Tactical Map
The
campaign opened with the French Army in and around Probete.
Suchet’s
plan of campaign was to advance along the three roads leading south, with one
corps on each and his reserve in the centre.
First
contact was made at El Hoyo and La Carolina.
The French won both battles and occupied both towns. The defeated Spanish corps retreated south.
The
first major battle was in the centre at Baylen. Two French corps defeated the main Spanish
army and occupied the city. Suchet had
achieved the campaign objective. But he
must now hold it.
As
the French advanced and occupied each town, the Spanish militia garrisons took
to the hills and became guerrilla bands.
The further the French advanced the longer their lines of supply and the
more vulnerable their convoys to attack by the guerrilla.
The
French had to garrison each town to keep their lines of supply open. These garrisons now came under attack. The guerrilla took Abenogar and ambushed the
garrison as they retreated towards Probete.
The loss of this infantry brigade threw the French supply chain into
chaos.
The
Spanish counter attack started with the second battle of El Hoyo, where they
defeated the French.
Suchet
had to send one of his corps back to secure his rear area and re-establish his
lines of supply. He concentrated the
remainder of his army at Baylen.
Giron
took advantage of this to order his four corps to attack the three French corps
at Baylen. By this time both armies had
suffered considerable battle casualties, and most brigades were below full
strength. This reduced their morale and
combat efficiency. The gunners of both
armies proved ineffective in the early stages and the battle was decided by
hand to hand fighting. The superior
numbers of Spanish infantry won the day.
Baylen was taken and 16th Italian corps broken and forced to
retire.
With
the loss of this battle Suchet was forced to acknowledge that he was unable to
take and hold Baylen. He ordered his
army to rally at Probete. But it would
be some weeks before he could resupply, reinforce and prepare to advance again.
The
Spanish occupied Baylen and La Carolina, but were too weak to pursue the
defeated French. However they were in
firm control of Baylen and had therefore won the campaign.
Strategic Map
The
Linares campaign was the fifth phase in Southern Spain between the Fifth French
and the Spanish armies. It lasted 12
days and there were five battles. The
French won the first three, but the Spanish won the fourth and fifth
battle.
The
French lost 11200 infantry, 500 cavalry and 20 guns
The
Spanish lost 12000 infantry and 20 guns
The
Spanish won the campaign
The
campaign started on 14 October 2017 and ended on 10 February 2018
