. The French army drove the Spanish from their defenses, then followed the valley northward down to the Atlantic coast. The Spanish forces holding the coastal defenses were compelled to surrender or flee.
Background
Sans Culotte Camp
José Urrutia y de las Casas attacked a fortified hilltop near Hendaye and was defeated in the Battle of Sans Culottes Camp. Out of 13,000 Spanish infantry, and their 700 supporting cavalry and artillery, Spanish casualties numbered 335. French losses were 235.[2][3]
June operations
On 3 June, a 2,300-man French brigade led by Lavictoire stormed Casa Fuorte, a position at the
Captain General Ventura Caro with 8,000 infantry and 500 cavalry and artillery unsuccessfully assailed Mont Calvaire near Bera (Vera). The Spanish lost 500 killed and wounded, plus 34 captured. The French defenders lost 30 killed and 200 wounded.[5]
Battle
Monte Argintzo
The June fighting gave the French army a foothold in the
Baztan Valley. Muller ordered the Spanish positions in the Baztan to be assaulted and assigned Moncey to carry out the operation. On 10 July, Antoine Digonet and 4,000 French troops attacked the Zamora Infantry and the Légion Royal on Monte Argintzo (Mont Arquinzu). The peak is located at 43°3′23″N1°29′40″W / 43.05639°N 1.49444°W / 43.05639; -1.49444 (Monte Argintzo), 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of Elizondo in the Baztan. The outnumbered defenders lost 314 casualties including Marquis of Saint-Simon badly wounded. After the battle, the Republican French massacred 49 French Royalist prisoners.[6]
Baztan
War of the Pyrenees, Western Theater
Moncey had his own and two other divisions under his supervision.[1]
General of Division Jean Henri Guy Nicolas de Frégeville
9 infantry battalions, 2 squadrons light cavalry
Beginning on 23 July, Moncey's divisions attacked the Spanish entrenchments in the Baztan. The valley includes the towns of Elizondo, where the Baztan river turns from southwest to west and
Hondarribia (Fuenterrabia). Trapped by the French maneuver, Vicente de los Reyes surrendered with 2,000 Spanish soldiers, 300 cannon, and five colors. The French suffered 600 casualties.[1][7]
Result
Moncey's offensive completely unhinged the Spanish defensive position behind the Bidasoa River. The French went on to seize the port of Pasaia (Pasajes) on 2 August. A bigger prize fell on 3 August when San Sebastián surrendered to the French with 1,700 Spanish prisoners and 90 cannon. French losses were negligible. The town of Tolosa fell to Moncey soon afterward.[1][7]
Jacques Muller