21 July 1813 – North Spain – Day 3

 

French attack Laredo
French occupy Ramales
10 French army – attack Laredo
11 French army – occupy Ramales
12 French army – rally and regroup at Villacayo

British retreat to Medina
Battle of Laredo
1 British army – defend Laredo
2 British army – retreat to Medina
3 British army – rally and regroup at Soncillo

Guerillas
14 brigade – abandon Ramales
16 brigade – capture convoy outside Sarautz
18 brigade – return to village
20 brigade – return to village
21 brigade – return to village

20 July 1813 – Battle of Ramales

 

Tactical map of battle area

11th French army has orders to attack Ramales
2nd British army has orders to move up to the border
They meet in an encounter battle

French army is commanded by Marshal Oudinot
British army is commanded by General Hill

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Spanish – 5 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

All of 2nd British army are on the table at the start of the game
4th corps is deployed in front of Ramales
General Hill is in the town with the garrison, 14 militia brigade
8th Spanish corps in on the left, 3rd British corps on the right

11th French army is off table at the start of the game
They will all arrive on table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

Marshal Oudinot is the centre with 32nd corps
31st French corps is moving through the woods on the right
32nd Westhalian corps is in the centre
33rd Italian corps in on the left

General Hill has taken command of the right half of 4th corps
3rd British corps is advancing towards the farm on the right
4th British corps is deployed either side of the main road in the centre
8th Spanish corps is climbing the hill on the left

End of move 4

Marshal Oudinot is the centre with 32nd corps
31st French corps has cleared the woods and is deploying out of artillery range
32nd Westhalian corps has also deployed out of artillery range
33rd Italian corps infantry advance towards hill, cavalry and artillery protect their flank

General Hill has taken command of the right half of 4th corps
3rd British corps is deployed either side of the farm, with one brigade occupying it
4th British corps wait for French to come within artillery range
8th Spanish corps is on the hill, cavalry and artillery between the hill and the woods

End of move 6

Marshal Oudinot takes command of 33rd corps cavalry and artillery
31st French corps cavalry lose melee and rout
32nd Westhalian corps advance towards woods
33rd Italian corps attack hill

General Hill retreats level with rear of woods
3rd British corps retreat level with 4th corps, cavalry rout French cavalry
4th British corps retreat level with rear of woods, woods held by rifle brigade
8th Spanish corps one brigade routs from hill

End of move 8

Marshal Oudinot moves 33 corps cavalry and artillery to support 32 corps
31st French corps cavalry lose second melee and rout again
32nd Westphalian cavalry lose melee and rout
33rd Italian corps capture hill

General Hill withdraws infantry to rear of woods
3rd British corps cavalry rout French cavalry again
4th British corps hold rear of woods, woods held by rifle brigade
8th Spanish corps rout from hill

End of move 10

Marshal Oudinot orders a general attack on woods and farm
31st French corps attack farm, gunners receive 10% casualties
32nd Westphalian infantry enter woods
33rd Italian corps secure hill

General Hill withdraws to area in front of town
3rd British corps hold farm
4th British corps hold rear of woods
8th Spanish corps continue to rout

End of move 12

Marshal Oudinot continues the attack farm and woods
31st French infantry skirmish inside farm
32nd Westphalian infantry skirmish inside woods
33rd Italian corps hold hill

General Hill continues to fight to defend farm and woods
3rd British corps skirmish inside farm
4th British corps skirmish inside woods
8th Spanish corps rally to left of town

Summary

At nightfall the French hold the hill, but fighting continues for the woods and farm
Difficult to decide who is the winner of the battle
Technically Wellington still holds two of the three objectives

However both the woods and the farm are disputed and fighting continues
The French have lost more cavalry
The British have lost more infantry, and abandoned all of their guns
So if a second day of battle was fought Wellington would have to retreat.

The French have lost 3 infantry, 6 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (1900 men)
The British have lost 11 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (4700 men)

20 July 1813 – North Spain – Day 2

 

French attack Ramales
French occupy Villacayo
10 French army – hold Sarautz
11 French army – attack Ramales
12 French army – occupy Villacayo

British move up to border
British retreat to Soncillo
1 British army – move up to border
2 British army – defend Ramales
3 British army – retreat to Soncillo

Guerillas
18 brigade – attack convoy outside Beasain
20 brigade – capture convoy outside Tolosa
21 brigade – move closer to border.

19 July 1813 – Battle of Villacayo

Tactical map of battle area

The campaign opens with a surprise French attack on Villacayo
Their aim is to draw attention to the southern flank

French army is commanded by Marshal Marmont
British army is commanded by General Picton

French – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 8 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery
Spanish – 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 1 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

All three French corps will enter the table at the start of move 1
5 British and 9 Spanish corps will not be allowed to move until move 2

End of move 2

French cinc has taken command of artillery from 34 and 35 corps
34 corps has is advancing through the woods on the right
35 corps is advancing in the centre
36 corps is advancing to the right of the walled farm

British cinc has joined 6 corps in the centre
5 corps is moving towards farm on the right
6 corps hold the centre

9 corps advance towards the hill on the left

End of move 4

French cinc moves grand battery forward in the centre
34 corps has is deploying between the woods and the farm
35 corps is deploying out of artillery range
36 corps is moving to the left of the hill

British cinc has taken command of 6 and 9 corps cavalry centre left
5 corps has occupied the farm on the right
6 corps has withdrawn closer to the town
9 corps are climbing the hill on the left

End of move 6

French cinc grand battery opens fire, no casualties
34 corps advance to attack farm on the right
35 corps advance to attack town
36 corps occupy hill

British cinc reserve cavalry charge dragoons, lose melee and rout
5 corps wait for French to come within artillery range
6 corps artillery open fire, no casualties
9 corps retreat from hill

End of move 8

French cinc grand battery routs 5 corps gunners
34 corps retreat when their attack on farm is defeated
35 corps halt and allow 6 corps to retreat
36 corps secure hill

British cinc rally reserve cavalry in the allied rear area
5 corps hold farm and defeat French attack
6 corps retreat to town
9 corps redeploy in front of woods

Summary

The French have taken the centre and the hill on the left
The British have held the farm on the righ
Having taken two of the three game objectives the French win

The French have lost 6 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (2600 men)
The British have lost 3 infantry, 3 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (1600 men)

19 July 1813 – North Spain – Day 1

French attack Villacayo

10 French army – hold Sarautz
11 French army – hold Bergara
12 French army – attack Villacayo

1 British army – hold Laredo
2 British army – hold Ramales 3 British army – defend Villaca
3 British army – defend Villacayo

19 July 1813 – North Spain – Santander Campaign

Map of Europe

There are five campaign areas in Europe

North Germany – French v Prussians
Central Germany – French v Russians
Southern Germany – French v Austrians
North Spain – French v British
South Spain – French v Spanish

This is the 17th campaign phase
Each star shows the location of a campaign phase
Santander is the white star

Map of Spain

There are two campaign areas in Spain
North Spain – Fourth French and British Armies
South Spain – Fifth French and Spanish Armies

This is the seventh campaign to be fought in Spain
Santander is the white star

Map of North Spain

There are three regions in North Spain
Oporto Region – British rear area
Madrid Region – campaign area
Barcelona Region – French rear area

This is the fourth campaign phase to be fought in North Spain
Each star shows the location of a campaign phase
Santander is the white star

Map of Madrid Region

There are nine districts in Madrid Region
There have been sixteen battles fought in this region
The French have won 8 and the British 6
Each star shows the location of a battle fought

Campaign Map

The Santander campaign is fought between the cities of Santander and San Sebastian
The French Army of North Spain is deployed to the right of the district border
The British Army is deployed to the left of the district border
The French objective is to take and hold the city of Talavera
Each block represents one corps

The French objective is to take the city of Santander

Typical British corps

Each corps has 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade and corps artillery


British Army – Duke of Wellington
1st British corps
2nd British corps
3rd British corps
4th British corps
5th British corps
6th British corps
7th Spanish corps
8th Spanish corps
9th Spanish corps

British - 96000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, 180 guns
Spanish - 48000 infantry. 3000 cavalry, 90 guns
Militia - 24,000 infantry

Typical French corps

Each corps has 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade and corps artillery


Fourth French Army of North Spain – Marshal Soult
28th Young Guard corps
29th French corps
30th Polish corps
31st French corps
32nd Westphalian corps
33rd Italian corps
34th French corps
35th French corps
36th Vistula corps

168000 infantry, 9000 cavalry, 270 guns

Campaign Diary

1 February 1813 - Austria, Britain, Prussia, Russia and Spain declared war on France
20 February 1813 - Anglo/Portuguese army operational in Oporto Region
27 February 1813 - Fourth French army operational in Burgos Region
22 March 1813 - Start of Valladolid campaign phase
29 March 1813 - British win Valladolid campaign phase
10 May 1813 - Start of Llanes campaign phase
19 May 1813 - British win Llanes campaign phase
25 June 1813 - Start of Talavera campaign phase

Reference
The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign. The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign
02 - Five campaign areas
40 - Introduction to the campaign in northern Spain
41 - Fourth French Army order of battle
42 - British Army order of battle
43 - Daily diary for the campaign in northern Spain
44 - Battle reports of all battles fought in northern Spain
45 - Summary of campaign in northern Spain