Jean-de Dieu Soult and Brun de Villeret in Spain

Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1769 – 1851). 1st Duke of Dalmatia.

Soult was a son of a notary. Had a good education that ensured him the rank of sergeant in the army of the revolution. In 1799 was a General and in 1804 Marshal of the Empire.

In 1808, he was appointed commander of the II Corps and entered Spain. He won the battle of Gamonal (or Burgos) and was detailed by the Emperor to pursue the army of Sir John Moore. In 1809 fought at La Coruña (or Elviña).

He remained in Spain for the following 4 years invading Portugal in 1809 and retiring form it after the battle of Oporto, fighting at Talavera (1809) and achieving the great victory of Ocaña (1809).

In 1810, he invaded Andalusia, taking Sevilla but failing to conquer Cadiz. In Andalusia he tough 1,5 milions of francs worth of art including paintings of Murillo and Zurbarán.

In 1811 marched to Extremadura taking Badajoz but losing the bloody battle of Albuera.

In 1812, with Wellington’s victory at Salamanca, evacuated Andalusia and in the Burgos campaign sent Wellington back to Salamanca.

In 1813 was sent to Germany fighting at Lutzen and Bautzen but returning to Spain in the last offensive across the Pyrenees in the battles of Sorauren, San Marcial, Nivelle, Nive and Orthez. He was finally technically defeated at Tolouse.

With Napoleon at Elba he declared himself a Royalist but on the Emperor’s return he joined him fighting at Waterloo but with not the same commitment shown in previous campaigns.

Soult accompanied by Louis Bertrand Pierre Brun de Villeret (1773 – 1845), his ADC from 1805 to 1814 shared the campaigns of Soult and also had his own affairs. In 1812, he and 60 Baden soldiers fought 400 guerrillas in San Ildefonso, fighting during 3 hours losing 20 men and all the horses but conserving his dispatches.

CREDITS:

Soult is from Front Rank, the ADC on foot and Brun de Villeret are from Brigade Games not labelled as ADCs to Soult but the Uniform of Brun de Villeret is very obvious. All of them are really good miniatures that can be combined really well.

Miniatures painted with Vallejo and washed with Vallejo Sepia wash.

Sahagun 1808 refight

My friend Francesc and I refought the small batlle of Sahagun. We used Sharp Practice with 3 three groups of Elite British Hussars (the 15th) against two groups of average french dragoons (8th dragoons) and one group of poor chasseurs a cheval (the auxiliary chasseurs).

We supposed appaling weather conditions which basically allowed the british to get really close to the french.
The affaire was really close to the historical battle with the chasseurs fliing after the first charge and the halted dragoons shoting his carbines before receiving the charge.
At the end, a british victory (congratulations Francesc) but hard fought by the 8th dragoons.

NOTE: After watching frozen, my daughters put a troll in a balcony...lovelly ladies.

2nd Battalions of the 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris

1808

The second battalion of both 1st and 2nd regiments of the Garde de Paris formed within Dupond’s Corps, Barbou Division. The II/1st with 707men and the II/2nd with 747 men. They depart to Cadiz in May 25. The first battalions fought in northern Spain

June: the two battalions fight at Alcolea (18/6) taking the bridge and suffering heavy casualties with 14 officers dead and wounded. The 21 of June at Andújar with 893 men.

July: Battle of Bailen (19/7) with 10 officers dead and wounded and both battalions as prisoners. They ended as prisoners in Cabrera Island in very bad condition with low supply of food and water committing in some cases cannibalism.

Note about the uniforms. There is some debate as if the uniforms where red and green (the old ones) or they had the new white uniforms (with green turnbacks for the 1st regiment and red turnbacks for the 2nd). As Francisco Vela points in his book “Bailen 1808” ed. Almena, We know for sure that they were dressed in white because Pedro Agustín Girón, Marques de las Amarillas, who fought them at Alcolea, tells in his memoirs “the French were dressed as my grenadiers” he was the coronel of the Provincial Grenadiers (whose uniform was white faced red)

CREDITS: 28mm Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products. Flags from Maverick Model Flags.

Chasseurs de Montagne des Pyrénées Orientales

The whole battalion was in Catalonia between 1808 and 1811 fighting its detachments in countless small actions. It also fought as a complete unit in some important batles.

1808

The unit enters Catalonia with Reille’s corps.
August: A detachment of 40 men fights at Campmany near Girona (06/08).
October: As garrison at Figueres fortress.
November-December: Siege of Roses (7/11) and frontier action at La Junquera (3/12). Transferred to Gouvion Saint-Cyr’s 7th Corps, Dv. Chabot counting 564 men.

1809

The battalion spends the year garrisoning Barcelona and takes part in several small actions out of the city.
January-March: battle of Molins de Rey (20/1), action at Monistrol near Montserrat (16/2) at the end of March the unit has 313 men fit for service.
August –December: Under General Ordonneau fights in several actions around Barcelona: San Boi (12/08), Montealegre twice (9, 17/9), Badalona (17/10), Coll de Montcada (18/10) and the whole unit at Santa Coloma (6/11).

1810

The whole battalion fights at Vic (20/2) but by the end of June, it only has 267 men fit for service. It is post as garrison at Montjuich fortress in Barcelona.
August-December: Small actions around Barcelona: Viladecans (19/8), Montcada (4/9), Pallejà (18/11), Sant Andreu (21/11), Montgat (28/11). The unit finishes the year with 126 men.

1811

The unit is re-founded into the 1ere Bon Chasseurs de Montagne and fights at Sant Adrià (21/1), Montealegre (22/8) and Montgat (12/11). Finishes the year with only 50 men.

1812

No important notices

1813

Finally amalgamated into the 18eme légère.

CREDITS

5 Victrix miniatures painted with Vallejo paints and The Army Painter products.