Mariano Alvarez of Castro

Mariano Alvarez of Castro (born the September 8th 1749 with El Burgo de Osma, dead the January 22nd 1810 with Figueres) was a Spanish general, military governor during the Siège of Gérone during the Guerre of Spanish independence.

It enters the army in 1768 (old 19), and studies with the military academy of Barcelona, receiving its diploma in 1775. It regularly promoted, it enters the action to the Siège of Gibraltar in 1783. In 1793 it is named colonel of infantry.

During the Guerre of the Pyrenees (1793-1795) against France it takes part in several actions, Castro is wounded, to the Siège of Collioure and spends 75 days under fire. Consequently it is promoted Brigadier (rank between the colonel and brigadier general).

With the accession of Joseph Bonaparte with the throne of Spain in 1808, it is ordering castle of Montjuich with Barcelona. The February 29th the French troops are able to take possession of the fortress. Castro prepares to defend it when it has receives orders of his commander-in-chief to give the city to the French. He leaves then Barcelona and joint with the Spanish rebels. The Spanish government of Cadiz names it ordering army of Catalogne and governor of Gérone.

The May 6th 1809 the French Army, strong of 18.000 men ordered by Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr makes the Siège of Gérone. Castro has only 5.600 men at his disposal. The French install 40 artillery batteries which during the seven following months make rain approximately 20.000 shells and 60.000 balls on the city. In August, the French take the castle, the main thing not defensive. Castro then makes build barricades and dig ditches inside even of the city. The battle makes rage for four more months when the general, exhausted and sick, gives his command to his subordinate Juan Bolivar. Two days later, the December 12th, the city capitulates.

It is estimated that approximately 10.000 people, soldiers and civilians, died between its walls. The French losses are approximately 15.000 men, of which the half succumbed to the disease.

In spite of his piteous health condition, Castro is imprisoned in Perpignan. The January 9th 1810 it is transported to the castle of San Fernando to Figueres, where it finds death the January 22nd, carried by the fever according to the French, poisoned according to the Spaniards. It is buried with the cemetery, only wrapped in one fabric.

Posterity

In April 1810, on a purely posthumous basis it is promoted marshal and in May it is made ordering battalion of the regiment of the Spanish royal guard. In 1815 a plate of black marble is placed on the tomb declaring that Castro died poisoned, “ victim of the iniquity of the French tyrant ”. In December 1823 the French troops, invade Spain in order to save the throne staggering of Ferdinand VII. When they cross Figueres, the marshal Moncey, makes destroy the plate.

Sources

in its version of September 26th, 2007

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