Where the hell is Villanueva de los Castillejos?

The combat of Villanueva de los Castillejos, the next Lasalle battle, was a very secondary affaire, taking place on 25 january, 1811 during the Soult's invasion of Extremadura.
During that expedition, the main column of Soult's army containig the artillery and following the main route from Seville to Merida, arrived to Monesterio, the pass between Andalusia and Estremadura, discovering a column of Spanish infantry only four miles to the west.
This column was made up of General Ballesteros’s infantry division, 5,000 strong, which had just been sent south from Estremadura to to the Condado de Niebla, with orders to expel the weak French garrison from that area, and then to threaten Seville. Its presence disrupted Soult’s plans and after the Spanish escaped to a first attempt by Mortier, Soult sent the Gazan’s infantry division to catch Ballesteros.
Ballesteros conducted a skilful retreat across the mountains towards the lower Guadiana valley, finally standing and fighting at Villanueva de los Castillejos on 25 January 1811. The combat was a resounding French victory (French sources) or a skillful Spanish retreat (Spanish sources) and Ballesteros fled towards Portugal crossing the Guadiana River at Sanlucar de Guadiana.
In the long run it resulted a Spanish minor strategical victory, since Ballesteros had kept Gazan occupied for nearly a month, and forced him to march over 100 miles out of his way across mountain roads thus weaking the Soult's main army and delaying the siege and capture of Badajoz (See the related posts about the battle of the Gevora)
I must confess humbly that I had never heard speak of Villanueva de los Castillejos until now, and that therefore did not have nor idea of where it was that village. Wargaming it does not only consist of painting and moving toy soldiers, but also aids to increasing the own's culture!




The map is taken from the Military History Encyclopedia on the Web, really a wonderful site.

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Barrosa/Chiclana 1811: final remarks

Lasalle has provided again a funny game with many alternatives, but with a final similar to the real world: the rout of the French at the hands of the Allied forces. The main difference, as it was pointed out in the previous post, was the determinant role played by the Spanish forces. The aggressive behaviour of the Spanish commander, the brigadier Cruz Murgeon, resulted in the outflanking of the Ruffin's left and ended with the breaking of two French battalions.
The British and French fought according the book, i.e. the British deployed in line side to side and the French in a line of battalion columns. The fire fights were frequent and two French units were broken by firing alone, without the need of a charge home.
The home-rule devised for the Barnard Flankers worked well, giving the Flankers a flexible although non-orthodox defensive performance.
(1) The extended front of the unit (50% higher than the official) allowed it to choose more easily its firing target.
(2) Having only four bases in that formation, the unit was not a machine-gun.
(3) With a SK3 level, the Flankers effectively screened the deployment of the rest of the brigade.
(4) Being irregular, it interpenetrated without penalization the regular British battalions ando so, it retired easily from the front line, when the French battalions approached at charge distance.
All in all, the Flankers behaved almost like the historical unit!
The Spanish reinforcements arrived late so they do not participated in the fight. The 'Wavering Lapeña' home-rule resulted in the delay of Begines until the last movements of the battle that, incidentally, lasted for 20 movements.
The AAR and pictures have been uploaded to the main web-site

The next install will be likely another obscure Spanish-French Peninsular affaire: the combat of Castillejos (january 25, 1811) fought between Ballesteros and Gazan in Villanueva de los Castillejos (Badajoz, Extremadura).. Historically, the battle resulted in the repulse of the Spanish force, but maybe in the table game the final result will be another!

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Barrosa/Chiclana is finished!

The battle of Chiclana/Barrosa has finished with a French defeat like in the real world.

A Spanish combined arms attack made by the Ciudad Real Militia Regiment and the Granaderos a Caballo has broken one of the two squares formed by the French converged Grenadier battalions over the ridge summit.

The Ruffin's division is virtually wiped out, with only two battalions left, and the Spanish/British forces are now menacing the French retreat.

While the Spanish reinforcements, the Begines's brigade, are approaching fast to participate in the pursuit.
The battle has finished. The Spanish forces, at last, have made their work!

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The battle of Gévora (February 19,1811)

The Battle of the Gévora (Gebora, Gevora, Xevora) was a minor battle of the Peninsular War occurrying on 19 February 1811, near Badajoz, Spain, where an outnumbered French force routed and nearly destroyed the Spanish Army of Extremadura.
Soult led part of l’Armée du Midi from Andalucía into Extremadura and laid siege to the fortress town of Badajoz. It was a Soult’s diversionary operation to help extricate Massena’s army from his impasse in front of the Lines of Torres Vedras. A Spanish Army (with a small contingent of Portuguese cavalry) under La Romana was sent to raise the siege, but La Romana died unexpectedly and the command of this force was entrusted to Mendizábal, that arrived to Badajoz and ignored the Wellington’s advice and failed to entrench his army.
Soult sent a small French force (7,000 men and 12 guns) that attacked and routed the larger Mendizábal force 12,000 men and 17 guns) inflicting 1,000 casualties and taking 4,000 prisoners for a loss of only 400 men. The victory allowed Soult to concentrate on his assault of Badajoz, which fell to the French on 11 March and remained in French hands until the following year.

The combat has been refought using Lasalle ruleset and the result was, like in the actual battle, a decisive French victory. The history of the game can be find in previous posts in this blog. A detailed Scenario and AAR, with pictures, is available on the main web site.

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Barrosa/Chiclana (IV). The Spaniards have arrived!

The fight continues in Barrosa/Chiclana with the active presence of the Spanish forces.

In the French right flank, Leval is maintaining the line against the Wheatley's attack, winning some local victories. Above, you can see the French 3e battalion of Converged Elites rejecting the assault of the British 1/28th Foot. However, all the French artillery has been removed by Leval from the first line of fire.

In the other side of the battlefield, the Cruz Murgeon's Spanish brigade has outflanked the Ruffin's line infantry, and the Guardias Walonas have broken the 1/24me de Ligne and can menace the French rear. The Ruffin's line artillery has left the hill by fear to be taken by the Allied cavalry.

Meanwhile on the summit of the Oar's Head hill, the squares of the French Converged Grenadiers have rejected the attack of the Spanish Granaderos a Caballo, that are forced to fall back downhill through their infantry. 16c
It seems like the Spanish forces will have a determinant role in this re-fight!

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Norden Cotta. An African battle by Armand d'Arc

As many of the followers of thes blog will know, my Argentinian friend Armand d'Arc is running a fictional African campaign, the Serenghetti War, loosely based on a post napoleonic world. Allied (English, Prussian, Austrian...) and Associated (French, Spanish, Italian, Bavarian...) forces are figting a colonial struggle in the African rain forests and plains.
Armand fights a battle every year (using his own ruleset) during austral summer, and the rest of the time is devoted to planning and painting of new and colourful units for the next battle. The battle of this year was Norden-Cotta, fought around the taking and defense of that town, a strategical point in the African plains. During the first day of this battle, my pseudo ancestor the Colonel Pardo and his 'Cazadores de Balbastro' received their baptism of fire, while clashing agaisnt their traditional enemies: the muslim Ottomans.

You can see the arrival of Pardo (with his red over orange plume) and his men to the battlefield, changing for march column formation to fighting order.

The above picture shows the Spanish forming square whereas the Spanish cavalry is running fast to face the advance of the Ottoman cavalry in the far backgorund. Note 'Zeus' near its master!

The next picture shows the bridge connecting the banks of the river forming the left flank of the British (Allied) 108th Volunteers line (backgroun), whereas they are opposing the advance of the the Zulu-Matabeles (Associated), a French led African unit armed with fire arms.

Later in the day , and after the repulsal of the Ottomans, Pardo and his Cazadores voluntareed to take that bridge to outflank the Allied left. You can see Pardo leading his Cazadores in grand style, breaking through the Ottomans covering the approaches to the bridge. At last the bridge was taken and Pardo and his men were cited in the official Dispatch.
Zeus was seen running from the first line but, later in the night, it come back and reported with its master live and well!

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Barrosa/Chiclana (III)

Barrosa/Chiclana is diverging now from the actual battle.

The Wheatley's brigade is attacking Leval. However, the lack of space for deployment is avoiding that the British will use all their firing capacity, although the Royal Foot Artillery is carrying out that role with great effect.

In the center of the battlefield, under the watching eyes of the French converged Grenadiers, the Ruffin's infantry has routed the Browne's Flankers, after these had succesfully covered the deployment of the brigade of British Guards,


Meanwhile, the outflanking French detachment has been wiped out. The KGL Hussars have finished the 2/9me. Legere battalion in a previous move and now, with the help of the Spanish Granaderos a Caballo, the French 1me. Dragons has been also broken.
The French left flank is in danger!

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Barrosa/Chiclana (II)

The battle continues like in the real life.

Wheatley's brigade has deployed into line under the protection of the Barnard's Flankers, deployed in its extended order unusual (in Lasalle terms, at least) formation. Leval is trying to form a line by turning at right.

In the British right flank, Ruffin's first line (his three line battalions) are descending from hill to attack the weak Dilkes's first line, the Browne's Flankers, that are covering the deployment of the British Guards. The French Converged Grenadier battalions and the artillery remain in the top of the hill.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Walloon Guards are covering the British right flank and with the help of the JGL/Spanish cavalry are menacing to break the French line between Ruffin and the French outflanking detachment.
The real fight is about to start!

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Barrosa/Chiclana has started!

The first movements of the battle of Barrosa/Chiclana have followed the actual battle. Below there are two pictures showing the situation in the two flanks after turn No. 3.

In the British left, the Barnard Flankers have deployed in their 'un-orthodox' (in Lasalle terms) formation, while covering the deployment of the artillery and the rest of the Wheatley's brigade which has left the pinewood. The Leval's brigade is still in march column formation.

In the other flank, the Brown Flankers have started its advance towards the hill where the Ruffin's brigade has deployed. The Guards of the Dilkey's brigade are traversing the ravine, so they are still in march column formation. Meanwhile the attached Spanish and the German/Spanish cavaly is facing the outflanking French force.

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