Wellesley and Cuesta knew that Victor lay beyond Talavera with a corps of 22,000 French troops, while a further 13,000 were in reserve at Madrid under Joseph and his chief of staff, Jourdan. Victor urged a further attack, saying that the one earlier in the day had failed because Sebastiani’s Fourth Corps had not taken part. Guns also fired case shot or canister which fragmented and was highly effective against troops in the field over a short range. The British infantry were again subjected to French cannon fire as they climbed back to their positions behind the summit of the Cero de Medellin. The pictures on this post were taken by myself, when I visited the battlefields of Wellington’s 1809-12 campaigns in Spain as part of a tour conducted by Ian Fletcher of Ian Fletcher Battlefield Tours. 5 (Oman: excluded), 28th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions, 32nd Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions, 58th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions, 75th Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions, 4th Polish Infantry Regiment, two battalions, Hesse-Darmstadt Infantry Regiment, two battalions, Frankfurt Infantry Regiment, one battalion, 12th Légère Infantry Regiment, three battalions, 51st Ligne Infantry Regiment, three battalions, Chief-of-Staff (actual commander): Marshal of France, This page was last edited on 15 July 2020, at 11:05. In Spain: The War of Independence As the main battles—Talavera (July 1809) and Vitoria (June 1813)—were fought by Wellington, the guerrillas pinned down French garrisons, intercepted dispatches, and isolated convoys. Royal Carabineers (Real Brigada de Carabinerosde Linea) 6. After his perverse failure to fight when circumstances were favourable, Cuesta pursued Victor’s army towards Toledo. 35 Regiments of Line 2. Although Wellesely's forces were outnumbered, and a sizeable contingent of the Spanish ran away, he had chosen a superb defensive position and was able to beat … The two French divisions, preceded by a swarm of skirmishers, crossed the Portina Brook and advanced in solid masses against the line of the German brigades of Löw and Langwerth, Cameron and the British Foot Guards. 30,000 French infantry would be attacking 16,500 British infantry. The 83rd and the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the KGL suffered casualties of more than half their number. At 5am on 28th July 1809, a single gun fired from the Cerro de Cascajal to signal the beginning of the French attack, followed by a barrage from all the guns on the Cerro at the British troops holding the Cerro de Medellin. Exploding shells fired by howitzers, yet in their infancy. Victor’s second attack had failed. Grenadier and Light Company man of the 29th Foot: Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: Hamilton Smith. On the night of 22nd July 1809, Mackenzie’s infantry division and Anson’s light cavalry brigade camped in front of Victor’s right wing, with the rest of Wellesley’s army to their rear and Cuesta’s army beyond Talavera. These remaining German regiments also ran off into the vineyards, leaving a battery of guns. The battle was the climax Due to the age and indisposition of General Cuesta, Wellesley became responsible for positioning the Spanish troops along the line from Talavera town to the Paiar de Vergarar. 23rd Light Dragoons encounter the ditch at the Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. The musket could be fired at three or four times a minute, throwing a heavy ball inaccurately for a hundred metres or so. The Battle of Talavera de la Reina was fought on 3 September 1936 in the Spanish Civil War. Lord Henry Seymour Conway, officer of the 16th Light Dragoons: Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. The combined Allied force had a sterling opportunity to defeat the Fren… During this stand-off, General Charles Stewart attempted three times to lead the Spanish cavalry in an attack on Latour Maubourg’s Dragoons as the French retreated, but the Spaniards would not charge. Great collectible Engraving Engraving measures approximately: 10.1 inches high Each additional one ships free in US, Internationally each additional is $0.50. Lapisse’s Division crossed the River Alberche, approached the British troops unobserved and fired a volley into Donkin’s Brigade, which principally fell on the 87th Regiment, inflicting around 150 casualties on the 87th, including 11 officers killed and wounded. The Talavera Battalion was named for a Spanish City in Province of Toledo, Spain. As Anson’s regiments advanced, the 23rd Light Dragoons on the right and the 1st Hussars of the KGL on the left, the French infantry regiments formed squares. Not expecting the French to have crossed the River Alberche, Mackenzie’s Division halted at the Casa de Salinas, without taking suitable precautions for defence. The British and KGL lost 5,363 men killed, wounded or captured. After some hours, Victor finally moved a further 3 miles forward to Santa Olalla, where his corps camped for the night. Highland regiments wore the kilt with red tunics and black ostrich feather caps. During the French attack in the centre, the French guns on the Cerro de Cascajal fired a heavy bombardment on the British troops on the Cerro de Medellin, inflicting severe casualties, particularly on Donkin’s Brigade. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Talavera_order_of_battle Campbell kept his battalions under strict control and halted the pursuit, bringing them back into the original line, spiking the abandoned guns on the way. The two battalions of Foot Guards suffered 600 casualties out of a compliment of 2,000. The basic infantry coat colour was dark blue. With the French driven back, the British infantry were able to march to the main line, covered by the cavalry brigades of Anson, Cotton and Fane, but under a heavy fire from French horse artillery. The 23rd, unexpectedly, came up to a stream running across their front. After crossing the Portuguese border in two columns, Wellesley’s army marched into Plasencia, 120 miles west of Madrid, on 9th and 10th July 1809. In turn, Joseph directed Sebastiani’s Fourth Corps not to attack until Victor’s First Corps was seen to be successful. The French assault, comprising the 24th and the 96th, but not the 9th Light, which was directed along the level ground, fell on Stewart’s Brigade. Reaching Stewart’s Brigade, Hill ordered the regiments to form open column of companies and led them to attack the French 9th Light on the summit; the battalion of detachments in the lead, followed by the 29th and the 48th regiments. A small Spanish and Portuguese force was despatched to the left flank. The French cavalry comprised Cuirassiers, wearing heavy burnished metal breastplates and crested helmets, Dragoons, largely in green, Hussars, in the conventional uniform worn by this arm across Europe, and Chasseurs à Cheval, dressed as hussars. Hill’s Division suffered casualties of around 750 killed, wounded or captured, Hill himself being wounded and forced to leave the battlefield, Tilson taking over command of his division. The battalions of Leval’s Division that were engaging the Spanish also retreated and the whole division fell back. Date + Location: 27-28 July 1809, Talavera Spain Belligerents: France Belligerents: Great Britain, Spain Strength: 46 000 Strength: 55 000 Casualties and losses: 7 400 killed or wounded Casualties and losses: 7 400 killed or wounded tactical result: Inconclusive strategic result: Inconclusive French deserters overnight revealed the plan of attack to Wellesley, who, at dawn, was on the Cerro de Medellin, watching Ruffin’s Divisional columns on the edge of the Portina Brook ravine, waiting to advance and Villatte’s Division on the summit of the Cerro de Cascajal, with 30 guns in battery to their front and Beaumont’s cavalry in support. The 23rd lost 207 killed, wounded or missing, with 224 horses lost, from a total strength of 480. Victor withdrew his guns from the Cerro de Cascajal to make way for the infantry and ordered Ruffin to attack the Cerro de Medellin at 9pm. Battles. Several battalion commanders were killed or wounded. In spite of Victor’s strenuous objections, Joseph ordered a general withdrawal to the positions held at the beginning of the day. In the meantime, the various French corps were on the move. Podcast of the Battle of Talavera: The British victory south of Madrid on 28th July 1809 over Joseph Bonaparte, the King imposed on Spain by Napoleon, and his French army in the Peninsular War: John Mackenzie’s Britishbattles.com podcast. With Portugal liberated, Wellington turned his attention to Spain, and planned a joint operation with a Spanish army under General Cuesta. British 24th Foot during the Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: picture by Richard Simkin, In Fortescue’s words: ‘Thus the contest in the centre came to an end, both sides having suffered appalling losses in one of the stubbornest fights that occurred during the whole course of the war.’. It was apparent to Wellesley that a further French attack was under way, causing him to seek reinforcements from Cuesta, who despatched Aberquerque’s cavalry division and a battery of horse artillery. 9. In the British Army, Generals Mackenzie and Langwerth were killed and Generals Hill, A. Campbell and H. Campbell wounded. Spanish losses were said by Cuesta to be 1,500. The British line was now fully alert to the attack on the Cerro de Medellin. On 25th July 1809, Joseph marched into Vargas, to the north of Toledo, Sebastiani’s Corps reached the city of Toledo, while Victor halted on the River Guararrama, 10 miles west of the city, thereby concentrating the French First Corps, Fourth Corps and Reserve in an army of 46,000 men. Mackenzie’s Brigade hurried forward from the Second Line to meet the oncoming French, while the 48th Regiment came down from Cerro de Medellin to assist the retreating German battalions. The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) saw an Imperial French army under King Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan attack a combined British and Spanish army led by Sir Arthur Wellesley. Halberdier Company (Real Guardia de Alabarderos) 2. The 7th KGL lost heavily while the 5th was seriously disordered. … Victor assigned the second assault on the Cerro de Medellin again to Ruffin, despite the failure of his division in the first attack and the significant casualties and rough handling suffered by the 9th Light. 2 guns were also positioned on a northern spur of the Cerro de Medellin. The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, some 120 kilometers southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War in Spain. On 17th July 1809, Wellesley’s army left Plasencia, crossed the River Tierar and reached Oropesa on 20th July 1809. The standard infantry weapon across all the armies was the muzzle-loading musket. If you are too busy to read the site, why not download a podcast of an individual battle and listen on the move! Marshal Victor: Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. At around 11am, the British staff saw a cloud of dust indicating that Sebastiani’s Corps was advancing. The 23rd headed to attack the French 27th Light, while the 1st Hussars made for the 24th and 96th of the Line. Field guns fired a ball projectile, of limited use against troops in the field unless those troops were closely formed. The German regiment receiving the discharges of grape gave way and ran back. Wellesley was concerned about his left flank and wanted Cuesta to detach a substantial force to occupy the passes over the mountains on his left, not wishing to use British troops. Death of General Mackenzie at the Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: picture by R. Westall. The 87th suffered 200 casualties, with 34 of them taken prisoner. Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. Battle of Talavera de la Reina, Spain, an 1809 battle of the Peninsular War; Battle of Talavera de la Reina (1936), during the Spanish Civil War On reaching the summit of the Cerro de Medellin, the leading company of the 29th fired a volley into the French and charged them, driving them back into the ravine. This in turn triggered Napoleon’s order that a paramount aim for the French armies was to deal a decisive defeat to the British and thereby end their meddling in the Spanish Peninsula. The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, Spain some 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War. A loud cheer from the centre seems to have been sufficient to reassure Wellesley that matters there were turning out well and to have been the trigger for him to order Anson to attack the French moving around the Cerro de Medellin, with Fane’s heavy dragoons in support. Looking for exceptional deals on Talavera Battle Monument, Talavera de la Reina vacation packages? The German and Foot Guards brigades were bundled back across the Portina Brook by the triumphant French infantry. The following units and comma… As the struggle in the centre reached its height, Victor began his advance around the northern side of the Cerro de Medellin, Ruffin’s Division on the right, the 9th Light moving over the Sierra de Segurilla, with Villatte’s Division on the left, led by the 27th Light. Hill broke free and galloped down the mountainside, leaving his brigade-major shot dead. The battle of Talavera began on the afternoon of the 27th July and started badly for the Allies with the initial action taking place at the Casa de Salinas, a ruined house about a … The Battle of Talavera. At Torrijos, the French cavalry came up with the Spanish rearguard of Zayas’ infantry division and two regiments of cavalry. The French guns continued to fire for a full hour, their shot falling among the parties of British troops collecting the wounded and dead, British and French, from the hillside. Following this engagement, Wellesley ordered Rettberg’s battery of guns to the top of the Cerro de Medellin and re-positioned the infantry, permitting the 29th to remain on the summit, where it flaunted its colours, the regiment occupying the extreme left of the British line. The Talavera Battalion was named for a Spanish City in Province of Toledo, Spain. The Battle of Albuera almost resulted in defeat for the allied armies, but ended largely inconclusively with terrible losses on both sides. Cotton’s cavalry brigade took the rear of the British right wing, with Anson’s and Fane’s cavalry brigades further back on the right. In a bloody contest the British and Spanish under Wellesley and Cuesta won a tactical victory over the French forces of Victor and Joseph Bonaparte. Spain Historic Sites Throughout the Peninsular War and the Waterloo campaign, the British army was plagued by a shortage of artillery. However, Victor insisted on making the attack and Joseph and Jourdan gave way, fearing the consequences if Victor reported the dispute to Napoleon. The Talavera Battlefield Monument near Talavera in Spain, commemorates the Battle of Talavera, which took place on 27 and 28 July 1809 and was the Duke of Wellington’s - then Sir Arthur Wellesley’s - first major victory of the Peninsular War, part of the Napoleonic Wars. During the pause, Wellesley ordered the cavalry brigades of Fane and Anson to form up to the west of the Cerro de Medellin, ready to counter any further move around the north side. The 48th, 24th, 31st and 45th Regiments formed a line, opening their ranks to allow the retreating regiments through and engaged the advancing French in a duel of volley firing, during which, Colonel Donnellan, commanding the 48th Foot, was mortally wounded. All other infantry units are probably newly-raised volunteers. The French 9th Light continued on up the Cerro and captured the crest, pushing off the piquet from Stewart’s Brigade. These troops formed behind the British cavalry brigades of Fane and Anson to the west of the Cerro de Medellin. Talavera de la Reina is a city and municipality in the western part of the province of Toledo, which in turn is part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha, Spain.It is the second-largest nucleus of population in Castile–La Mancha and the largest in the province: its population of 83,793 makes it larger than the city of Toledo, although the latter remains the provincial capital. The King’s German Legion battalions arrived in the line late in the evening, after an exhausting day and many soldiers then fell asleep. At around 7pm on 27th July 1809, Ruffin’s infantry and guns moved onto the Cerro de Cascajal and opened fire across the steep ravine of the Portina Brook at the British infantry on the Cerro de Medellin. Cuesta refused. The French cavalry drove the Spanish rearguard 3 miles back to Alcabon, where Alburquerque’s cavalry division advanced to cover its retreat. Having driven Marshal Soult's French army from Portugal, General Wellesley's 20,000 British troops advanced into Spain to join 33,000 Spanish troops under General Cuesta. On 22nd July 1809, the Spanish and British armies again advanced, moving in parallel columns, the Spanish on the left. Mackenzie’s Division, the British rearguard, crossed the River Alberche and marched to a group of buildings called the Casa de Salinas, some 3 miles short of the line along the Portina Stream. At Talavera an Anglo-Spanish army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish army under General Cuesta in operations against French-occupied Madrid. Field provides an extended introduction to the battle that identifies the opposing armies and how they came to be at Talavera in western Spain in July of 1809. The British and German infantry waited until the first line of the French columns were within 50 yards, fired a devastating volley and charged. The almost 53,000 strong Anglo-Spanish Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley,* moved to the north of Talavera, some 120kms to the southwest of Madrid, Spain, on 27 … On finding that the concentrated French army amounted to 40,000 men, Cuesta began to fall back. 4 Regiments of Provincial Grenadiers Cav… The KGL comprised both cavalry and infantry regiments. Due to faulty orders, the King’s German Legion Brigade marched away to the west, having to be recalled and directed to its designated position as darkness fell. The two rifle regiments wore dark green jackets and trousers. The battle of Talavera of 27-28 July 1809 was the first of Sir Arthur Wellesley’s great victories in Spain during the Peninsular War. The Battle of Talavera was one of the key confrontations of the Peninsular War. The French troopers dismounted and awaited the Spanish were great calm. There was consequently a significant degree of confusion. A further 7 of Leval’s guns were captured by Campbell’s troops. The attack was deferred for a day, by which time Victor had retired and the opportunity of fighting him before he could be reinforced by Sebastiani and Joseph had been lost. Soult, however, required that his three corps be assembled at Salamanca and that the major priority for French resources was to restore the fighting capability of his own corps, left without artillery, weapons and equipment after his disastrous retreat from Portugal. The British light cavalry was increasingly adopting hussar uniforms, with some regiments changing their titles from ‘light dragoons’ to ‘hussars’. The Battle of Talavera (27–28 July 1809) was fought just outside the town of Talavera de la Reina, Spain some 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Madrid, during the Peninsular War.At Talavera, an Anglo-Spanish army under Sir Arthur Wellesley combined with a Spanish army under General Cuesta in operations against French-occupied Madrid. The battle of Talavera in 1809 was one of the major battles of the Peninsular War and Arthur Wellesley's first victory in Spain itself, following which he was created Viscount Wellington of Talavera and Wellington. During the night, Victor received information that Wellesley was seeking to march around his right flank. While doing this, Wellesley was called away to deal with the surprise attack on Mackenzie’s Division at the Casa de Salinas. The French also had aggressive plans, with Marshal Soult’s corps re-invading Portugal, re-equipped and with its morale restored, after its disastrous retreat from Oporto, following Wellesley’s successful crossing of the River Douro. Commander-in-Chief of the Anglo-Spanish Army: Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley, Commander-in-Chief: Lieutenant General The Rt Hon Sir Arthur Wellesley KB, Total Anglo-Spanish forces: 52,735, 66 guns, Commander-in-Chief: Lieutenant General Don Gregorio Garcia de la Cuesta y Fernández de Celis, Captain-General of Castilla, Spanish cavalry units ending in a number (Nr.) The moment was critical for Wellesley’s army. Talavera de la Reina, city, Toledo provincia (provincia), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Castile-La Mancha, central Spain, on the northern bank of the Tagus River near its confluence with the Alberche. Reserve of cavalry: 1st Dragoon Division commanded by General Latour-Maubourg2nd Dragoon Division commanded by General MilhaudArtillery: commanded by General Sénarmont82 guns. This was very informative and visiting the battlefield is an invaluable way of understanding the battle. Finally, a report came from Milhaud that the Spanish were advancing on the French left. Cotton’s Brigade (14th and 16th Light Dragoons) launched a charge into the left flank of Sebastiani’s division and the whole of the French centre began to fall back. On the right, Venegas was to press Sebastiani back to the River Tagus. Combatants at the Battle of Talavera: British, Germans and Spanish against the French. While the total Spanish and British army outnumbered the French by 55,000 to 45,000, the French troops facing the British section of the line numbered 30,000 against 16,500 British and German troops, with a substantially heavier and more numerous artillery. Victor halted the advance and his cavalrymen dispersed to find forage for their horses, enabling the Spanish formations to get away without further molestation. Moving too fast to halt, many of the troopers were brought down. 7 (Oman only), Borbón Cavalry Regiment Nr. The British were developing shrapnel (named after the British officer who invented it) which increased the effectiveness of exploding shells against troops in the field, by showering them with metal fragments. The King’s German Legion (KGL) was the Hanoverian army in exile. Medal and Battle Honour for the Battle of Talavera: Regimental Colour of the 24th Foot with battle honour Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. Talavera has been obscured in the historical record by later battles in the Peninsular War, but Field's painstaking narrative explains why the battle is worthy of examination. 4 comments Background. Agreement between Wellesley and Cuesta was difficult. On the far side of the brook, Cameron halted his men and re-formed them. Events soon compelled Wellesley, who was soon appointed Viscount Wellington, to fall back toward his base in Portugal. Regular units titled Cavalry are heavy cavalry while units titled Cazadores are light cavalry. However, the Spanish were having enough trouble keeping their own troops fed. Sir Arthur Wellesley positioning Spanish regiments at the Battle of Talavera on 27th/28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. It was planned that Sebastiani’s Corps would take the left of the French advance, but his troops were still coming up on the east bank of the River Alberche, only Merlin’s dragoon division having crossed. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
, Date of the Battle of Talavera: 28th July 1809, Joseph Bonaparte: Battle of Talavera on 28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War. Towards the end of the action between Campbell’s brigade and Leval’s Division, the divisions of Lapisse and Sebastiani attacked the British First Division, commanded by Sherbrooke. On 11th July 1809, Wellesley and Cuesta had a difficult four-hour conference to work out a plan of campaign. … These directions ensured that the French regiments would be committed piecemeal and without mutual support. While the French infantry were compelled to stand in square, they were subject to heavy cannon fire by British and Spanish guns and prevented from advancing. Map of Victor’s night attack on 27th July 1809 at the Battle of Talavera on 27th/28th July 1809 in the Peninsular War: map by John Fawkes. Victor again assigned the main assault to Ruffin’s battered division, presumably on the basis that it was in the correct position and it would take time and be risky to move it out of the way and replace it with one of his other two divisions. This news made it essential to fight, as Joseph could not detach a sufficient force to hold Madrid against the advancing Spanish army of Venegas, coming up from the south-east and still confront Cuesta and Wellesley with sufficient strength. The French gave way in confusion and were pushed back across the Portina Brook. Narrowly escaping injury or capture by French light troops, Wellesley withdrew the regiments of Mackenzie’s Brigade, the 24th, 31st and 45th Regiments, through a wooded area to open ground, where they drove back the advancing French columns, while Donkin’s Brigade reformed in their rear. 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