal
Jamaica
without loss of life on either side.
French occupation of Santo Domingo
The French occupation of Santo Domingo started in 1795 when France came to own the whole island when by the Treaty of Basel Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars. At the time, slaves led by Toussaint Louverture in Saint-Domingue were in revolt against France...
, better known as Reconquista was fought between November 7, 1808 and July 9, 1809. In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, the criollos
Criollo (people)
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule.
The first battle took place in Palo Hincado
Battle of Palo Hincado
The Battle of Palo Hincado was the first major battle of the Spanish Reconquista of the colony of Santo Domingo, now the Dominican Republic. It was fought in the colony, on November 7, 1808, at Palo Hincado savanna, near El Seibo...
on November 7, 1808, when Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, leading an army of local and Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
soldiers, attacked by surprise and a garrison of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
under the command of Governor Gen. Louis Ferrand, who committed suicide later after. Gen. Dubarquier heard the news and garrisoned 2000 soldiers in Santo Domingo.
The Siege of Santo Domingo of 1808, was the second and final major battle and was fought between November 7, 1808 and July 11, 1809 at Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, Colony of Santo Domingo
Colony of Santo Domingo
The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo was the first Spanish colony in the New World, and later became the Dominican Republic. Originally known as "La Española", the colony was organized as the Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1511. After years of struggles with the French, the Spanish remained...
. A force of Dominican and Puerto-Rican of 1850 troops led by Gen. Juan Sánchez Ramírez, with a naval blockaded by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Commander Hugh Lyle Carmichael, besieged and captured the city of Santo Domingo after an 8 months garrisoning of 2000 troops of the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
led by General Dubarquier.
British Major General Hugh Lyle Carmichael departed Jamaica with the 2nd West Indian, 54th, 55th, and Royal Irish Regiments to aid Britain’s newfound Spanish allies in reducing the isolated French garrison besieged in south-eastern Hispaniola. His convoy is escorted by Capt. William Price Cumby’s HMS Polyphemus
HMS Polyphemus (1782)
HMS Polyphemus, a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 27 April 1782 at Sheerness. She was the first ship of the Royal Navy named for Polyphemus the Cyclops.-Baltic service:...
, Aurora, Tweed, Sparrow, Thrush, Griffin, , , , and . Carmichael disembarks at Polingue (30 miles west of Santo Domingo) on 28 June, hastening ahead of his army to confer with his Spanish counterpart—one General Juan Sánchez Ramírez, commander of a Puerto Rican regiment and numerous local guerrillas—who for the past eight months has been investing the 1,200-man French garrison of Brig. Gen. J. Dubarquier. Four hundred of 600 Spanish regulars are sick, yet they advance on 30 June at Carmichael’s behest to seize San Carlos Church on the outskirts of the capital and cut off communication between Santo Domingo and Fort San Jerónimo two miles west,while simultaneously securing a beach for Cumby’s supporting squadron. The demoralized French defenders have already requested an armistice and been rebuffed, repeating the suggestion on 1 July as the first British troops arrive overland (hampered by torrential rains). As negotiations progress Carmichael maintained pressure by installing heavy siege batteries around the city and massing his forces for an assault. On 6 July the capitulation is finalized, Barquier pointedly surrendering to the British rather than to the Spaniards. Next day redcoats occupy the city and Fort San Jerónimo, the French defenders being transported directly to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
without loss of life on either side.