Battle of San Marcial
Battle of San Marcial | |||||||
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Part of the Peninsular War | |||||||
Battle of San Marcial (F. Peréz, c. 1844) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
French Empire | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Nicolas Jean Dieu Soult |
Gabriel de Mendizábal Iraeta | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
18,000[2] | 16,000[3] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
4,000 dead or wounded[1] | 2,500 dead or wounded[1] |
Vitoria and the Pyrenees, 1813–1814
The Battle of San Marcial, waged on 31 August 1813, was one of the last battles fought on Spanish soil during the Peninsular War.
At San Marcial, just outside
Background
Wellington approached
While Wellington faced off against Soult at the
After four weeks of rest, Soult was, in fact, preparing one last push toward San Sebastián, concentrating all his nine divisions at Ainhoue for an attack in the vicinity of San Marcial. Neither the French nor the Spanish troops were in perfect spirits; the French were demoralized by their recent retreats and their heart was not in the coming fight, while Freire's ragged troops, neglected by the Spanish commissariat, had not enjoyed full rations in several days.[7] Behind them, the allied army was locked in a terrible struggle for San Sebastián that would cost it 2,376 dead and wounded on 31 August alone.[8]
Battle
In an early morning mist, seven French divisions crept toward the Bidassoa on August 31, fording the river under cover of their guns. The allied positions at Vera and Irun were surprised and overrun but not before having alerted Freire, who drew his troops into a line on the heights. The Imperial columns lost all cohesion as they climbed over the difficult terrain, reaching Freire in a confused mass.[3] The Spaniards welcomed them with a scathing volley and, advancing with fixed bayonets, forced Soult's leading divisions back down the hill.[citation needed]
Soult rallied the broken units at noon and committed fresh troops to a second assault on the heights, but the line of Spanish bayonets held firm against his final assault and the faltering French were badly beaten. Unable to keep his men from retreating back over the river, Soult ordered a withdrawal back to Irun and called off his offensive without having met a single
Combat of Vera
During the afternoon, a violent thunderstorm struck the area and brought in torrents of rain. By the time
Cadoux sent for assistance from a brigade of the
Aftermath
The battle marked the end of Soult's once redoubtable fighting force: "war-weary and despondent, Soult's divisions had lost all heart and, except in a few inspired flashes, were never again to fight with their once customary skill and zeal".[10]
The Spanish army's performance at San Marcial, together with that of General
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d Gates 2001, p. 428.
- ^ Gates 2001, p. 523.
- ^ a b Gates 2001, p. 427.
- ^ Gifford 1817, p. 375.
- ^ Gates 2001, p. 395.
- ^ Gates 2001, p. 396.
- ^ Glover 1974, p. 263.
- ^ Glover 1974, p. 262.
- ^ Glover 1974, pp. 263–264.
- ^ Gates 2001, p. 429.
Sources
- Gates, David (2001). The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81083-2.
- Gifford, C. A. (1817). The Life of the Most Noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington. London: W.Lewis. p. 375.
- Glover, Michael (1974). The Peninsular War 1807–1814. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-139041-7.
External links
- Media related to Battle of San Marcial at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by Battle of Kulm |
Napoleonic Wars Battle of San Marcial |
Succeeded by Battle of Dennewitz |