Battle of Torroella : battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought on the 27th of May 1694 along the banks and fords of the Ter River near the Puente Mayor in the vicinity of the important town of Girona. A.k.a. Battle of the river Ter. The War of the Grand Alliance (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the English Succession, and the Nine Years War) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between France and the League of Augsburg (which, by 1689... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... Events February 6 - The colony Quilombo dos Palmares is destroyed. ... Houses on the Onyar river in Girona Girona (Catalan: Girona, Spanish: Gerona, French: Gérone) is a city located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the rivers Ter and Onyar. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Catalan,Spanish,Aranese Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 6th  32 114 km²  6,3% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 2nd  6 995 206  15,9%  217,82/km² GDP Total (2004) GDP: €157,124 billion GDP per /capita: $26,550 (4nd) Demonym  â€“ English  â€“ Catalan... Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles (5 February 1650–2 October France towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV, and, after raising the regiment of Noailles in 1689, he commanded in Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession, and was made marshal of France in 1693. ... The War of the Grand Alliance (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the English Succession, and the Nine Years War) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between France and the League of Augsburg (which, by 1689... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Duke of Humières Prince of Waldeck Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties 600–1,000 dead or wounded Unknown The Battle of Walcourt was a sharp skirmish on August 27, 1689 near the Belgian village of Walcourt, as a part of the War of the... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Anne Hilarion de Tourville Earl of Torrington Strength 75 ships 56 ships Casualties None 7 Dutch ships lost The naval Battle of Beachy Head or Bataille de Béveziers took place on 30 June 1690 near Beachy Head, a promontory near Eastbourne, on the... The Battle of Fleurus took place on July 1, 1690. ... Combatants France Piedmont Spain Austria Commanders Nicolas Catinat Duke of Savoy Strength 18,000 17,000 Casualties 2,000 6,700 The Battle of Staffarda, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in Italy on August 18, 1690 between the French army of Marshal Catinat and... Combatants England France Commanders William Phips Louis de Buade de Frontenac Strength 2,300 regulars and militia 60 natives 6 field guns 34 warships 2,000 militia Casualties 30 dead 50 wounded Unknown The Battle of Quebec was fought in October, 1690 between English and French forces. ... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Duc de Luxembourg Friedrich of Waldeck Strength 28 squadrons 72 squadrons Casualties 400 dead or wounded 1,500 - 2,000 dead or wounded The Battle of Leuze took place on September 18, 1691, and was a famous French cavalry victory in the War of... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Anne Hilarion de Tourville Edward Russell Strength 44 ships (3,142 guns) 98 ships (8,980 guns) Casualties 15 ships burnt 2 ships sunk The related naval battles of Barfleur and La Hougue took place between 27 May and 3 June 1692 (17-23... The Battle of Steenkerque (Steenkerque also spelled Steenkerke or Steenkirk) was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years War. ... The Battle of Landen (or Neerwinden), in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in the Netherlands on July 29, 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England. ... Combatants France Piemont Spain Commanders Nicolas Catinat Duke of Savoy Strength 35,000 30,000 Casualties 1,800 dead or wounded 10,000 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Marsaglia, was a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance, fought in Italy on October 4, 1693 between the... Combatants France England Commanders Pierre Le Moyne dIberville John Fletcher Strength 1 frigate (44 guns) 3 frigates (124 guns) Casualties 1 ship lost 1 ship sunk 1 ship captured The Battle of Hudsons Bay (also known as the Battle of York Factory or The Battle of the Bay... The War of the Grand Alliance (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the English Succession, and the Nine Years War) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between France and the League of Augsburg (which, by 1689... Events February 6 - The colony Quilombo dos Palmares is destroyed. ... See Ter for other meanings. ... Houses on the Onyar river in Girona Girona (Catalan: Girona, Spanish: Gerona, French: Gérone) is a city located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the rivers Ter and Onyar. ...

Prelude

In the year 1694 the French king decided to make an effort in Catalonia , and put Catinat's army in Piedmont on the defensive, reserving more troops to the Spanish front. Capital Barcelona Official languages Catalan,Spanish,Aranese Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 6th  32 114 km²  6,3% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 2nd  6 995 206  15,9%  217,82/km² GDP Total (2004) GDP: €157,124 billion GDP per /capita: $26,550 (4nd) Demonym  â€“ English  â€“ Catalan... Nicolas Catinat (1637 - 1712), marshal of France, entered the Gardes Françaises at an early age and distinguished himself at the siege of Lille in 1667. ... Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte) is a region of northwestern Italy. ...

The viceroy of Catalonia, don Juan Manuel Lopez Pacheco Acuña Giron y Portocarrero, marquis of Villena duke of Escalona, who was also the Captain General of the army, had deployed along the banks of the river Ter practically all the marching troops he could muster to oppose the strong French expeditionary corps, led by the French Marshal duke of Noailles, who wanted to capture Gerona. Castle of la Atalaya, in Villena. ... Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles (5 February 1650–2 October France towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV, and, after raising the regiment of Noailles in 1689, he commanded in Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession, and was made marshal of France in 1693. ...

The two armies were approximately of the same force (20,000 foot and 4-5,000 horse). The French regiments were composed mostly of veteran troops, while the Spanish forces had a very large number of recruits and newly constituted units never tested on the field. Furthermore the French army was superior in the number of artillery pieces and fire-power, served by good trained officers and crews.

The battle

The Spanish army was divided into three corps for guarding the fords at Verges, Ullà and Torroella. According to the Spanish viceroy "all our army was constituted by 11,900 foot and 4,000 horse which all included make the number of 16,300.

The previous days the enemies attempted with no success to force the fording at Verges, and then moved to Ullà and Torroella de Montgri. On the 27th a dense fog hung over the banks of the river; taking profit of this 2,000 French dragoons and cavalry , followed by a large number of infantry grenadiers, passed unaccounted the river at Torroella de Montgri, and charged portion of the Spanish infantry that were at the position and were not entrenched and had been battered by the French artillery from the other side of the river.

After the first discharge of their muskets the Spaniards could not oppose effectively the oncoming enemies, they started to flee from the battle camp putting into disorder the remaining of the army; many were killed while they could not effectively oppose the French : while the remaining of the cavalry withdrew leaving all the infantry without protection. At the notice of this defeat and because a large number of French troops had forded the river and were now positioned in order of battle, the whole Spanish army fell in confusion and the cavalry fled together with the rearguard until reaching Girona.

The French made a general advance against the Spaniards, with little opposition, killing many soldiers and capturing baggage and artillery pieces, beside a large number of standards.

Aftermath

According to the official version the Spaniards lost 2,931 foot and 324 horse, among dead, wounded and desertors. According to French sources Spanish losses exceeded 9,000 men including 2,000 prisoners, while their own losses amounted to about 500 .

In this situation the viceroy had no other choice than sending some troops to Girona and marched with the largest part of his army towards Barcelona, where he remained the whole month of June. In the meanwhile the French sacked over 10 villages in the surroundings of the river Ter. Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, a nation in the Iberian Peninsula, which is part of the spanish state. ...

On the 30th of May, three days after the Spanish defeat at the river Ter, Noailles started the blocquade by land and sea of the fortress of Palamos, that surrendered to the French on the June 10. The city of Girona was taken on June 29. Palamós is a town in the Mediterranean Costa Brava, located in the comarca of Baix Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. ...

Barcelona was saved by the French minister of war who reduced the money to the Marshal of Noailles and immobilised his army. Another factor was the approach of an English fleet under Edward Russell which made the supporting French fleet under Tourville retreat to Toulon. Categories: People stubs | 1653 births | 1727 deaths | Peers | Royal Navy admirals | Lords of the Admiralty ... Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville Anne Hilarion de Contentin, comte de Tourville (1642–1701) was a French naval commander who served under King Louis XIV. Aged 17, a Knight of Malta, he fought his first naval fight on a frigate of... Location within France Coat of Arms of Toulon Toulon (Tolon in Provençal) is a city in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. ...