Second Battle of Blida

The Second Battle of Blida was a battle between France and the local Algerian popular forces. It began on 17 November 1830 and ended eight days later on 25 November. After the failure of France in the First Battle of Blida, de Burman was relieved of his duties and General Bertrand Clausel was appointed on 17 November 1830 for a major campaign on Blida and Médéa. Bertrand Clausel conducted a massive campaign with 17,000 soldiers to invade Blida and Médéa.[4]

Second Battle of Blida
Part of the French conquest of Algeria
Date17–25 November 1830[1]
Location
Blida and Médéa, Algeria[2]
Territorial
changes		 France annexes Médéa, but fails to capture Blida.
Belligerents
Kingdom of France

Algerian resistance

Commanders and leaders
Bertrand Clausel Mohamed Ben Zamoum
Strength
7,000 soldiers[3] Unknown
Casualties and losses
127 killed Unknown

Battle

The inhabitants of Blida refused to allow the French army into the city and a fierce battle broke out in which hundreds were killed or wounded. The French army burned the orchards surrounding the city and the inhabitants were forced to flee into the mountains. Before his departure from Blida, General Bertrand Clausel left a French garrison under the command of Colonel Roulhières[5] and headed towards Médéa. He was ambushed by the Popular Resistance in a mountainous strait near Mouzaïa, and 27 French soldiers were killed. Before General Clausel returned from Médéa, the French garrison in Blida managed to eliminate a French contingent of 100 soldiers near Boufarik on 25 November 1830. In the face of a great resistance, General Clausel was forced to take over Médéa and withdraw completely from Blida.

See also

References
  1. Histoire de l'armée et de tous les régiments, depuis les premiers temps de monarchie français jusqu'a nos jours (History of the Army and of All Regiments from Earliest Times to our Day) (read online)
  2. L'Algerois rural à la fin de l'époque ottomane (1791-1830) (read online)
  3. l'histoire de Blida (The Story of Blida) extrait de "aux échos d'Alger (from "Echos of Algiers"), numéro 45 (read online)
  4. Histoire de l'Algérie ancienne et moderne (Ancient and Modern History of Algeria) (read online)
  5. Joseph et Caroline ou le berger de la Sologne. Histoire Veritable, Volumes 1-2 (read online)


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