Monday, March 18, 2013

Second Battle of Pancorbo – 31st August 1813


Tactical Map at start of battle
3rd French division has orders to attack Pancorbo
16th Italian division has orders to attack Pancorbo
14th Westphalian division has orders to attack Pancorbo
1st British division has orders to halt and recover
2nd Spanish division has orders to hold Pancorbo

Table at start of battle
Pancorbo is the town in the centre
Top road leads to Bayonne
Bottom road leads to Burgos
Road on left leads to Aguillar
Road on right leads to Pyrenees

3rd French division will enter top left
16th Italian division will enter top centre
14th Westphalian division will enter bottom left
1st British division will enter centre left
2nd Spanish division is in and around Pancorbo

3rd French division has 560 casualties concentrated in 11 infantry brigade
14th Westphalian division has 80 casualties in 7 infantry brigade
16th Italian division has 640 casualties concentrated in 5 infantry brigade
1st British division has 480 infantry and 40 cavalry casualties spread amongst brigades
2nd Spanish division is full strength

General Giron with 2nd Spanish division in and around Pancorbo

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Top Left – French division deploy cavalry to cover advance

Top Right – Italian division also deploy cavalry to cover advance

Centre left – British division sends cavalry to cover left flank, unaware of Westphalians

Centre – Spanish lancers charge French hussars, melee results in a draw with no casualties

Bottom left – Westphalian division, screened from British by hill, march towards Pancorbo




Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
Top Left – French division deploy to engage British
Top Right – Italian cavalry win melee and rout Spanish lancers
Centre left – British division deploy to meet French division before they sight Westphalians
Centre – Hill orders Spanish division to withdraw towards British
Bottom left – Soult orders Westphalians to engage Pancorbo

 Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
British division now on hold orders
Spanish division now on retreat orders
All three French divisions are on engage orders
It is now a race for the British to hold long enough for the Spanish to retreat
Or for the French to close and destroy one or both allied divisions

Top Left – French artillery fire on nearest British infantry
Top Right – Italian cavalry pin right hand Spanish square
Centre left – British infantry pass morale test despite 30% casualties
Centre – Spanish lancers rally inside town squares move towards British
Bottom left – Soult orders Westphalians to engage Spanish



Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Top Left – French brigade nearest farm fails morale for artillery hit and routs

Top Right – Italian division move to attack Spanish as they leave Pancorbo

Centre left – British division retreats away from French advance

Centre – Spanish artillery leave Pancorbo protected by two infantry squares

Bottom left – Westphalian artillery unlimber within canister range of Spanish



Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
Top Left – Italian division advance to attack Pancorbo
Top Centre – Spanish artillery and cavalry leave Pancorbo protected by two infantry squares
Top Right– Westphalian artillery cause 20% casualties to nearest Spanish infantry
Bottom left – French division advance to attack British division
Bottom Centre – British division must hold their position until Spanish reach them

 
 
Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
Top Left – Italian division attack Spanish as they leave Pancorbo
Top Centre – Spanish cavalry and one infantry brigade have broken
Top Right– Westphalian division call on Spanish to surrender
Bottom left – French cavalry rout British hussars
Bottom Centre – British infantry fail morale and join rout

General Cole orders 2nd Allied Corps to surrender to avoid any further casualties
 
Table at end of battle

Summary

The allies have lost 800 infantry and 160 cavalry casualties and 8 brigades in rout
The French have lost 100 infantry casualties and one brigade shaken

6 British and 1 Spanish infantry brigades are in rout
Both the British and Spanish cavalry brigades are in rout

The French have 100 infantry casualties
They have three formed cavalry brigades to pursue the routed British

General Cole orders his corps to surrender before they are destroyed by the French

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