28 April 1813 – North Spain – Tordesillas Campaign

All Spain

There are three campaign areas in Germany as shown on the map.

Northern Spain – 4^th French army v British army

Central Spain - 5^th French army v Spanish army

Each square on the map is 21 miles which is one days march.   It is also a wargames table.

Northern Spain

The area outlined in white is the Tordesillas campaign area.   Each square on the map is also 21 miles, one days march or a wargames table.

Tordesillas Campaign Area

This is the campaign map for movement and transferring battles to the wargames table.   Each square is 7 miles or one 2x2 foot scenic square on the wargames table.   There is one scenic square showing the same detail as each square on the map.   Nine of these squares (3x3) are used to create the wargames table.   When a battle is declared the point of impact (the centre square) is the same on the map and on the table.

Background to the Tordesillas Campaign

By the end of January 1813 most of the experienced French troops had been withdrawn from Spain to form the new Grand Army in Germany.   Marshal Soult was ordered to organize all remaining troops in Northern Spain into the new Fourth French Army.   He was to concentrate them at Burgos and to hold the northern border with Portugal

On 2 February Wellington entered Spain and took the city of Cuidad Rodrigo he then marched east to drive the French out of Spain

Wellington won the Valladolid campaign and Soult retreated to Burgos

Wellington lost the Burgos campaign and retreated to Zamora

Soult won the Zamora campaign and Wellington retreated into Portugal

Both agreed to an armistice from 5-12 April in order to regroup and reorganise

Wellington won the Oporto campaign and the French retreated to Tordesillas

Tordesillas Campaign Objective

At the start of the campaign the two armies are deployed as shown on the map above.

Soult is concerned about his communication and supply lines, which are under attack from Spanish guerrilla.   He wants to secure them before he again takes the field against Wellington.

Wellington is determined to secure his foothold in Spain and to drive the French further east.

Fourth French Army

Marshal Soult

7^th corps

8^thFrench corps

13^th Polish corps

16^th Italian corps

Reserve corps

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

The reserve corps has four infantry brigades and will provide depot garrisons

80000 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 120 artillery

British Army

Duke of Wellington

1^stBritish corps

2^nd British corps

3^rd British corps

4^th British corps

Reserve corps

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

The reserve corps has four infantry brigades and will provide depot garrisons

In addition there are three Spanish irregular brigade sized groups

92000 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 120 artillery

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign.   The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign

02 - Five campaign areas

40 - Introduction to the campaign in North Spain

41 – 4^th French Army order of battle

42 - British Army order of battle

43 - Daily diary for the campaign in North Spain

44 - Battle reports of all battles fought in North Spain

45 - Summary of campaign in North Spain