23 July 1813 – Battle of Medina

 

Tactical map of battle area

The British have a strong defensive position on the left bank of the river Ebro
The French must cross the river to reach the three squares in front of Medina

French army is commanded by Marshal Oudinot
They have 10 battle casualties
Also one infantry brigade detached on garrison duty

British army is commanded General Hill
They have 14 battle casualties.

French – 11 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 7 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery
Spanish – 4 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 1 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

Medina is the town top centre
The game objectives are farm on the right, woods in the centre and farm on the left
The river can only be crossed by the three bridges

End of move 2

French are crossing river Ebro
31st French corps cavalry and artillery deployed to cover infantry crossing
32nd Westphalian corps have no cavalry, artillery and infantry cover crossing
33rd Italian corps (furthest from enemy) cavalry covering crossing

British readjust deployment to meet French attack
3rd British corps cavalry move forward
4th British corps cavalry move forward
8th Spanish corps move forward to front of farm

End of move 4

French complete crossing of river Ebro
31st French corps complete crossing of river Ebro
32nd Westphalian corps complete crossing of river Ebro
33rd Italian corps advance, gunners seek shelter in nearby square

Spanish cavalry charge Italian gunners
3rd British corps artillery fire on gunners, no casualties
4th British corps wait for French to advance
8th Spanish corps cavalry charge artillery, gunners seek shelter in square

End of move 6

French attac
31st French corps gunners rout and take infantry and cavalry with them
32nd Westphalian corps gunners rout and take infantry with them, both rally
33rd Italian corps cavalry rout Spanish cavalry, infantry melee

Spanish and British cavalry rout
3rd Brtiish corps win cavalry melee, rout cavalry, gunners and infantry
4th British corps cavalry rout gunners and infantry
8th Spanish cavalry and gunners rout, infantry continue two rounds of melee

End of move 8

French capture farm
31st French corps rally cavalry and gunners
32nd Westphalian corps drive off British cavalry
33rd Italian corps win melee and capture farm

Spanish corps in rout
3rd British corps consolidate their hold on farm
4th British corps consolidate their hold on woods
8th Spanish rout and abandon farm, CinC fails to rally them

End of move 10

French occupy farm
31st French corps rally and regroup
32nd Westphalian corps rally and regroup
33rd Italian corps occupy farm on the left

Spanish corps fail to rally
3rd British corps hold farm on the right
4th British corps hold woods in centre
8th Spanish corps fail to rally

Summary

31st corps regrouped, but it is too late to take farm on the right
32nd corps regroup, but unable to attack woods without cavalry support
33rd corps occupy farm on the right

The French have take one objective, but the British hold the other two
The British have won this battle


French have lost 5 infantry casualties (2000 men)
British have lost 1 infantry casualty (400 men)
Spanish have lost 3 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (1300 men)

 

 

23 July 1813 – North Spain – Day 5

French lay siege to Soncillo
Battle of Medina
10 French army – rally and regroup at Laredo
11 French army – attack Medina
12 French army – lay siege to Soncillo

Day 1 siege of Soncillo
1 British army – rally and regroup at Santander
2 British army – defend Medina
3 British army – siege of Soncillo

Guerillas
20 brigade – attack convoy, fail, routed with 10% casualties
15 brigade – attack convoy, fail, retreat no casualties
18 brigade – attack convoy, fail, retreat no casualties

22 July 1813 – Battle of Soncillo

Tactical map of battle area

Soncillo commands the southern crossing of the river Ebro
Third Anglo-Spanish army has suffered light casualties at Villacayo
Twelfth French army have one brigade detached to garrison Villacayo

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

French – 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
British – 8 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 2 corps artillery
Spanish – 5 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, 1 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The river can only be crossed by one of the three bridges
The two armies start the game 24” apart
The game objectives are farm on the left, hill in the centre and woods on the right
The winner will be the side which has control of at least two of the three

End of move 2

French start to cross the river
Cavalry lead the advance, with artillery close behind
Marshal Marmont has taken command of half of 34th corps
He is leading the artillery, cavalry and one brigade towards the centre

34th French corps remaining infantry is waiting to cross the river
35th French corps advancing towards town, cavalry and artillery leading
36th Vistula corps move towards the centre, cavalry protecting their left flank

Allied army advance to the three objectives
General Picton has taken command of half of 9th Spanish corps
5th British corps have entered the woods on the left
6th British corps deploy in the centre, one brigade sent to occupy the hill
9th Spanish corps occupy farm on the left

End of move 4

French cross river and advance
Marshal Marmont attacks right hand woods with half of 34th corps
34th French corps cross river and swing right to engage woods
35th French advance in centre, one brigade sent to take hill
36th Vistula corps deploy and prepare to advance

Allied army adjusts to French advance
5th British corps melee in woods, send infantry towards bridge
6th British corps lose one brigade to artillery fire, remainder retreat out of range
9th Spanish corps occupy farm and wait for French advance

End of move 6

French advance
34th French corps win infantry melee
35th French corps rout British cavalry and force gunners to abandon guns
36th Vistula corps win second cavalry melee

Allies withdraw in centre
5th British corps win melee in woods but retreat to avoid close range artillery fire
6th British corps cavalry lose melee, gunners seek shelter in nearby square
9th Spanish corps cavalry lose melee and rout

End of move 8

French advance in centre, redeploy on right and left
34th French corps redeploy to attack right half of woods
35th French corps win cavalry melee and pursue retreating British
36th Vistula corps rout Spanish lancers, redeploy to attack farm

Allied withdraw in centre, continue to hold farm and woods
5th British corps withdraw to right half of woods
6th British corps retreat to walls of town
9th Spanish corps await Polish attack

End of move 10

French take hill in centre
34th French corps occupy left half of woods
35th French corps take hill in centre
36th Vistula corps drive Spanish out of farm

Allies lose hill in the centre
5th British corps retreat to right half of woods
6th British corps abandon hill and retreat into Soncillo
9th Spanish corps lose farm, but prepare to counter attack

End of move 12

French take farm on the left and hill in the centre
34th French corps have taken three quarters of woods on the right
35th French corps have taken hill in the centre
36th Vistula corps have taken farm on the left

Allies abandon farm and hill, but still hold one quarter of woods
5th British corps hold top right section of woods
6th British corps in Soncillo
9th Spanish corps abandon farm and retreat to woods

Summary

French have taken two of the three game objectives
Allies still hold one quarter of the woods, but will retreat during the night

French have lost 4 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (1700 men)
British have lost 9 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (3700 men)
Spanish have lost 2 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (900 men)

22 July 1813 – North Spain – Day 4

 

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

1 British army – retreat to Santander
2 British army – rally and regroup at Medina
3 British army – defend Soncillo

Guerrillas
13 brigade – return to village
14 brigade – return to village
16 brigade – return to village
17 brigade – capture convoy and 6 days supplies
19 brigade – attack convoy but routed with 10% casualties

21 July 1813 – Battle of Loredo

Tactical map of battle area

The walled town of Laredo on the northern coast is on the road to Santander
It is held by Marshal Soult with the 10th French army
Wellington is determined to take it with the 1st British army

French army is commanded by Marshal Soult
British army is commanded by Duke of Wellington

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

Table at start of battle

French will arrive bottom of table at start of move 1
28th young guard corps on the right
29th French corps in the centre
30th Polish corps on the left

British deployed in the centre of the table in front of Toledo
1st British corps in woods on the right
2nd British corps in the centre
7th Spanish corps in woods on the left

End of move 2

French advance
28th young guard corps advance towards woods on the right
29th French corps advance over hill towards farm in the centre
30th Polish corps advance towards woods on the left

British adjust to French approach
1st British corps cavalry advance on far right
2nd British corps cavalry advance in centre
7th Spanish corps cavalry advance far left

End of move 4

French advance
CinC takes command of right half of Polish corps
28th young guard corps advance
29th French corps advance to edge of hill covered by artillery and cavalry
30th Polish corps lose cavalry melee and retreat shaken

British withdraw as French approach
CinC takes command of village in centre
1st British corps withdraw into and behind woods
2nd British corps withdraw to rear of village
7th Spanish corps lose cavalry melee and rout, abandon forward quarter of woods

End of move 6

French continue to attack
28th young guard corps advance to attack woods
29th French corps artillery inflict 10% casualties on garrison of village
30th Polish corps attack woods, inflict 10% casualties in melee

British withdraw supports out of artillery range
1st British corps artillery advance
2nd British corps village garrison withdraw with 10% casualties
7th Spanish corps infantry brigade routed with 10% casualties, but rallies

End of move 8

French attack along the whole front
28th young guard corps fighting for woods and cavalry melee
29th French corps fighting for town and cavalry melee
30th Polish corps take three wood sections

British continue to fight, but forced to retire
1st British corps continue to hold all of woods
2nd British corps retreat to edge of village
7th Spanish corps retreat to last wood section

End of move 10

French take woods and village
28th young guard corps continue to attack woods on the right
29th French corps occupy village in the centre
30th Polish corps occupy woods on the left

British continue to hold woods on the right
1st British corps continue to hold all of woods on the right
2nd British corps prepare to counter attack village in the centre
7th Spanish corps abandon all of woods on the left

End of move 12

French capture all three objectives
28th young guard corps capture woods on the right
29th French corps capture and hold village in the centre
30th Polish corps capture and hold woods on the left

British lose all three objectives
1st British corps counter attack woods, but are driven off
2nd British corps counter attack village but fail to take it
7th Spanish corps abandon woods on left and retreat

Summary

Fighting continues to nightfall, but French take and hold all objectives
The Poles lose their artillery to British cavalry, but continue to hold woods on the left
British infantry make a determined counter attack on village, but fail to take it
British infantry are driven out of last section of woods on the right

The French have lost 4 infantry. 4 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (2100 men)
The British have lost 12 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (4900 men)
The Spanish have lost 7 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2900 men)