The Battle of Borja was a battle of the Peninsular War fought in late April 1811 in Borja Vineyards, Spain. The French administrators of Navarre dispatched Charlot Pierpont and an army of 4,950 Basque and Navarrese militia to crush Francisco de Anchia's armed insurgency of 1,740 troops in Navarre, and the French were able to overpower Anchia's ambush plan and defeat his army.
Background[]
Navarra was in French hands at the time of the battle, but was 90% anti-French in sentiment due to the preachings of Spanish clergymen against Bonapartist ideals. General Francisco de Anchia found a strong point in the region, as many people discontent with French rule flocked to his banner. He had 1,740 troops by late April, a few weeks after France had renewed their campaign for the Peninsula. Anchia's army was not the only army that the French had to worry about; Manuel Alberto Freire's Spanish field army in Valencia was also a major concern, so his presence had to be dealt with before the two armies could team up to capture Teruel or other vulnerable cities.
French administrators in Navarra dispatched Colonel Charlot Pierpont and an army of 4,950 troops from Pais Vasco and Navarra to catch Anchia's army and defeat him. Pierpont's French militia forded the Ebro River from the north and crossed to engage the Spanish to the northwest of Borja Vineyards, which produced most of the wealth of Navarra. The Spanish burnt down the vineyards to deny the French a source of income, but they were too late to avoid battle.
Battle[]
The Spanish and French armies deployed on opposite sides of the village, so the French decided to deploy on a hill to the east, overlooking the town. However, Tiradores had already seized control of the strategic height, so the French would have to push them off the hill to gain the advantage. The French army took the hill at a light cost, as the Tiradores withdrew after the French Chasseurs a Cheval attacked them. With the hill wrested from Spanish control, the French prepared to face Anchia's army, but were too late to gain the advantage; the Spanish army had moved from the village to a height equal to the hill. The Spanish cavalry charged to attack the French infantry on the side of the hill, but they were gunned down by concentrated French fire and fell in great numbers. The French cavalry pursued the Spanish thoroughly, and slaughtered 1,500 Spanish troops, while 460 French were lost. Only 210 Spanish Husares survived the battle, and Anchia was nearly defeated for good.
Aftermath[]
The Spanish army routed, leaving Navarra open for French reassessment. The French army did not leave an army in Pamplona, as the need was greater to defend the richer Basque Country than Navarra. Eager Navarrese rebellions were crushed by the French army of Pierpont without mercy, and the Spanish were not to return to the city until 1814.