Battle of Burgos – 28th August 1813

Tactical Map at start of battle

1^st Spanish division have orders to advance and attack

2^nd British division have orders to advance and attack

6^th French division have orders to hold

14^th Westphalian division have orders to hold

8 infantry brigade have orders to rejoin division

Table at start of battle

Road top left leads to Castillo

Road on right leads to Burgos

Both buildings are farms

Road bottom left is a minor farm track

7^th French corps is deployed to hold the Burgos road

2^nd Allied corps has orders to attack

General Graham with 2^nd allied corps

1^st Spanish division, on the left, is full strength

2^nd British division, on the right, has 80 casualties

General Villante with 7^th French corps

6^th French division, on the right, has 120 casualties

14^th Westphalian division, on the left, has 80 casualties, and one brigade in Burgos

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900 

Allied corps advance towards the hills with cavalry on flanks

French corps hold their position

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Allied corps advance through the hills

General Graham (far hill) moves to take command of the isolated British cavalry

6^th French division (nearest camera) moves artillery to cover the nearest pass

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Allied corps continue to advance over the hills and through the passes

Spanish division move onto hills either side of the pass to avoid enemy artillery

French artillery is still out of range

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Graham moves to join British division and orders them to Engage

British advance into French artillery range.

French artillery fire on highland brigade and inflict 10% casualties

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

8^th Westphalian brigade arrives from Burgos and moves to join division

British artillery fire on nearest Westphalian brigade and inflict 10% casualties

Westphalian artillery fire on highland brigade and inflict 10% more casualties

Highlanders fail morale and rout

British gunners test morale for rout within 4”, fail and also rout

Portuguese brigade test morale for rout within 4”, fail and also rout

French chasseurs charge Spanish dragoons

Chasseurs lose melee and retire shaken with 20% casualties

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Villante orders the Westphalians to advance and engage the shaken British division

Westphalian lancers charge British dragoons who lose melee and retire shaken

Shaken French cavalry withdraw behind infantry square but fail to rally

French artillery inflict 20% casualties on nearest Spanish infantry who lose morale and rout

Spanish division continues to advance and engage French

British division have received orders to halt and hold their position

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

British division attempt to rally routed brigades

Westphalian division moves forward to engage remaining British infantry on hill

Westphalian lancers rout British heavy dragoons

Spanish artillery unlimber on hill and open fire on French infantry

Remainder of Spanish division move forward on Engage orders

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

British infantry on hill form line to meet Westphalian infantry

Westphalian infantry approach hill

Spanish infantry win initial skirmish fight with French infantry

French infantry advance, form line and volley fire Spanish infantry

Spanish infantry rout

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Graham orders his corps to break contact and retreat

Table at end of battle

Summary

The allies have lost 960 infantry casualties and 6 brigades in rout

The French have lost 80 cavalry and 480 infantry casualties and one brigade shaken

The first French victory of the campaign, and a most decisive one

Most casualties have been in 6^th French division

14^th Westphalian division has only suffered 80 casualties

Second Allied Corps have suffered a decisive defeat

Most casualties have been in 1^st Spanish division

2^nd British division has suffered light casualties

Four Spanish and two British brigades are in rout

Campaign Move 30

2000 28th August 1813

General Villante has won a convincing victory just west of Burgos

He had deployed 7^th French corps in a strong defensive position commanding the approach to the city.

General Graham attacked him at first light.

His brigades had to advance through difficult terrain to approach the French position, and in doing so suffered artillery casualties.

The leading infantry brigade of 2^nd British division took light casualties as they deployed to attack.   They failed their morale and routed, taking a second brigade and the gunners with them.   Packenham managed to rally the gunners, and they returned to the guns.   However by then the battle was lost and they were fortunate to retreat with the guns.

1^st Spanish division fought a much better battle.   Their cavalry defeated the French chasseurs, and dominated the left flank.   They forced the nearest infantry brigade to form square to protect their artillery.

Despite the poor performance of the British division, General Espana led his infantry forward and engaged the French infantry.   Though brave his infantry were poorly trained, and no match for the veteran Frenchmen.   The leading brigade lost their skirmish battle and routed.   The panic quickly spread to nearby brigades and three of the four brigades joined the rout.

General Villante was quick to take advantage of the allied discomfort, and ordered his corps to advance and complete the rout.  

It was obvious to General Graham that further resistance was pointless, and he ordered his corps to retreat towards Castillo.

Campaign Move 29

1600 28th August 1813

Hill orders 2^nd Spanish division to pursue the retreating 6^th French corps and occupy Pancorbo.

Following their defeat the previous day, 6^th French corps are unfit to engage the Spanish,  abandon the town and retreat north towards Bayonne.

Hill has now achieved his campaign objective.

He has also cut the main road from Bayonne to Madrid

More importantly he had cut communications between Bayonne and both 7^th and 8 corps.

He has also cut their preferred line of retreat towards France.

The situation is now extremely critical for Marshal Soult.

Wellington appears to be on the brink of a complete victory in  western Spain

Campaign Move 28

1200 28th August 1813

7^th French corps occupy a strong defensive position to the west of Burgos.

At first light General Graham orders his 2^nd allied corps to attack them.

The city of Burgos is Wellington’s campaign objective, and its capture would signal the end of the campaign.  

It would also sever all communications with 8^th corps at Aranda, and cut the main road to Madrid.