At the Battle of San Marcial, August 31, 1813, the Spanish Army of Galicia under General Freire turned back Marshal Soult's last major offensive against the Duke of Wellington's allied army. Combatants Kingdom of Spain, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War or Spanish War of Independence (Guerra de la Independencia Española) was a war in the Iberian Peninsula. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... For the Basque name of Pamplona, see Iruñea. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Map of the First French Empire in 1811, with the Empire in dark blue and sattelite states in light blue Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1804-1814/1815 Napoleon I Napoleon II Legislature Parliament  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house Corps législatif History  - French Consulate  - Established 18... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie (March 29, 1769 – November 26, 1851) was a French general and statesman, named Marshal of France in 1804. ... Combatants Kingdom of Spain, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Portugal French Empire The Peninsular War or Spanish War of Independence (Guerra de la Independencia Española) was a war in the Iberian Peninsula. ... Battle of Fuengirola was one of the battles of the Peninsular War. ... The Battle of Barrosa took place on March 5, 1811 between Anglo-Spanish and French forces as part of the Peninsular war. ... // In the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro (May 3 - 5, 1811) the British army under Sir Arthur Wellesley checked an attempt by French troops under Marshall André Masséna to relieve the besieged city of Almeida. ... Combatants Spain Portugal Britain France Duchy of Warsaw Commanders William Beresford Joaquin Blake Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult Strength 10,000 British 10,000 Portuguese 13,000 Spanish 38 guns 23,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 40 guns Casualties 5,916 dead or wounded[2] 5,936 dead or wounded... Combatants United Kingdom, Portugal First French Empire Commanders Earl of Wellington General Philippon Strength 25,000 regulars 5,000 regulars Casualties 5,000 dead or wounded 1,500 dead or wounded In the Battle of Badajoz (March 16-April 6, 1812) an Anglo-Portuguese army under Earl of Wellington, besieged... Combatants United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain French Empire Commanders Earl of Wellington Auguste Marmont Strength 51,949[1] 49,647[2] Casualties 5,914 dead or wounded 13,000 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Salamanca (July 22, 1812) was an important victory for an Anglo-Portuguese army under Earl... Combatants France Britain Spain Portugal Commanders Jean-Baptiste Jourdan Joseph Bonaparte Arthur Wellesley Strength 58,000 78,000 Casualties 8,000 dead or wounded 2,000 captured 4,500 dead or wounded The Battle of Vitoria was fought on June 21, 1813 during the Peninsular War, between 78,000 British... Combatants France Britain Portugal Commanders Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult Arthur Wellesley Strength 80,000 60,000 Casualties 1,300 dead and 8,600 wounded 2,700 captured 4,500 dead or wounded A large-scale offensive launched[1] on 25 July 1813 by Marshal Soult from the Pyrenees region... The Battle of Sorauren was fought in late July of 1813 between French forces and the combined forces of Great Britain and Portugal. ... Combatants France Britain, Spain, Portugal Commanders Marshal Soult Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington Strength 60,000 80,000 Casualties 4,351 2,450 The Battle of Nivelle (November 10, 1813) took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War (1808-1814). ... Combatants French Empire United Kingdom Spain Portugal Commanders Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington Strength 62,000 64,000 Casualties 1,600 1,600 The Battle of the Nive (9-12 December 1813) was a battle towards the end of the Peninsular War (1808-1814). ... The Battle of Orthez was fought on February 27, 1814, between the First French Empire and the forces of the Allies. ... The battle of Toulouse, fought on April 10, 1814, was one of the final battles of the Napoleonic Wars, although its official classification is disputed as the battle occurred four days after Napoleons surrender of the French Empire to the nations of the Sixth Coalition. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie (March 29, 1769 – November 26, 1851) was a French general and statesman, named Marshal of France in 1804. ... Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ...

Background

Wellington first approached San Sebastián in the aftermath of the Vitoria campaign and opened the first siege of the city in July 1813, aiming to reduce the important fortress while the French army retired east, nursing its wounds from Vitoria. San Sebastián and Pamplona sat on Wellington's flanks, guarding the approaches to the French border, and they needed to be pried from French hands before the allies could pursue operations into France. However, it appears Wellington misjudged the resourcefulness and determination of the French garrison and its talented commander, General Rey. The British assault sustained very bloody repulses, losing 600 killed in a July 26 attack.^[4] Before Wellington could organize a new effort, news reached him that Soult had rebuilt the French field army and reappeared in the east—weeks earlier than Wellington believed possible—and the allies broke off the siege to confront him.^[5] Combatants France Britain Spain Portugal Commanders Jean-Baptiste Jourdan Joseph Bonaparte Arthur Wellesley Strength 58,000 78,000 Casualties 8,000 dead or wounded 2,000 captured 4,500 dead or wounded The Battle of Vitoria was fought on June 21, 1813 during the Peninsular War, between 78,000 British... Pamplona (Basque: Iruñea or Iruña) is the capital city of Navarre, Spain. ... For people named Garrison, see Garrison (disambiguation) Garrison House, built by William Damm in 1675 at Dover, New Hampshire Garrison (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, to equip) is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but...

While Wellington dealt with Soult in the Pyrenees campaign, General Graham maintained a blockade around San Sebastián and prepared for the resumption of the siege on August 26. A line of light fortifications was put up to guard against a relief effort by Soult, and a strong cordon was established up to the banks of the Bidassoa. In addition to the Anglo-Portuguese divisions at Vera, Lesaca, and Irun, this screen included the Spanish 3rd, 5th, and 7th divisions on the San Marcial heights, as well as two brigades of the 4th division in reserve (forming Freire's Fourth Spanish Army, or Army of Galicia). 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.^[6] Behind them, the allied army was locked in a deadly struggle for San Sebastián that would cost it 2,376 dead and wounded on August 31 alone.^[7] Combatants France Britain Portugal Commanders Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult Arthur Wellesley Strength 80,000 60,000 Casualties 1,300 dead and 8,600 wounded 2,700 captured 4,500 dead or wounded A large-scale offensive launched[1] on 25 July 1813 by Marshal Soult from the Pyrenees region... Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch, (1748 – December 18, 1843) was a Scottish aristocrat, politician and soldier. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... A cordon is the descriptive term for a particular style of pruning woody plants. ... The Bidasoa (French: Bidassoa) is a river in the Basque country of northern Spain. ... Vera can mean: a placename: Vera, Oklahoma, United States of America Vera, Santa Fe, Argentina Vera, Almería, Spain a work of art: Vera (novel), a novel by Elizabeth von Arnim Vera; or, The Nihilists, a play by Oscar Wilde Vera (song), a song on the Pink Floyd album The... For the Basque name of Pamplona, see Iruñea. ... A commissariat is the department of an army charged with the provision of supplies, both food and forage, for the troops. ... Rationing is the controlled distribution of resources and scarce goods or services: it restricts how much people are allowed to buy or consume. ...

Battle

Clouded by 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 alerting 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.^[8] The Spaniards welcomed them with a scathing volley and, advancing with fixed bayonets, rolled Soult's leading divisions back down the hill.

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 red coat: When, in the last laps of battle, Freire requested reinforcements from the British to shore up his battered line, Wellington magnanimously replied, "As he has already won his victory, he should keep the honour of it for his countrymen alone."^[9] San Sebastián fell after a fearful battle later that day, and Soult retreated onto French soil. Red coat is a term often used to refer to a soldier of the historical British Army because of the colour of the uniforms formerly worn by the majority of regiments. ...

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]

Notes

References

• Gates, David. The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. Da Capo Press 2001. ISBN 0-306-81083-2
• Glover, Michael. The Peninsular War 1807-1814. Penguin Books 2003. ISBN 0-141-39041-7