Highly polemical,[1] according to his biography at Spain's Real Academia de la Historia, all Spanish and British historians[2] have criticised his command of the Army of Catalonia and, especially, his role in the fall of Tarragona in June 1811.
The priest was forced to flee to the mountains where, towards the end of that month he was able to reach the monastery of Montserrat, the headquarters of the Junta, and appeal for protection from the governor and the captain-general.
Having been given the command of Tarragona at the end of May 1811,[note 3] the third week of siege by Suchet, Juan de Contreras made repeated requests for Campoverde's help.
Yet he kept sending messages to Contreras promising him prompt assistance, and on the 20th bade him dispatch Sarsfield out of the city, to assume command of his old division in the fighting which was just about to begin.
[1] In 1819, Captain general Francisco Eguía[2] had him arrested and he was imprisoned by the Inquisition, accused of having participated with Van Halen in the Masonic plot of Granada in 1817.