Battle of the Bidassoa

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Battle of the Bidassoa
Battle of Bidassoa by William Heath in the "Bibliothèque municipale de Toulouse"
Battle of Bidassoa by William Heath in the "Bibliothèque municipale de Toulouse"
date October 7, 1813
place at Bidassoa
output Allied victory
Parties to the conflict

United Kingdom 1801United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland United Kingdom Spain Portugal
Spain 1785Spain 
Portugal 1707Portugal 

France 1804First empire France

Commander

United Kingdom 1801United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Arthur Wellesley

France 1804First empire Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult

Troop strength
around 89,000 men up to 62,000 men
losses

1,600 dead and wounded

1,650 dead and wounded,
17 cannons

The Battle of Bidassoa (between Hendaye and La Rhune ) took place on October 7, 1813 between the troops of Arthur Wellesley and a Napoleonic army under the command of Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult . It was part of the Spanish War of Independence . The Allies broke through the French locking position on the Bidassoa ( Pyrenees ).

procedure

Wellesley's interest was to conduct an intense attack on the French positions on the Bidassoa, crossing the river in the process. He launched a surprising partial attack from his left flank and penetrated into the French positions. In the center he managed to break through the French lines at the same time as the main attack, although the Spaniards were thrown back.

At the start of the fight, Soult was certain that his left flank was not threatened, but had failed to reinforce the right flank.

As the outcome of the short battle, the French were defeated and retreated first to Sare, where the redoubt of Sainte-Barbe was taken by the Spanish on October 12th, and then on to the Nivelle , where another battle took place on November 10th, 1813 was beaten.

literature

  • David Gates: The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War . Pimlico, London 2002, ISBN 0-7126-9730-6 .
  • Michael Glover: The Peninsular War 1807-1814. Penguin, London 2001, ISBN 0-14-139041-7 .
  • Digby Smith : The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book. Actions and Losses in Personnel, Colors, Standards and Artillery 1792-1815. Greenhill, London 1998, ISBN 1-85367-276-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Michael Glover: The Peninsular War 1807-1814. P. 286.
  2. ^ Digby Smith: The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book. Pp. 459-460.

Web links