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The Isolated City

The First Republic had been established in February 1873, when Amadeo of Savoy abandoned the throne. Conflicts follow one another, they were turbulent times. The Cartagena uprising was added to the Carlist war.

Since August 1873, the Carlists attacked boats from the banks of the estuary, from Zorroza to Portugalete. The Bilbao Armament and Defense Board agreed to purchase flour, beans, rice, potatoes and wine thinking about a possible Carlist siege.

The fortified line also began to be reinforced, enabling the churches of San Nicolás and San Antón as artillery parks. The maps show that the town's defenses were a combination of batteries, gates, entrenchments, barricades and closures, protecting the urban area.

On the right bank, the Morro fort is built, on the Miraflores promenade, inaugurated on August 10. Located on a high hill to the south of the town, its fires burn a large area of ​​land. The Mallona cemetery, the Larrínaga prison, San Agustín, and the Concepción convent are also fortified. In December the provincial guard occupies the Church of Begoña.

The line through Abando extends from Miravilla through the convent of La Concepción, Cantalojas and Arbol gordo to the church of San Vicente, enabled to house a battalion, with the Brigadiera battery in its cemetery.

The Siege of Bilbao began on December 29, 1873, when the Carlists closed the estuary to river traffic with chains at different points of the estuary. About 17,000 people remained in Bilbao, after almost 30% of the population had abandoned the town.

On January 22, 1874, the capitulation of Portugalete and the Desert detachment was signed, handing over a garrison of about 1,300 men. In the entire province of Bizkaia, only Bilbao remains unconquered by the Carlists. Defended by a garrison of some 3,750 government soldiers, who were joined by the Auxiliary or National Militia battalion, the emigrants, counter-guerrillas, firefighters and civilian sappers, who totaled approximately 1,650 volunteers. A total of 5,500 men.

The most critical stage begins on Saturday, February 21, with the bombing of Bilbao, which lasted 70 days. The Carlist artillery used mortars and cannons. 6,785 projectiles were counted, requiring 280 tons of iron and 40 tons of gunpowder. The bombs had fuses, and it was not unusual for them to go out when they landed on the ground. If they exploded in the air, they showered people and buildings with shrapnel.

The number of deaths from the bombs listed in a list with the names of each person amounts to 31, of which 21 were civilians. Of them, 10 were military, and 4 were Volunteer Auxiliaries. The Carlists also fired bullets when anyone, military or civilian, was within reach, even if they were dedicated to cultivating a garden or washing clothes in the estuary. Thus, another 21 soldiers and 23 civilians died from gunshot wounds. In these 70 days of bombing, a total of 75 people died.

As of March 23, the lack of food begins to be noticed. Bread rationing is established at half a pound per person. On April 10, wheat flour is scarce, and bread already contains 40% bean flour. On April 18, only corn flour remains. Since April 26 there is no more bread. Ammunition is also in short supply, especially rifle cartridges. Remington rifles can fire up to 8 rounds per minute, and if the ammunition runs out there is no other option but to surrender.

The situation is critical. All hopes are placed on the Relief Army under the command of General Concha, who from Somorrostro and Galdames confront the Carlists.

The Siege ends on May 2, 1874, after 129 days. The municipal corporation receives General Concha in La Casilla. He makes his triumphant entry on foot into the newly liberated square at five in the afternoon across the San Antón bridge, at the head of the 20,000 soldiers of the government troops. This bridge was the only one that allowed the passage of horses.

The tour of San Francisco, Puente Viejo, and La Ribera ends in Arenal, where the troop parade takes place in front of the Old Theater. General Concha stayed in the Palace located to the left of the Church of San Nicolás, where the municipal offices had been moved, after the Town Hall Houses of the Old Plaza were almost in ruins.

The next day, General Serrano, president of the Executive Branch of the Republic, arrives in Bilbao.

There are numerous writings and memories about the Site:

  • "Diary of the blockade of Bilbao until the lifting of the Siege", anonymous manuscript in LAU HAIZEETARA (iturriak)
  • "Bilbao before the blockade and bombing of 1873-74", diary written in the guard corps by Mariano de Echeverría, Auxiliary of the 2nd company (Basque Digital Memory)
  • "Campaign notes" handwritten by a Carlist officer (iturriak)
  • "Diary of the defense of Bilbao", manuscript by Luis Romero y Sainz, commander of the Corps of Engineers. (AHFB, AQ-001696)
  • "Bombing of Bilbao" (AHFB. AJ-01454) (iturriak)