[2][3][4] In the second week of August, the Nationalist troops were reinforced by 400 regulares who, led by Colonel Varela, after the capture of Huelva, launched an attack eastwards from Seville in order to relieve the besieged nationalist-held city of Granada.

At that point, the Republican Army launched an attack in order to recover Córdoba.

[5] The Republican force, led by General Miaja, was composed of 3,000 men, mainly regular troops, civil guards, militiamen from Madrid and local volunteers.

The Republican troops reached the gates of Cordoba (5 km from the city), but they were beaten back and the attack failed on 22 August.

According to Thomas, the offensive failed because of the skillful use of the Italian Savoia bombers and because Cascajo threatened to execute the family of Miaja who were in Cordoba.