Battle of Roncesvalles (1813)

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This article is about Battle of Roncesvalles (1813). For the battle of 778, see Battle of Roncevaux Pass.


Battle of Roncesvalles
Part of the Peninsular War
Date 25 July 1813
Location Roncevaux Pass, Spain
Result French victory
Belligerents
Flag of France French Empire Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Flag of Portugal Portugal
Commanders
General Reille Major-General Cole
Strength
40,000 men and 8 guns 11,000 men
Casualties and losses
200 dead or wounded 450 dead or wounded
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Peninsular War

Vitoria and the Pyrenees, 1813–1814

The Battle of Roncesvalles (French: Roncevaux) (25 July 1813) was a battle between French and Anglo-Portuguese forces during the Peninsular War (1808-1814).

Contents

[edit] Background

After Wellington's decisive defeat of King Joseph at Vitoria, he advanced to capture San Sebastián and Pamplona, the last French outposts on Spanish soil.

While Wellington concentrated his efforts on capturing the strategically important port of San Sebastián, he sent 11,000 men under the Irish-Spanish General O'Donnell to blockade Pamplona. To prevent a French counter-attack over the Pyrenees Wellington positioned General Hill's Corps over a 50 mile (80 km) front, to cover the coastal road and the main passes over the mountains.

[edit] The battle

Having rapidly rebuilt and reorganised his forces after their defeat, the French under Marshal Soult launched an attack towards Pamplona through the passes of Maya and Roncesvalles.

The French force at Roncesvalles consisted of 40,000 men and 8 mountain guns under General Reille. The pass was defended by the British 4th Division commanded by Major-General Galbraith Lowry Cole.

The French attacked from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port advancing in two columns either side of the pass. At around 06:00 the two armies met. The British were badly outnumbered, but fought steadfastly. Byng's brigade on the eastern side held Clausel's division at bay for three hours before being forced back.

By 14:00 Cole brought up three more brigades as reinforcements. However around 17:00 a dense fog descended over the battlefield, just as a Portuguese brigade had further strengthened the Allied position. Cole, despite orders to the contrary, ordered his troops to retreat towards Pamplona.

[edit] Aftermath

The Allied forces regrouped and made a stand near the village of Sorauren (see Battle of Sorauren).

Later Wellington admitted that splitting his forces in order to besiege both San Sebastián and Pamplona simultaneously was "one of the greatest faults he ever committed in war".

[edit] Sources

  • Chandler, David, Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars, Wordsworth Editions, 1999. ISBN 1 84022 203 4
  • Longford, Elizabeth, Wellington: The Years of the Sword, Panther Books Ltd., 1971. ISBN 586 03548 6