Nap Campaign: The Battle of Rock Valley (Spain)

Lobau was concerned that Spanish forces from the north of the country could cut off his supply lines as he advanced into Spain and Portugal. Intelligence had informed him that those forces that did exist in the north were relatively small but could still prove to be a nuisance. Therefore, he detached a smaller force from the 6th Corps and placed it under the 19th Divisional commander, Lt Gen Simmer. His intructions were to eliminate any possible threat in northern Spain and then join Lobau for his invasion of Portugal.

Simmer crossed the border and made for the only crossing of a river that ran from the mountains to Lake Zeebaden. Scouts reported that a Spanish force was defending the crossing. (Simmer was not aware of the presence of Spanish guerrillas in the mountains to their north).

Situation the night before the invasion of Spain -

Simmer advanced across the border the following morning and made for the river crossing. As he approached the bridge he saw a Spanish force deployed on the opposite bank. He passed instructions to his unit commanders and his force deployed to give battle.

The invasion of Spain part 2:

THE BATTLE OF ROCK VALLEY

French v Spanish

Total French = 178

CinC Lt Gen Simmer 

Total Spanish = 90

CinC Gen del Parque

Figure Scale = 15mm

8th March 1808

Start 1300 hours (max 16 moves)

ORDER OF BATTLE

I introduced 'Army Break Points' for the first time in this battle which was another idea I imported from the Grande Armee rules. I will cover this more in future battles.

TERRAIN (20B)

Each square = 3'9"

4'6" x 3' table

Spanish defending south of bridge square 25

French attacking from north east square 20

Terrain Description:

29B20 - Rough terrain, very poor roads (no road movement bonus)

29B25 - Firm heathland, gullies, deep river, stone bridge.

All woods - difficult terrain. River not fordable.

Simmer's force arrives. (It should be noted that Dragoons were playing the part of lancers in this battle as I had no lancers painted. The clock has absolutely nothing to do with the battle!)

The Spanish commander, del Parque, along with his brigade commander, general Losada, were adequate commanders but they only had a small mixed force. The artillery were no match for the French being only 4pdrs. 

Counter battery fire began the initial exchanges with the French aiming to eliminate the threat from the Spanish artillery as quickly as possible. This included a French horse artillery battery providing flanking fire.

The Fusiliers of Eastern Spain fired volleys towards the French horse battery but their lack of training was apparent without a single musket ball finding its target.

The French infantry prepare to charge across the bridge with the 1/5th Line having the honour of being first into battle.

The 1/5th Line launched their attack in a tightly packed column. As they crossed the bridge the Seville Regt delivered a devastating volley cutting down the first ranks. The Spanish artillery, who had withstood the early bombardment from the French artillery, poured cannister into the hapless French battalion to add to the carnage. The cover provided by the bridge parapet was only of limited benefit. The 1/5th Line retreated off the bridge stunned with its high casualty rate.

As the 2/5th Line prepared to replace the 1/5th the French concentrated their firepower on the Spanish artillery. 

After sustaining heavy casualties, the Spanish artillery finally broke. The Spanish Fusiliers, who had been fighting a losing battle with the French horse artillery, followed the artillery.

Bellair himself lead the 2/5th Line across the bridge to be met with volley fire from the Seville Regt. This time however, their accuracy let them down leaving the French column unscathed. With Bellair at their head the 2/5th Line launched themselves into the ranks of the Seville Regt. The Spanish had already faltered in the face of the French onslaught, and seeing the Seville starting to break up, del Parque joined the Spanish line urging them to fight on. Bellair fell from his horse wounded by a Spanish bayonet and as he lay on the ground he saw the Seville Regt break from his victorious 5th Line. 

Although the battalion commander and his officers had managed to rally the Spanish fusiliers, it was all rather too late and the entire Brigade broke. Bellair, realising that he could move all his extremities and that the wound was only minor, he leapt back onto his horse and with the excellent handling of the 2/5th Line they charged into the retiring Walloon Guards. The demoralised Guards promptly routed to their rear not realising what was about to hit them.

Disaster for the Walloon Guards arrived in the form of the 1st Lancers who charged into them hacking them down almost to a man.

It was now all over for the Spanish. Del Parque retreated from the field hoping he could salvage something from the wreckage of his command.

One bright spot for the Spanish was the surprising recovery of the Walloon Guards. Many of their number returned to the ranks keeping them as a viable unit when it looked as though they would be struck off the Spanish order of battle.

Casualties:

The situation by nightfall

With the main Spanish force in the north now in full retreat, Lobau's objectives were met. 

Result = Decisive French victory

NEXT: Action in Holland/Belgium as the French storm a castle in -

The Siege of Cragsmere Castle