Misplaced Pages

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (September 2023) Click for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Misplaced Pages. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Misplaced Pages article at ]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|fr|Bataille de Sidi-Brahim}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Misplaced Pages:Translation.

Battle of Sidi Brahim
Part of the French conquest of Algeria
Battle of Sidi Brahim by Louis-Théodore Devilly.
Date 22–25 September 1845 Location Souahlia, Algeria Result Algerian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of France	Emirate of Mascara
Commanders and leaders
Lucien de Montagnac † Captain Dutertre † Captain de Géreaux †	Emir Abdelkader
Strength
500	c. 3,000
Casualties and losses
350 killed, c. 100 captured	Unknown

The Battle of Sidi Brahim, 22 to 25 September 1845, took place during the French conquest of Algeria, near Sidi Brahim. Algerian forces under Emir Abdelkader surprised a French detachment of 500 led by Lieutenant-Colonel Lucien de Montagnac. Most of the latter were killed or captured in the initial fighting, and only eleven were reported to have ultimately survived the encounter.

Despite their defeat, the French used the battle as a symbol of the price paid to acquire French Algeria, and in 1898, a monument to the "martyrs of Sidi-Brahim" was installed in Oran. After Algerian independence in 1962, the monument was transformed into one commemorating Emir Abdelkader, and anti-colonial resistance in general.

Background

The French conquest of Algeria began with the capture of Algiers in 1830, and over the next decade expanded along the coast. In 1840, three French provinces were created, Constantine in the east, Alger in the centre, and Oran in the west. However, intense guerrilla fighting continued in the interior, which in western Algeria was led by Emir Abdelkader. Although isolated French detachments were still vulnerable to surprise attacks, by 1845 a ruthless scorched earth policy employing small numbers of fast moving troops had eliminated most of the remaining resistance.

In September 1845, Lieutenant-Colonel Lucien de Montagnac, commander of the garrison at Ghazaouet, received news Abdelkader was in the area, and set out to intercept him with a mixed force of 400 to 500 cavalry and light infantry. Allegedly unpopular with his troops, Montagnac was a hard-bitten colonial veteran, whose "own writings boast of several war crimes".

Battle

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The encounter was unplanned and poorly commanded by Montagnac, and went badly for the French troops. After a first encounter, the French's numbers were reduced from 450 to 82 chasseurs and hussars against hundreds of Algerians. Cornered, the chasseurs of the carabinier company took refuge in a marabout, from which they repulsed all assaults.

After a siege lasting many days, without food or water and short of munitions, they were reduced to cutting up their musket balls in order to keep firing. Emir Abdelkader captured captain adjutant major Dutertre and taken under guard to the front of the marabout to demand the chasseurs' surrender, but instead used his time there to exhort the survivors to fight to the death, for which Abdelkader beheaded him. Abdelkader then demanded that the French bugler (Guillaume Rolland) sound the retreat, but he instead sounded the charge, whilst one chasseur replied to another of Abdelkader's other demands for their surrender with the word, Merde! (Shit). (in reference to Cambronne's answer at Waterloo). When the remaining 80 survivors completely ran out of munitions, they managed to break through the enemy lines with a bayonet charge, but only 16 of them managed to rejoin the French lines (5 of which died some days later). Among the dead was Montagnac himself. The remains of the soldiers killed at Sidi Brahim were gathered at Djemmaa Ghazaouet in the "Tombeau des Braves" then reburied at the Musée des Chasseurs at the old fort in Vincennes in 1965.

Legacy

Some 100 French prisoners taken at Sidi Brahim were marched into Morocco, along with another 160 captured the following week near Aïn Témouchent. The majority of these were executed in April 1846. Despite their defeat, the French used the battle as a symbol of the "blood sacrifice" paid to create French Algeria. In 1898, a monument to the "martyrs of Sidi-Brahim" was erected in Oran, but after Algerian independence in 1962, it was transformed into one of anti-colonial resistance, and the nationalist hero, Emir Abdelkader. Parts of the original monument were removed, including the statue of Marianne, which can now be seen in the village of Périssac, birthplace of Captain de Géreaux, who died in the fighting.

Footnotes

1. The prisoners were marched into Morocco, along with another 160 taken at Sidi Moussa the following week. The majority were executed in April 1846

References

1. Holstein 2019, p. 16.
2. Garnier 2004, p. 37.
3. Horne 1977, pp. 29–30.
4. Manceron 2003, p. 168.
5. Marin 1847, pp. 7–12.
6. Ivey, Beatrice. "The Sidi-Brahim monument". Narratives and Representations of the French Settlers of Algeria. University of Stirling. Retrieved 28 December 2024.

Sources

• Garnier, Jacques (2004). Dictionnaire Perrin des guerres et des batailles de l'histoire de France (in French). Perrin. ISBN 9782262008291.
• Horne, Alistair (1977). A Savage War of Peace; Algeria 1954-1962 (1996 ed.). Papermac. ISBN 978-0333669518.
• Holstein, Christine (2019). Walking In the Footsteps of the Fallen Verdun 1916. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-5267-1707-8.
• Manceron, Gilles (2003). Marianne et les colonies (in French). La découverte. ISBN 978-2707138798.
• Marin, John Joseph (1847). Défense du lieutenant Marin devant le Conseil d'enquête de Perpignan, le 4 septembre 1847 (in French). Felix Mateste. Retrieved 2 January 2025.

External links

• Les Zouaves et les Chasseurs a Pied, Duc d'Aumale, Henri d'Orléans - pseudonym - M. Lévy frères - 1859 - 184 pages
• Sidi-Brahim - 23, 24, 25 et 26 septembre 1845, Esquisse Historique - Charleville - Imprimerie Nouvelle - 1889 - 58 pages

35°15′38″N 0°34′03″W / 35.2606°N 0.5675°W / 35.2606; -0.5675

v t e Conflicts between France and Algeria
Ministry of Mujahideen - Declaration of 1 November 1954
Pre-1830 conflicts	Djidjelli expedition French-Algerian War 1681–1688 Bombardment of Algiers (1682) Bombardment of Algiers (1683) Bombardment of Algiers (1688)
French conquest of Algeria: 1830-1836	Shipwreck of Dellys (1830) Invasion of Algiers in 1830 Battle of Staouéli (1830) First Battle of Blida (1830) Second Battle of Blida (1830) Massacre of El Ouffia (1832) Battle of Sig (1835) Battle of Macta (1835) Battle of Constantine (1836)
French conquest of Algeria: 1837-1870	Raid on Reghaïa (1837) Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha (1837) First Battle of Boudouaou (1837) First Battle of the Issers (1837) First Assault of Dellys (1837) Siege of Constantine (1837) Battle Of Ammal (1840) Battle of Boudouaou (1840) [ar] Battle of Mazagran (1840) Battle of Beni Mered (1842) Battle of the Smala (1843) Second Assault of Dellys (1844) Battle of Sidi Brahim (1845) Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha (1846) Siege of Laghouat (1852)
Allegiances	Allegiance to Mohamed ben Zamoum (1830) [ar] Allegiance to Emir Abdelkader (1832) [ar] Allegiance to Emir Abdelkader (1833) [ar]
Mokrani Revolt	Battle of Alma (1871) Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha (1871) Battle of Naciria (1871) [ar] Battle of Bordj Menaïel (1871) [ar] Battle of Issers (1871) [ar] Capture of Palestro Capture of Touggourt
Algerian War	Toussaint Rouge Véronique El Djorf I Philippeville Blue Bird Palestro Algiers Agounennda Bouzegza Bab El Bekkouche May 1958 crisis Jumelles Algiers putsch Bab El Oued
Treaties	Desmichels Treaty Tafna Treaty Évian Accords De Bourmont Treaty [ar] De Lamoricière Treaty [ar]
Documents	1920 Algerian Political Rights Petition 1943 Manifesto of the Algerian People Declaration of 1 November 1954
Lists	List of participants in the invasion of Algiers in 1830 List of participants in Mokrani Revolt

• Battles of the French conquest of Algeria
• Conflicts in 1845
• Sieges involving Algeria
• Sieges involving France
• 1845 in Algeria
• September 1845 events
• Sidi Bel Abbès Province
• Battles involving the Emirate of Abdelkader
• 19th-century sieges