15 September – Southern Spain – Day 8

Giron orders 3^rd corps to move into Molina          

The rest of the field army will retreat behind the town and attempt to rally

3^rd corps are already out of supplies and lose 400 attrition casualties

4 guerrilla brigade attack Riopar and suffer 10% casualties

5 guerrilla brigade attack Albacete and suffer 10% casualties

6 guerrilla brigade attack Elda, draw and continue attack

The French are also desperately short of supplies

Suchet orders his three corps to hold their position and resupply

He can only use the two days at Hellin, because Riopar and Elda are under attack

14 September – Southern Spain – Day 7

14 September – Southern Spain – Day 7

The guerrilla actions have reversed the Spanish defeats

They have severely disrupted the whole French lines of supply

They have also captured the vital supply column.

In doing so they have lost two guerrilla brigades

3 guerrilla, now out of supplies, abandon their attack on Almansa

5 guerrilla (who captured the supply train) eat, drink and make merry

4 and 6 guerrilla move to threaten Riopar and Elda.

                              

Giron orders the Spanish field army to hold their positions and resupply

Suchet is faced with two desperate options

One he can retreat.   With his lines of supply is chaos he will face serious supply problems.   But he can re-establish his depots and supply services.   He will however have to abandon all of his achievements in the campaign to date.  

Two he can attack and hope to quickly defeat the main Spanish Army.  If he is successful he will suffer slight attrition problems, but will have won the campaign.   If he fails he runs the risk of losing his whole army.

He decides to attack.

The French win the battle of Molina and the Spanish retreat south