Commands & Colors: Napoleonics: Expansion 1: Spanish Army
Title
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics: Expansion 1: Spanish Army
Collection Tree
- Commands & Colors: Napoleonics
- Commands & Colors: Napoleonics: Expansion 1: Spanish Army
Collection Items
Ordal Cross
In late June Suchet was informed of the French loss at Vitoria and started his Army of Aragon’s retreat North. Lord Bentick, a rather inept British commander, followed timidly, for Suchet’s army was unbeaten after several battles. Bentick ordered…
1813-09-13
San Marcial
After the rout at Vitoria, Napoleon replaced his inept brother Joseph with capable Marshal Soult. The French retreat east allowed Wellington to lay siege to the important coastal fortress of San Sebastián. Soult made plans to relieve the French…
1813-08-31
Vitoria
1813 was the year the balance of power swung in the Allies’ favor in Spain. Wellington’s army received substantial reinforcements from England. Napoleon drew large numbers of veteran troops from Spain to rebuild after the disastrous 1812 campaign.…
1813-06-21
Albuera
The Fortress of Badajoz dominated the southern invasion route from Portugal into Spain. The British had invested the fortress, but had few engineers and no siege train to speak of. The French were not idle. Marshal Soult set out toward …
1811-05-16
Barrosa
In early 1811, the French were engaged in a no-win siege against the Allies in the port of Cádiz. The French under Marshal Victor were not strong enough to reduce the port without a French sea blockade. After Soult drew …
1811-03-05
Alba de Tormes
After the victory at Tamames, Del Parque’s Army of the Left advanced from its mountain sanctuary, sparring with French forces. By mid November, Del Parque’s 32,000 Spaniards were on the verge of attacking Kellerman’s 16,000 man force when news of …
1809-11-26
Ocaña
The Spanish campaign of fall 1809 was unfolding successfully. The subsidiary Army of the Left had beaten the French at Tamames. Now the 55,000 man Army of La Mancha commanded by Juan de Aréizaga was a mere 35 miles from …
1809-11-19
Ocaña (Cavalry)
As the French and Spanish armies converged on Ocaña on the morning of the 18th, the French cavalry vanguard under Milhaud encountered three of General Freire’s Spanish cavalry divisions. The French deployed with Paris’ light cavalry in front of…
1809-11-18
Tamames
General Del Parque advanced toward Salamanca with the Spanish ‘Army of the Left’ as part of the Spanish Junta’s 1809 fall campaign to retake Madrid. Barring his way was the weak French 6th Corps. Marshal Ney, the commander, was away …
1809-10-18
Talavera (Spanish Flank)
Victor’s reinforced French army faces off against a larger British/ Spanish army in superb defensive positions. The French solution—attack! Ruffin’s French division is wrecked in two unsupported assaults on the British positions atop the Cerro de…
1809-07-28
María
After the defeat at Alcañiz, Suchet fell back to Zaragoza to reorganize his dispirited troops, while Blake lingered for several days at Alcañiz waiting for reinforcements. Once his reinforcements arrived, Blake cut west across the mountains with…
1809-06-15
Alcañiz
After the capture of Zaragoza, the majority of French forces in the area withdrew to France, for trouble with Austria was brewing. General Suchet, the newly arrived French commander, led a force of 20,000 men on paper. Sickness, lack of …
1809-05-23
Medellín
General Cuesta’s army was retreating in the face of Victor’s advance after being forced out of its defensive positions on the Tagus River. On the 27th of March, Cuesta’s army was reinforced by the Duke of Albuquerque, and Cuesta decided …
1809-03-28
Somosierra
After success in the north, Napoleon marched on the Spanish capital of Madrid, but had to first push through Somosierra Pass in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. The pass was defended by Don Benito San Juan’s Spanish troops, who …
1808-11-30
Espinosa de los Monteros
After the escape from Zornoza, Blake’s army was still in trouble. Marshal Victor was pressing forward through the mountains and in position to cut off one of Blake’s divisions under the command of Pedro Caro, Conde de San Romana, but …
1808-11-11
Gamonal
The Spanish commander at Burgos, Conde de Belveder, was an inexperienced and rash officer. He moved out of the strong defenses of Burgos to a weak defensive position in an open plain well in front of the village of Gamonal. …
1808-11-10
Zornoza
The first French invasion of Spain had ended in failure, but the Spanish, without a functioning high command, failed to coordinate an advance by the closest Spanish armies to take advantage of the temporary weakness of the French position behind …
1808-10-31
Bailén
Large areas of Spain had rebelled against the French invasion. Dupont’s French Corps advanced to occupy Cordoba and Sevilla. Most of Dupont’s troops were newly formed conscript units. Soon Dupont found himself facing General Francisco de Castaños’…
1808-07-19