Taxdirt
Morocco, September 20, 1909
For a an overall look at the 1909 Melilla Campaign see my post from last month:
https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2025/07/2nd-melilla-campaign-1909.html
Among those troops sent to Melilla was the 2nd Cazadores Brigade (from Campo de Gibraltar), to which was added an expeditionary Squadron of the Alfonso XII Cavalry Regiment, formed around 4th Squadron (Captain Don José Álvarez Moreno) and filled out with volunteer personnel from the remaining three squadrons all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Don José Cavalcanti de Alburquerque y Padierna. At that time the Regiment was in garrison in Jerez de la Frontera (Andalusia). The Squadron arrived in Melilla on July 30, and began preparing for action which was planned to begin around September 20.
The first group would travel through the region from south to north through an area occupied by peaceful tribes. This first column (made up of 4,020 soldiers, eighty horses and eight cannons) was commanded by General Alfau and its troops were the following: infantry battalions from Barbastro, Figueras, Amposta and Las Navas; Lusitania squadron (cavalry); two Mountain artillery batteries; a company of Sappers, a communication company (Telegraphic); an Ambulance company plus the supply train.
The second group, would cross the area from east to west; its main aim was Taxdirt (sometimes referred to as Taxdir) west of Melilla. The column, (made up of 3,479 soldiers, eighty horses and eight cannons) formed around the Cazadores Division and under the command of General Morales and General Tovar, began its march in the early hours of 20 September, the squadron of Alfonso XII, minus one section, in the vanguard along with a battalion of Cazadores de Catalonia, a Company of engineers, a mountain battery and a machine gun section. The bulk of the column was made up of the division headquarters and the second brigade: battalion of Cazadores de Tarifa, a mountain battery, a battalion of Cazadores de Talavera and the rest of 4th squadron`s cavalry, a telegraph Company, an Ambulance company and the supply train.
On 20 September Morales` column found itself near Tamisunt Hill where the vanguard was suddenly embroiled in a major action with a large body of Riffi numbering 1,500 or more! The Catalonia battalion and the engineers supported by the mountain battery managed to take the hill, but the enemy responded and counter-attacked with great determination. General Tovar sent the Tarifa battalion commanded by 57 year old Lieutenant Colonel Don Eloy Moreira y Espinosa de los Monteros up the hill to support them. The fighting escalated (as did the casualties) to a point that by noon (after nearly four hours of combat) Gen. Tovar ordered Tarifa to relieve the Catalonia Battalion and the engineers on the crest; he also ordered three companies from the Talavera Battalion to replace Tarifa in the firing line. Unfortunately, the Riffi saw that the relief was taking place, they launched themselves against the Spanish! Taking advantage of the confusion, they threw themselves into the gap between Tarifa and Catalonia to cut off the advance of the former and the retreat of the latter. The movement was excellently timed; firstly, because they prevented the Tarifa battalion, exposed to Moroccan fire, from advancing and completing the relief. Secondly, because their attack also cut off the retreat of the last Catalonia company; a unit that already lacked ammunition and was more than exhausted.
The General ordered Lieutenant Colonel Cavalcanti to take his squadron to support Tarifa in a desperate charge. The objective was to get the soldiers to complete the relief before both they and the Catalonia battalion were destroyed!
The squadron which only numbered 65 men did just that, Cavalcanti moved his command to the enemies left climbing the hill until in a favourable position, then he ordered that sabres be drawn and his men to charge, in fact they made three charges in all, regrouping after each, then charging again (the last with only 20 riders). After the last, what few men remained still under Cavalcanti`s command retreated back to the cane field, where they had left their wounded. They dismounted and formed a firing line cordon to defend their comrades against the enemy, now eager for revenge.
Seeing the brave cavalrymen in dire need of help Lieutenant Colonel Moreira (who you will remember is in command of the Tarifa Battalion) ordered his 2nd company forward to support the horsemen. The lieutenant colonel leading his men with great bravery riding his horse up and down the firing line, he himself was seriously wounded to his face early in the advance but refused to withdraw and continued to urge his men on despite the fact the wound had damaged his mouth and tongue and he was unable to give verbal orders and to losing a lot of blood, he used arm and hand signals to direct his men. His men formed a defensive cordon allowing stretcher bearers to come forward and evacuate the wounded cavalrymen.
With direct support of mountain batteries, the advancing Talavera battalion secured the hill and finally the Moors morale cracked and they broke off the action and withdrew. This allowed General Morales to establish a solid defensive position at Taxdirt.
The Squadron suffered 25 killed and a number of wounded including, Lieutenant Colonel Cavalcanti who was promoted to full Colonel and awarded, the Laureate Cross of San Fernando for his brave leadership.
On June 27, 1910, the Squadron returned to Jerez, and was awarded the Cross of San Fernando (collective) by order of the King. Presented by King Alfonso XIII in Sevilla, at the Prado de San Sebastián on November 23, 1910.
For his own heroism during the battle Lieutenant-Colonal Moreira was promoted to full colonel and was awarded the Cross of San Fernando (2nd class). His wound was a serious one and would force him to stay in hospital for more than a year.
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