The Republican Government decided at the end of July to build up a strong column under Miaja's command and to attack Cordoba and Seville. The action which followed is a full mini campaign more than a wargame scenario.

Miaja's column forces came mainly from the Third Division (this is geographical and not a unit division) belonging to Cartagena Naval HQ although control was assigned to the First Division (Madrid). The column spread through Jaen and Cordoba provinces but also Seville province and reaching Badajoz and the limits of Ciudad Real province. It was a defensive action in order to protect the central "Meseta", and Madrid from the advance of the Nationalist Army of Africa.

Simultaneously a second column commanded by General Martinet Cabrera was to attack the axis Murcia -Lorca -Baza -Guadix and then Granada.

The forces of Miaja were initially as follows:

One Btn. of Regiment no 33 from Cartagena,
One Btn. of Regiment "Tarifa" from Alicante,
Machine gun Btn. no 3 from Castellon;
a Group of artillery Batteries of the Light Artillery Regiment from Valencia,
a mixed Group of the 6th Light Regiment from Murcia,
the 3rd Heavy Regiment from Cartagena;
2 companies of Carabineros,
2 companies of sailors,
300 Guardias Civil (200 Guardia Civil from Jaen quit and changed sides to the Nationalist's on 24th August),
and an Assault Guards group.

Salas Larrazabal mentions that "the usual militia gathering followed the column" coming from Albacete, Alicante, Murcia and Cartagena. Martinez Bande considers that the whole column amounted up to 3 - 4000 thousand men following the Servicio Historico Militar notes and a statement of a Republican officer that changed sides, he also mentions that there are other figures considered as exaggerated. The militias seemed to be of very scarce value, lacking proper weapons, ill disciplined and absolutely green.

This meant two things: The bulk of the column was formed by regular army units, although most of them were 1936 year conscripts performing their Military Service without experience or proper training. The militia groups were not Andalucian, but from the Murcia region and Valencia region.

Later they were joined by some companies from Regiment "Vizcaya" from Alcoy, plus two big militia groups from Jaen and Cordoba. The strongest militia group around 750 men with rifles and a couple of M.G.'s coming from Jaen (these are finally Andalucian) commanded by the Congress member Mr. Peris. A great total of four army Btn. and a large group of uncontrolled mililiamen.

Slow Advance

Miaja's column advanced very slowly, losing three weeks in tiny operations around the Valle de los Pedroches area, Adamuz and Pozoblanco, fighting against small groups of Guardia Civil and nationalist civilians. Finally Miaja arrived in Cordoba encircling it north, east and south. The forces were divided in nine groups: five for the final assault and four left as reserve. Group "A" whose role was the attack from the North the Almaden - Cordoba road. On the left a second group was to attack Guadalquivir river north positions from Vilafranca. At the south of the river, the Jaen militia advancing from Bujalance to Cordoba crossing through the Alcolea river. The main group "E" advance from the south along the Espejo road, and at its right group "F" which had gathered the cavalry units of the column.

The other four groups were located in different defensive positions as reserve. The artillery (around eight batteries) were spread in offensive places to shell Cordoba, but it seems that orders were not given properly.

At right, ambulance model

Cordoba's garrison was initially formed by 180 artillery soldiers, 100 guards from "Guardia Civil" and 233 guards from "Guardia de Asalto". On July 2ist arrived a section of Guardia de Asalto from Huelva, the 23rd a section of Republican infantry which had changed sides to Nationalis'st, and a section of the Vth Bandera of the Tercio (Foreign Legion Army of Africa), a company of IInd Tabor of Regulares de Ceuta, and the 2nd cavalry squadron from that Moorish Group, plus a "convoy" of ammunition and weapons. On July 24th arrived another section from the same Bandera of the Tercio, a battery of 70mm, and more rifles and machine guns.

On the 28th arrived another company of Regulares de Ceuta, a company from"Lepanto" Regiment (infantry) and more ammunition. The 30th arrived the HQ and the remaining companies from the Tabor of Regulares de Ceuta. On the 3ist two companies from the rifle Regiment of Granada. At that time there were also two companies of fully supplied and armed militia volunteers possibly falangist and requetes) and the cavalry squadron "Caiiero". Colonel Saez de Buruaga had taken command of the advance forces, and on August 5th Varela took the command of all forces.

At the same time three nationalist columns were operating in the province commanded by the Comandante Castejon following the axis Seville- Ecija- Osuna and Puente Genil (Cordoba), a second headed by Captain Carranza, and a third commanded by captain Escuin.

Thanks to the Republican delay, the Cordoba garrison had been reinforced with a few highly trained Army of Africa units, and several peninsular army units.

During August new nationalist columns spread along Guadalquivir river between Seville and Cordoba: The first commanded by Lt Colonel Tella with 600 men (almost a full Bandera of the Tercio, a squadron of cazadores de Taxdir, Guardia Civil, and sappers) and a light battery. A second column was commanded by Comandante Lopez Guerrero (including a Tabor of regulares, a squadron of cazadores de Taxdir, a battery of 75mm and a section of sappers). August 20th the nationalist column from Seville "Erquicia" conquered Puebla de los Infantes, and on the 27th a combined action of the nationalist columns from Cordoba and Ecija occupied Palna del Rio.

Main Plan

Miaja's main plan to capture Cordoba included a combined attack of the Peris militia and the Group leaded by Comandante Balibrea (300 men, a M.G. section, and a light battery), meanwhile the Group headed by Perez Salas had to occupy the| Roman bridge at the south neighbourhood of Cordoba, being protected by the cavalry of Comandante Vigueira.

The Republican attack failed mainly to the absolute lack of co-ordination of its forces (Perez Salas batteries got lost, time was spared in civilian repression, no surprise effect ...) , and the advance forces only reached seven km. near Cordoba.

At 19.00. the nationalist aircraft (up to six Italian S-81 and one DC-2)found the republican forces arriving at the Railway station, attacked repeatedly terrifying Miaja's raw recruits (Battalion "Vizcaya" de Alcoy was decimated in minutes). The Republicans had more than a thousand casualties from around 1500 men directly involved in the first line combat.

The action's of the Cordoba reinforcements from the Army of Africa were decisive, specially to be distinguished was the 3rd tabor (Btn. sized) of "Regulares de Melilla" at Alcolea's defence. Salas Larrazabal mentions in this chapter of his "Historia del Ejercito Popular de la Republica" that no column in those days, nor Republican neither nationalist were able to obtain clear offensive capacity against any defensive position (save the Army of Africa being professional and very experienced soldiers), and that any attack of a similar amount of units could have been easily stopped by a smaller fortified force. So Miaja was not to be blamed.

After the withdrawal on the 29th August, on September 5th, three Nationalist columns under the direct command of Saez de Buruaga, following Varela orders, counter attack Cerro Muriano, fighting for twelve consecutive hours, the nationalist's were aided by strong air support. Varela's forces were a combination of Legion and "Regulares", both professional elite forces which overran the Republicans after a tough fight. Although reinforcements were sent latterly to Miaja, including ten airplanes, he could not recover the initiative. On he 2ist September a second attack by the Nationalist's allowed them to occupy the mining and industrial area of Peiiarroya Pozoblanco. But Miaja had already been named as Commander of the Third Division in Valencia, and soon was to be sent to Madrid.

Best sources to follow this small action are probably in "Historia del Ejercito Popular de la Republica" by R. Salas Larrazabal. Editora Nacional. (an excellent very rare book now only found in second hand bookshops at prohibitive prices) ; and in "La Campana de Andalucia" Volume 3 of the SCW series by Martinez Bande published by Editorial San Martin-Servicio Historico Militar. The latter mentions a 1938 book by Jose Cirre Jimenez called "De Espejo a Madrid, con las fuerzas del General Miaja" Libreria Prieto. Granada 1938.

'Few "Sombreros" in my Andalucian militia units.'

As mentioned above, the backbone of the forces attacking Cordoba were regular army conscripts, and the militias came mainly from Valencia and Murcia, save for a big bunch of militia from Jaen, and others escaping from Cordoba.

If you see photos of the Republican forces in the south, you'll find that just a few militiamen wear that cowboy or Mexican hat, but instead there are helmets, berets, army "isabelinos" sided gorrillos, a tied handkerchief on the head, or even Andalucian black sombreros (much smaller than Mexican version). The "sombrero" is a straw hat, widely used by peasants in peace time, but probably uncomfortable in campaign as it was too light and too big if you had to run under the bombs. There is another version for "sombreros" made of cloth used by some Aragon farmers and peasants (some can be seen in Durruti's column photos). These hats almost disappeared after the first months of the war, and will not be easily seen in photographs of 1937 or 1938 summers.

J.M. Bueno states in his book "Uniformes de la guerra civil Espanola", that the film "Viva Villa" shown just before 18th July influenced some militiamen to disguise as such. If you see the photo that inspired Bueno's drawing, it is of a group of militiamen in Talavera (Toledo) which is near Madrid, so I do not think that all Andalucian militiamen should be wearing "sombreros". Summer in Andalucia can be deadly hot 40 - 45 degrees centigrade, and that's why a good bunch of my Andalucian militias will be half naked, wearing underwear shirts, shorts, or just "overall" trousers and belts and straps on naked chest.

Regarding flags used in this action, please notice than the "Andalucian" flag (green white green) was created after the war, and that the Republican army units had the usual red yellow violet ones.

As a curious fact, note that Nationalist's did not use the old monarchy flag (red yellow red) until the Decree issued 29th August 1936, the flag then being adopted for nationalist army units as per the Decree issued 13th September 1936. The eagle badge on the nationalist flag is a 1938 design as per Order dated 11.2.1938, although earlier designs could probably be seen.

So I guess that if any flags were waved, these were Republicans at both sides.