Battle of Orbaizeta

Terrain south of Orbaizeta

Date	15–17 October 1794
Location	Orbaizeta, Navarre, Spain
Result	French victory

Belligerents

French Republic

Spain

Commanders and leaders

Bon-Adrien Moncey

Duke of Osuna

Strength

46,000

13,000

Casualties and losses

Not known

4,000, 50 cannons

The Battle of Orbaizeta was fought from 15 to 17 October 1794 during the War of the Pyrenees, between the French Army of the western Pyrenees led by Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey and Spanish forces under the command of Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna. Part of the wider French Revolutionary Wars, this engagement was fought over a wide area to the northwest and northeast of Pamplona in Navarre and ended in a French victory. The Spanish defenders gave up territory to the north of Pamplona, including a number of strategic locations.

While 1793 saw no important battles in the western Pyrenees, the following year saw significant action. With General of Division (MG) Jacques Léonard Muller leading the Army of the western Pyrenees, minor engagements occurred at Hendaye on 5 February,Izpegi Pass on 3 June, and at Bera (Vera) on 23 June. In late July, Muller put MG Moncey in charge of three divisions, including his own and those of MG Henri Delaborde and MG Jean Henri Guy Nicolas de Frégeville. With this force, Moncey won the Battle of the Baztan Valley and followed up his success by capturing Pasaia, San Sebastián and Tolosa. Promoted to command the army for his great success, Moncey planned to lay siege to the Spanish fortress of Pamplona.

On 15 October 1794, Moncey launched an offensive on a broad front with 46,000 troops. Commanding the French divisions were Generals of Division Delaborde, Frégeville, Jean Mauco, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, and Jean-Antoine Marbot. Generals of Brigade Antoine Digonet, Pierre Rouché (Roucher), Louis Hyacinthe Le Feron, Pierre Bories de Castelpers, and Jean Daniel Pinet led brigades during the operation.Lieutenant General Duke of Osuna commanded the 13,000 Spanish defenders of Navarre. His commanders were Generals Manuel Cagigal, Antonio Filangieri, Frias, and Marquis de la Canada Ibagniez.

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