19 May 1813 – North Spain – Day 9

 

Soult has redeployed his army to the Santander border

10^th army hold Torrelavega

11^th army occupy Reinosa

12^th army hold Aguilar

 

Wellington has redeployed his army to the Llanes border

1^st army hold Comillas

4^th army hold Cabezon

2^nd army hold Camon

 

Both armies are in similar positions to those held at the start of the campaign

18 May 1813 – North Spain – Day 8

Soult orders reorganisation and resupply

10^th army hold Torrelavega

11^th army reorganise and resupply

12^th army occupy Aguilar

 

Wellington orders 4^th Spanish retreat to Llanes district

1^st army occupy Comillas

4^th army retreat to Cabezon

2^nd army retreat to Camon

 

Wellington orders 4^th Spanish army to retreat into Llanes district

This is to avoid the risk of being attacked by all three French armies

 

In fact 11^th French army is in no condition to attack

Both 10^th and 12^th French armies have their own problems

But Wellington was not aware of the French problems

 

17 May 1813 – North Spain – Day 7

 

Soult must concentrate his army Santander-Medina-Soncillo

10^th army retreat to Torrelavega to avoid being surrounded

11^th army retreat to Medina having lost battle of Reinosa

12^th army attack Aguilar to disrupt allied advance

 

Wellington captures 8 days French supplies at Reinosa

1^st army prepare to attack Comillas

4^th army occupy Reinosa

2^nd army hold Auguilar

 

The second battle of Aguilar is decided by fighting in and around the town

The town is held by 2 British and 1 Spanish brigade

It is attacked by four elite French and Italian brigades

The garrison is routed, and the British unable to retake the town

The French lose 3 infantry and 1 cavalry (1300 casualties)

The British lose 7 infantry and 1 cavalry (2900 casualties)

17 May 1813 – Battle of Aguilar

Tactical map of battle area

Only 12^th French army is currently operational

To halt the allied advance they are ordered to attack Aguilar

French – 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

British – 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

2^nd British army is deployed in and around Aguilar (on the right)

12^th French army will arrive at the start of move 1 (on  the right)

 

General Hill commands the centre, and has three infantry brigades behind the  town

3^rd corps (top) has three infantry, one cavalry and one artillery brigade

4^th corps (bottom) has three infantry, one cavalry and one artillery brigade

End of move 2

Hill is waiting to see what the French do before he sends troops into the town

2rd corps (top) has moved down from the hill

3^rd corps is deploying between the town and the hill

 

General Gerard has arrived on the right

He has taken command of four infantry brigades in the centre

23^rd French corps ( top) has two infantry, one cavalry and one artillery brigade

24^th Italian corps (bottom) has two infantry, one cavalry and one artillery brigade

End of move 4

British win cavalry melee

Hill sends two infantry brigades to garrison Aguilar

3^rd corps (top) deploys

4^th corps continue to advance over pass

4^th hussars win melee with 10% casualties

 

French lose cavalry melee

Gerard deploys reserve infantry into column of attack

23^rd corps (top) deploy at edge of hill

24^th corps (bottom) unlimber artillery and form square

24^th hussars charge British cavalry, lose melee and retire shaken with 10% casualties

End of move 6

British win second cavalry melee

Hill has now garrisoned the town with two infantry brigades

3^rd corps (top) win cavalry melee

4^th corps (bottom) cavalry rout having received casualties from artillery fire

 

French advance to attack

Gerard leads his four infantry brigades to attack the town

23^rd corps (top) advance from hill, cavalry charged and routed with 20% casualties

24^th corps (bottom) artillery rout enemy cavalry, corps advance towards pass

End of move 8

British retreat

Garrison of Aguilar routed

3^rd corps (top) receive 10% casualties but pass morale and continue to fight

4^th corps (bottom) artillery withdraw, but infantry continue to hold pass

 

French take Aguilar

Gerard occupies town with two brigades, and two more in reserve

23^rd corps (top) artillery hit infantry, but too weak to attack

24^th corps (bottom) occupy east  half of pass, but too weak to attack further

Summary

The French have lost 3 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (1300 men)

The British have lost 7 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2900 men)

 

16 May 1813 – North Spain – Day 6

 

Wellington orders 4^th Spanish army to attack Reinosa

A victory will force the French to retreat from the border

1^st army hold Llanes and the main allied supply depot

4^th army attack Reinosa

2^nd army defend Aguilar

 

Soult feels unable to attack because of attacks on his lines of supply

10^th army hold Comillas

11^th army hold Reinosa

12^th army hold Soncillo

 

The battle of Reinosa is won by the fighting in and around the town

It is held by four French infantry brigades and attacked by three Spanish

The Spanish attack without artillery support but manage to take the town

The French lose 6 infantry and 2 cavalry (2600 casualties)

The Spanish lose 7 infantry (2800 casualties)

15 May 1813 – North Spain – Day 5

Soult is concerned about guerrilla activity against his lines of supply

He is also concerned how widely dispersed his three armies are

10^th army is ordered to occupy Comillas

11^th army will hold Reinosa

12^th army will hold Soncillo

 

Wellington is also concerned how dispersed are his three armies

1^st army has to retreat to Llanes

4^th army is ordered to move up to the border to threaten Reinosa

2^nd army will hold Aguilar

7^th guerrilla attack Torrelavega, repulsed with 30% casualties 

14 May 1813 – Battle of Comillas

Tactical map of battle area

Having lost the first two battles, Soult orders 10^th French Army to attack Comillas

The town is held by 1^st British Army and has a Spanish militia garrison

 

French – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

British – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery

Spanish – 1 Infantry brigade

Table at start of battle

Comillas, top left, is garrisoned by one Spanish infantry brigade

1^st British army reserve of two infantry and one cavalry brigade is top left

1^st British corps is centre left

2^nd British corps is bottom left

 

19^th French corps is top right

10^th French army reserve three infantry and one cavalry brigade in the centre

20^th Westphalian corps is bottom right

End of move 2

Top: French advance north of hill

Centre: French lancers melee with British hussars, result draw

Centre: British artillery are deployed between farm and woods

Centre: One infantry brigade is sent into the farm to support the gunners

Bottom: Westphalian corps advance through the woods

End of move 4

Top: French artillery hit British dragoons, pass morale test with 10% casualties

Centre: French lancers lose melee and rout with 20% casualties

Centre: French infantry advance towards farm

Bottom: 20^th French infantry advance through woods

Bottom: Artillery exchange fire, no casualties

End of move 6

Top: British dragoons lose melee and retire shaken with 20% casualties

Top: French infantry lose melee and rout with 10% casualties

Centre: French infantry force British artillery to withdraw

Centre: British infantry advance to engage French attack

Bottom: French gunners routed by artillery fire

Bottom: French infantry advance through wood

End of move 8

Confused melee along the whole front continues with no decisive outcome

Top: Melee results in one cavalry and one infantry brigade rout on each side

Centre : Melee results in one infantry and one artillery brigade rout on each side

Bottom: British attack French as they exit woods, each side lose one infantry in rout

End of move 10

British army routs, except for town and farm

Top: British hold town with two infantry brigades

Centre: British hold farm with one infantry brigade

Bottom: 2^nd British corps break and run

Red stars are British routs

Blue stars are French routs

Summary

At nightfall the British still hold the town and the farm

But all the rest of their army has broken and run

At nightfall both garrisons retreat

The French have lost 6 infantry, 2 cavalry and 1 gunner casualties (2700 men)

The British have lost 7 infantry 5 cavalry and 1 gunner casualties (3400 men)