Battle of Macta
| Battle of Macta | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the French conquest of Algeria | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France
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 Algerian resistance |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Camille Alphonse Trézel |
Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri
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| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000 infantry one cavalry regiment |
20,000 cavalry | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 500 killed | unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Macta was fought on 28 June 1835 between French forces under General Camille Alphonse Trézel and a coalition of Algerian Berber tribal warriors under Emir Abd al-Qadir during the French conquest of Algeria. The French column, which had fought an inconclusive but somewhat bloody battle with Abdul-Qadir a few days earlier, was retreating toward Arzew to resupply when Abdul-Qadir attacked in the marshes on the banks of the Macta River in what is now western Algeria. The French panicked and fled to Arzew in a disorganized rout. The Algerians piled the heads of their defeated French enemies in a pyramid, allegedly hundreds in total.
The disaster led to the recall to France of Trézel and the comte d'Erlon, the first military governor-general of the French possessions in Africa, and helped Abdul-Qadir gain influence over tribes throughout Algeria.
Coordinates: 35°47′21″N 0°09′12″W / 35.7892°N 0.1533°W
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