Introduction to 1813 Campaign in Spain

Map of Spain

There are two campaign areas in Spain

North – 4^th French Army v Anglo/Portuguese Army

South – 5^th French Army v Spanish Army

Military regions of Spain

Each campaign area consists of three military regions

In each area the French occupy the western region, and the allies the eastern one

The centre region is where the 1813 campaign will be fought

This map shows the location of each army at the start of the campaign

 

Allied plan of campaign

On 1 January 1813 the allied nations of Austria, England, Prussia, Russia and Spain met to plan for the declaration of war on France.

It was agreed that the Anglo-Portuguese army would cooperate with the Spanish army to drive the French out of Spain.   The English would operate in the north and the Spanish in the south.

 

French plan of campaign

The French Grande Armee had been destroyed in the Russian campaign of 1812.

In January 1813 Napoleon issued orders for the creation of a new Army of Germany.   It would consist of the survivors of the Russian campaign, half of the Army of Spain and the rest would be made up of conscripts.

On 10 January King Joseph was ordered to transfer of 50% of troops in Spain to Germany to help form the new Army of Germany. They would be replaced with an equal number of conscripts.   This would greatly reduce the combat efficiency of the Army of Spain.

During the reorganisation 4^th French army would concentrate at Burgos.  

5^th French army would concentrate at Toledo

Start of the 1813 Campaign

The allies declared war on France on 1 February 1813

 

1813 Campaign in Spain

National map showing campaign areas

There are two campaign areas in Spain

North – 4^th French Army v Anglo/Portuguese Army

South – 5^th French Army v Spanish Army

Regional map showing initial concentration areas

There are six regions in Spain.

Each region has nine districts

Each district has nine towns (not shown on map)

Each town is a wargames table

Background

The political and military situation was much more complicated in the Iberian Peninsula than in Germany.   Napoleon had established military regions throughout Spain, but they were not recognised by either the Spanish or the British.

1812 has been a good year for the French.   Throughout the year they defeated one Spanish field army after another.  By the end of the year only one Spanish army remained and it was in Andalusia in the far south.

The British had established firm control over Portugal before marching into Spain at the start of 1812.   They took the two critical border fortresses of Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz, and they defeated the French at Salamanca.   Wellington then marched them east towards France.   The first obstacle was Burgos, where it all went badly wrong.   Despite a long siege Wellington failed to take Burgos.   The French armies in Spain concentrated and forced him to retreat back into Portugal.

In January 1813 the French held all of Spain, except for the southern region of Andalusia.   There were French armies, one at Burgos and the second at Madrid. Napoleon’s brother Joseph was the nominal King of Spain and commander of all French troops in the Iberian Peninsula.   But he exercised no real control.  Marshal Soult at Burgos and Marshal Suchet at Madrid ignored his orders.   Napoleon was too far away to exercise real control, and was much too busy building his new Army of Germany.   The Spanish, both military and civilian, held Joseph in contempt.

During the January meeting of allied commanders it was agreed that the two allied armies in Spain would also commence offensive operations on 1 February.   But, as in Germany, neither were capable of doing so.

In January 1813 Joseph, Soult and Suchet all received urgent orders from Napoleon in Paris.   The two armies of Spain would send 50% of their best officers and men back to France to form the basis of the new French Army of Germany.   No excuses would be accepted for any delay.   In return they would receive a similar number of conscripts.

By February most of the replacements had arrived in Spain.  But it would take weeks to train and incorporate them into the corps and divisions of 4^th and 5^th French armies.   At the end of February they were still concentrated around Burgos and Madrid.

Meanwhile Wellington had reorganised, resupplied and reinforced his army. 

10 February he ordered them to move to the border fortress of Cuidad Rodrigo.  

14 February he laid siege to the town and the garrison surrendered ten days later.

He then marched into Spain, and arrived at Salamanca on 28 February

General Giron was also encouraged by the French lack of activity

8 February he concentrated his army at Seville

12 February marched north to Cordova

25 February marched north to Toledo

On 9 March 1813 Marshal Suchet marched south into the Toledo region to start the campaign.