16 March 1813 – Battle of Almarez

Tactical map of battle area

Background to battle

Three Spanish corps have orders to attack Almarez

A fourth Spanish corps has orders to halt and regroup

Two French corps have orders to hold Almarez

A third French corps has orders to retreat to D05

The Spanish outnumber the French.

16^th French corps has compulsory orders to retreat to D05

1^st Spanish corps has orders to attack D05

Consequently 16^th French corps will have to surrender

Wargame

Because of the complicated background to the battle no wargame will be fought

The result will be calculated by map movement

0800

This map shows the location of each corps at first light

16^th French corps has compulsory orders to move into D05

1^st Spanish corps has attack orders to move into D05

4^th Spanish corps has orders to halt and regroup in D03

7^th and 8^th French corps have orders to hold

2^nd and 3^rd Spanish corps have orders to attack

1200

16^th French corps has retreated to D05

1^st Spanish corps has attacked into C05

The French are unable to fight as they are retreating with five brigades in rout

They lose 2000 infantry and 100 cavalry in the combat and their artillery surrender

1600

16^th French corps retreats into D04 and surrenders to 4^th Spanish corps

1^st Spanish corps attacks 7^th French corps

2^nd Spanish corps attacks 8^th French corps

This is a fairly even combat, only light casualties on each side

2000  

3^rd Spanish corps enters the combat in support of 1^st and 2^nd corps

The French are now outnumbered three to two

The French lose 2000 infantry

The Spanish lose 800 infantry

Conclusion

The French have lost the battle, 7^th and 8^th corps retreat under cover of darkness

16^th corps has surrendered and is removed from the campaign

The French have lost 4100 battle casualties (plus all of 16^th corps)

The Spanish have lost 800 battle casualties

Outcome

 The surrender of 16^th corps, plus a significant defeat at Almarez, has broken Fifth French Army.    Suchet accepts defeat and orders his Army to abandon their depots and retreat to Talavera

Battle Summary

The French were not expecting to be attacked at Almarez

16^th corps were in rout following the battle of Serrejon the previous day

The attack of 1^st Spanish corps cut off their retreat and inflicted heavy casualties

They retreated south, but were forced to surrender to 4^th Spanish corps

1^st and 2^nd Spanish corps opened the attack on 7^th and 8^th French corps

However they were soon joined by 3^rd corps and outnumbered the French 3 to 2

At nightfall 7^th and 8^th French corps retreated north towards Piomal