11 September 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 3

 

French occupy Espinal
13 French Army regroup at Montoro
14 French Army attack El Carpio
15 French Army occupy Espinal

Spanish win battle of Espinal
1 Spanish Army regroup at Muriano
2 Spanish Army defend El Carpio
3 Spanish Army retreat to Montilla

10 September 1813 – Southern Spain – Day 2

French attack Espinal
13 French Army occupy Montoro
14 French Army observe El Carpio
15 French Army attack Espinal

Spanish win battle of Montoro
1 Spanish Army retreat to Muriano
2 Spanish Army hold El Carpio
3 Spanish Army hold Espinal

10 September 1813 – Battle of Espinal

Tactical map of battle area

15th French Army commanded by Marshal Augereau attack Espinal
3rd Spanish army commanded by General del Parque defend Espinal

French have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Spanish have 16 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 4 corps artillery

Both armies are full strength at the start of the battle

Table at start of battle

Both armies are deployed on the table at the start of the battle

The Spanish occupy the three battle objectives
Village on the left, hill in the centre and woods on the right

The French are deployed nearest to the camera

End of move 2

French move towards the three objectives
CinC has taken command of cavalry from 43 and 44 corps
43 corps advance towards woods on the right
44 corps advance towards hill in the centre
45 corps advance towards village on the left

Spanish respond to sighting French advance
CinC has command of both cavalry brigades
9 corps wait for French to approach
10 corps move their artillery forward off the hill
11 corps wait for French to approach
12 corps wait for French to approach

End of move 4

French attack
CinC pin enemy cavalry
43 corps artillery fire on woods, infantry advance
44 corps observe hill in the centre
45 corps artillery hit infantry, infantry and cavalry advance

Spanish withdraw on left and right flank
CinC observe enemy cavalry
9 corps withdraw to centre of woods to avoid artillery fire
10 corps wait for French to approach
11 corps infantry brigade rout with 10% casualties
12 corps observe enemy wait for French to approach

End of move 6

French attack woods on the right
CinC observe enemy cavalry
43 corps win melee to the right of the woods
44 corps redeploy artillery to engage Spanish cavalry
45 corps artillery force garrison to withdraw

Spanish support village on the left and woods on the right
CinC observe enemy cavalry
9 corps infantry lose melee and rout
10 corps send two brigades to support woods on the right
11 corps garrison withdraw to avoid artillery fire
12 corps send two brigades to support village on the left

End of move 8

French capture village on the left
CinC move cavalry reserve forward as Spanish cavalry retreat
43 corps capture southern half of woods on the right
44 corps artillery force Spanish cavalry to retreat
45 corps prepare to attack left hand hill in the centre

Spanish retreat to avoid French artillery
CinC withdraw cavalry reserve
9 corps retreat to northern half of woods on the right
10 corps redeploy to meet possible attack from village
11 corps withdraw from village, redeploy to counter attack
12 corps observe French centre

End of move 10

French attack all three objectives
CinC fighting cavalry melee between hill and woods
43 corps hold southern half of woods
44 corps attack left half of hill
45 corps pursue retreating Spanish

Spanish extensive fighting, five brigades in rout
CinC continues cavalry melee
9 corps hold northern half of woods on the right
10 corps fighting to hold left half of hill in the centre
11 corps attempting to rally routed brigades
12 corps hold right half of hill in the centre

End of move 12

French blue stars are routed brigades
CinC cavalry win melee
43 corps lose melee in woods and four brigades rout
44 corps win melee and hold half of hill in the centre
45 corps garrison of farm routed

Spanish yellow stars are routed brigades
CinC yellow stars are routed brigades
9 corps hold three of four sections of woods on the right
10 corps lose melee for left half of hill, six brigades routed
11 corps occupy farm on the left
12 corps hold right half of hill

Summary

At nightfall the Spanish hold the farm on the left
They also hold half of hill in the centre and three quarters of woods on the right
The French hold half of hill in the centre and one quarter of woods on the right

Neither side hold two of the three game objectives
The Spanish hold one and most of the other two

The result in a draw, but the Spanish declared the winners

French have lost 5 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2100 men)
Spanish have lost 17 infantry and 3 cavalry casualties (7100 men)

6 French brigades in rout
11 Spanish brigades in rout

9 September 1813 – Battle of Montro

Tactical map of battle area

13th French Army commanded by Marshal Suchet attack Montoro
1st Spanish army commanded by General Elio defend Montoro

French have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
Spanish have 16 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, 4 corps artillery

All brigades are full strength

Table at start of battle

Both armies are deployed on the table at the start of the battle
All corps will move towards the battle objectives at the start of move one

There are three objectives on the table which are
Farm on the left
Small woods in the centre
Large woods on the right
The army which holds at least two objectives at the end of 12 moves will win

End of move 2

French have advanced towards objectives and start to deploy
CinC has taken command of half of 38 corps and is between 37 and 38 corps
37 corps start to deploy in front of woods on the right
38 corps start to deploy in front of the woods in the centre
39 corps start to deploy in front of the farm on the left

Spanish have reached all three objectives
CinC has taken command of half of 4 corps and is between 1 and 2 corps
1 corps start to occupy large woods on the right
2 corps start to occupy small woods in the centre
3 corps start to occupy farm on the left
4 corps remain in reserve behind Montro

End of move 4

French approach all three objectives
CinC hold centre between 37 and 38 corps
37 corps approach large woods on the right
38 corps approach small woods in the centre
39 corps skirmish garrison of farm on the left

Spanish 4 corps deployed in the centre
CinC withdraw reserve cavalry out of artillery range
1 corps mass in the centre of woods on the right
2 corps hold northern half of woods in the centre
3 corps garrison of farm withdraw with 10% casualties
4 corps deploy in the centre between HQ and 2 corps

End of move 6

French capture farm on the right
CinC hold centre between 37 and 38 corps
37 corps continue to fight for woods on the left
38 corps continue to fight for woods in the centre
39 corps capture farm on the left

Spanish continue to hold woods on the right and in the centre
CinC hold right centre
1 corps continue to fight for woods on the right
2 corps continue to fight for woods in the centre
3 corps lose farm on the left
4 corps move to support 3 corps

End of move 8

French continue to attack woods in the centre and right
CinC holds centre between woods in the centre and right
37 corps continue to attack woods on the right, but last reserve committed
38 corps continue to attack woods in the centre, but last reserve committed
39 corps secure farm on the left, pursue 3 Spanish corps

Spanish commit 4 corps to support woods in the centre and on the right
CinC holds centre between woods in the centre and woods on the right
1 corps only one brigade left to hold woods on the right
2 corps only one brigade left to hold woods in the centre
3 corps attempt to rally routed brigades in woods behind farm
4 corps committed to support fighting for woods in the centre and woods on the right

End of move 10

French blue stars show routed brigades
CinC holds centre between woods on the left and woods on the right
37 corps losing battle for the woods on the right
38 corps captures woods on the left
39 corps holds farm on the left

Spanish yellow stars show routed brigades
CinC sends two brigades to support woods on the right
1 corps last brigade routed from woods on the right
2 corps artillery fire on woods on the left
3 corps attempt to rally in woods to the left of Montro
4 corps rout from woods on the right

End of move 12

French hold farm on the left
CinC continue to hold right centre
37 corps lose melee and withdraw from woods on the right
38 corps lose melee and withdraw from woods in the centre
39 corps hold farm on the left

Spanish hold woods in the centre and on the right
CinC captures woods on the right
1 corps rally behind woods on the right
2 corps capture woods on the left
3 corps rout from farm on the left
4 corps rally behind woods on the right

Summary
Both sides suffer heavy casualties fighting for the woods
The Spanish have more reserves and retake both woods
At nightfall the Spanish hold two of the three objectives

French have lost 13 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (5300 men)
Spanish have lost 21 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (8500 men)
The French had four brigades in rout, and Spanish six.

The Spanish held two of the three objectives at the end of 12 moves and won the battle.