Battle of Isly

The battles of Isly was held the August 16th 1844 at the border algéro-Morrocan woman. She saw the victory of the Maréchal Bugeaud over Moulay Abd Al-Rahman, sultan of Morocco, which supported Abd El-Kader.

The Tangier August 6th had been bombarded by French ships ordered by Joinville.

In the night from August 15th to 16th, the general governor having joined together all his forces rising only with 11.000 men, went on the Moroccan camp established to the position of Djarf-el-Akhdar, with little distance from Oujda, on the line of the Oued Isly, small affluent of Moulouia.

Having to deal almost exclusively with cavalry, it had made of its infantry a great rhombus whose faces were composed themselves of small squares. The cavalry was in the interior of this rhombus which went by one of its angles duly equipped with artillery.

At the point of the day, indicator to advance the French Army, the Sultan launched against it all the Moroccan cavalry having a mass from twenty to twenty-five thousand horses. This mob did not manage to force our lines of riflemen, and was soon separate into two by our squares which advanced in the cavalry. The marshal then made leave his cavalry. This one being formed by levels, charged the Moroccan cavalry which was on our left, and at the pithead dispersed it after having thrown several hundreds of its riders. The first level, composed of six squadrons of spahis and ordered by colonel Yousouf, not seeing more in front of him that the Moroccan camp still very drawn up, precipitated there. Eleven parts of gun which covered the face of banner with it made fire only once. The Moroccan artillerists did not have time to reload:

The Moroccan infantry dispersed in ravines where our cavalry could not continue it, and gained, by long turnings, the road of Taza. While the first level went on the camp, the second, ordered by colonel Morris, went on the part of the enemy cavalry which was on our line. The combat was very keen. After that all was finished. The French Army concentrated with the camp of the Morrocans, and soon was put at the continuation of overcome to prevent them from joining.

The trophies of the victory were eleven parts of gun, eighteen flags, all the tents of the Morrocans, including that of Sidi-Mohammed rather richly furnished, finally, of the provisioning of any kind. The losses as men of the Morrocans of eight hundreds had died.

Sources

Yearly of Algeria

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