Battle of Pancobo – 27th August 1813

Tactical Map at start of battle

1^st British division have orders to advance and engage

2^nd Spanish division have orders to support 1^st division

3^rd French division have orders to hold

6 cavalry brigade have orders to recce

16^th Italian division have orders to hold

16 cavalry brigade have orders to recce

8 infantry brigade are detached to garrison Pancorbo

Table at start of battle 

 

Road top centre is a minor farm track

Road on right leads to Pancorbo

Road left leads to Aguillar

Road bottom left is a minor farm track

Road south leads to Madrid

6^th French corps is deployed to hold the Pancorbo road

1^st Allied corps will enter on the road centre left

General Leval with 6^th French Corps

3^rd French division, on right, is missing 11 infantry brigade with heavy casualties

16^th Italian division, on left, is missing 8 infantry brigade in garrison at Pancorbo

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

1^st British division enter table in column of march from the left

Cavalry deploy on their left to protect the columns

French cavalry retire to join their divisions

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

1^st British division continue to advance

French wait for allied deployment

British division halt, unlimber their artillery and form square to protect the guns

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Leval orders 3^rd division to advance against the allied left flank

British halt and deploy, infantry form square to protect gunners

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

French halt and unlimber at long range

French have heavier guns, with longer range, than the British

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Spanish division starts to arrive

Advance to right of British division

French artillery fire on British cavalry, but no casualties

British artillery is out of range of French division

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Spanish division advance level with British division

French artillery cause 10% casualties to British hussars

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Hill orders 1^st British division to advance

Their cavalry move to threaten French right flank

Infantry form column of attack

French fire on British infantry but no casualties

Spanish artillery unlimber, infantry form column of attack

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

The Spanish division are finally in line, and the allied corps can now advance

French artillery continues to fire on the British division.

Highland brigade are hit and have now lost 20% casualties

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

3^rd French division (top) advance towards the British division

Spanish division advance

Allied artillery are now in range and open fire

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

Spanish lancers charge, and rout, French hussars

British infantry approach French line

Artillery on both sides cause casualties, but no loss of morale

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

Spanish columns approach French line

British infantry exchange fire with French

1^st British brigade lose firefight and rout

French dragoons move towards right flank to counter British hussars

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

Spanish infantry columns survive canister fire

Close with French infantry and rout them

British infantry win fire fight with two French brigades

Move 13 – 2000 to 2100

British artillery rout French infantry

British infantry withdraw shaken

Italian infantry break in face of determined Spanish attack

Italian infantry and cavalry break and rout

Italian artillery, supported by one infantry brigade, fails to break Spanish attack

Spanish division have achieved a notable victory with minimum casualties

Summary

The British division has been forced to withdraw

However the Spanish division have broken the Italian division

Casualties have been heavy on both sides

The allies have lost 40 cavalry and 1040 infantry

The French have lost 80 cavalry and 1440 infantry

Yet another allied victory, the fourth of the campaign

However both allied divisions are now very fragile

The Spanish have escaped with minimum casualties

Had they suffered more their poor morale would probably have resulted in rout

Nightfall has robbed the Spanish of the opportunity to pursue the broken Italian division