24 March 1813 – Battle of Valladolid

Tactical map of battle area

Soult is determined to follow up his victory at Arevalo

He orders 8^th, 16^th and 22 corps to attack Valladolid

Wellington is preparing to retreat, but must stand and fight

He has 1, 3, 4 corps, plus 5 Spanish brigade in Valladolid

 

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

British – 13 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

British army on the left

Wellington has taken command of one infantry, one cavalry and corps artillery

5 Spanish brigade is garrison of Valladolid

 

French army on the right

Soult has taken command of two cavalry brigades

Table at end of move 2

3 British has deployed on hill

1 British cavalry rout enemy cavalry, charge infantry and are routed in turn

HQ advance between 1 and 4 British

4 British enter Valladolid

5 Spanish brigade rout having received 10% casualties

 

22 Polish advance either side of woods

HQ advance in support of 22 Polish

8 French advance off hill

16 Italian advance to attack Valladolid

Artillery hit and rout garrison

Table at end of move 4

3 British cavalry hold their own in cavalry melee

1 British move into woods

HQ combined artillery hit both French artillery as they deploy

4 British, including light division, move into Valladolid

 

22 Polish cavalry charge enemy cavalry, result a draw

HQ combined cavalry advance, leading brigade defeated and rout

8 French artillery receive 10% casualties as they unlimber, pass morale

16 Italian artillery also receive casualties as they unlimber, also pass morale

 

Soult is not confident of holding Valladolid against the light division

He orders 16^th corps to hold the nearest edge and delay the British

Table at end of move 6

3 British cavalry draw second round of melee, but withdraw with 20% casualties

Remainder of 3 British move to front of ridge to meet French attack

1 British lose melee in woods and rout, reserve infantry fail morale and join rout

HQ half of artillery rout when attacked by infantry

4 British fight three melee for possession of Valladolid

Lose one melee and rout, other two are drawn

 

22 Polish cavalry withdraw from melee with 20% casualties

Remainder of corps advance to attack ridge

HQ cavalry force enemy infantry into square

8 French attack woods with two brigades

Each lose 10% casualties but take woods

Third brigade rout enemy artillery

16 Italian infantry charge advancing infantry

Win one melee in Valladolid, draw second

Draw also melee just outside the city

Table at end of move 8

3 British lose battle for the hill and retreat

1 British continue to retreat

HQ (cavalry and artillery) cover the retreat

4 British win two out of three melee, but also retreat

British have seven brigades in rout (red star)

 

22 Polish take hill

HQ (two cavalry brigades) in rout

8 French move through woods

16 Italian occupy right half of Valladolid

French have four brigades in rout (blue star)

Summary

The British centre is broken and in rout

The north flank is still fighting on the hill, but retreat

The south flank have taken Valladolid, but must retreat because of the centre

 

The French have lost 14 infantry, 4 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (6100 men)

The British have lost 20 infantry and 5 cavalry casualties (8500 men)

 

After a hard fought battle the French have won a close and costly victory