Recently several of us gathered for some Napoleonic action on the Iberian Peninsular in late 1808 using 6mm miniatures. There were seven players in total with four commanding the Anglo-Spanish and the other three commanded the French.
Jourdan had dispatched to the Iberian Peninsular in late 1808 and allocated command of two reinforced corps. Now in the cool Iberian winter he spurred on his horse as he moved towards the front. Around him his staff moved rapidly and in front the massed columns of blue moved across the Spanish countryside. Ahead lay the enemy, dangerously dispersed.
The Anglo-Spanish army was nominally under command of Sir John Moore, but with few British troops present, the majority being a day’s march distant, effective command rested with the various Spanish commanders. Initially deployed and separated from the main army were the divisions of Trias and Henestrosa who formed up on what was to become the Anglo-Spanish left around the town of El Quebrados. To the east of the town the broken hills provided some protection to the Spanish. Now marching to the support of these isolated divisions was Moore and a multitude of additional Spanish divisions.
Southwest of El Quebrados Jourdan deployed Sebastiani’s IV Corps, comprising the divisions of Belair and Leval, on the French left. The divisions deployed astride the army’s line of communication. To their left and eventually the front was the meandering La Madoza river. It was on the far banks of this river that the main Anglo-Spanish army would eventually form. To the right of IV Corps was Victor’s I Corps. This corps comprised the divisions of Ruffin, Lapisse & Vilate. The ground here was broken by several ridges some of which were broken by rugged rocky slopes. In reserve Jourdan held Desollies’ small infantry division and Milhaud’s and Merlin’s cavalry divisions. In all some 36,000 French infantry, 5,000 cavalry and 48 guns.
Realising the dispersed nature of the Anglo-Spanish army Jourdan seized the initiative. Victor was ordered to move to the attack. Ruffin’s Division was moved rapidly to the right and was supported by dragoons of Desolles Division. In support was Vilate’s Division who were to demonstrate in front of El Quebrados and occupy the attention of the supporting Spanish.
Ruffin’s brigades supported by artillery now unleashed a series of attacks against Henestrosa‘s Spanish Infantry Division. Below, the early attacks around El Quebrados.
While gaining success in places the French were forced back in others. Clearly hard fighting was ahead given the resolve of some Spanish units.
As the afternoon passed reinforcements in the form of Spanish cavalry crossed the La Madoza in an attempt to bolster the Spanish infantry of the left. Full of dash and brightly uniformed the Spanish cavalry seemed reluctant to press their attacks and when they did they were forced back.
Below, a more general view of the engagement around El Quebrados.
Here, a view from the Spanish lines. Henestrosa‘s Spanish Division is mostly to the right of El Quebrados. In the right distance Spanish cavalry have crossed La Madoza river near El Quebrados.
Over several hours the infantry combats between Ruffin’s brigades and Henestrosa‘s Division raged on. Determined to achieve success Jourdan pushed reinforcements forward. A further two brigades from Lapisse’s Division, despite Victor’s protests, were thrown in. Eventually the pressure was sufficient and Henestrosa‘s Division broke. Below, the French continue their attacks.
This success was soon followed by the collapse of the Spanish cavalry who, repeatedly engaged by the French cavalry, fled the field. Jourdan’s plan was finally bearing fruit.
Yet, not all was proceeding well for Jourdan. As he progressively engaged the Spanish left Moore had been building up his Anglo-Spanish troops on the far banks of the La Madoza river.
As the French forces opposite slowly reduced, being transferred to attack the Spanish left, the massed ranks of Anglo-Allied centre moved across the paltry river. Below, a view of the Spanish centre as it crosses the La Madoza river.
The Spanish infantry generally advanced cautiously, but two British infantry brigades eventually surged forward against the now almost nonexistent French centre. The last brigade of French centre, would soon break.
Meanwhile on the extreme French left, Sebastiani’s Divisions had for several hours, demonstrated against the growing Anglo-Spanish concentrations opposite them. On several occasions the well drilled French brigades conducted retrograde movements always threatened but never attacked by the Spanish infantry and cavalry formations.
One further cavalry division rode around the French left eventually cutting the French line of communication. English historians would make much of these movements but the Spanish commander on the left, under unceasing French attack, would continue to complain of the inability of his fellow generals to engage the enemy.
Yet the day was short and soon the fighting was interrupted by fading light. As darkness engulfed the field the commanders took stock of the action. Casualties were marginally higher for the Spanish, though concentrated on their left where two divisions had collapsed. Jourdan believing darkness would allow his own divisions to recover and prepared to move his still fresh formations on his right to the left. Tomorrow he would destroy the enemy centre. The unanswered question was if the battered Anglo-Spanish army would remain on the field or retire under cover of darkness?
The engagement was of course fictional and generated with the Road to Glory Scenario System with each army comprising 3000 points. The miniatures are all from Heroics & Ros. The French from my collection the Anglo-Spanish from Jon’s.
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