Peninsular War

The Battle of Bailén opposed General Dupont's French troops, isolated in the Guadalquivir valley, to the Spanish armies of Castaños and Reding. After several days of skirmishing, the French attempted a breakthrough but were caught in a pincer. Overwhelmed by heat, lack of supplies, and encirclement, Dupont capitulated with his entire army.

The two engagements at El Bruc saw French columns attacked in the Catalan mountains by local militias. Poorly prepared for the terrain, Schwartz's and then Chabran's forces were repulsed by tenacious defense, reinforced by surprise and popular support.

After the surprise at Valmaseda, Victor pursued Blake and caught him at Espinosa. On 10 November the Spanish resisted the first attacks, but the next day Victor concentrated his forces, broke the Spanish center, and dispersed the army. It was a complete victory that temporarily eliminated the threat in the north.

The Battle of Gamonal opposed Soult's French vanguard to an inferior Spanish force commanded by Belveder. The Spanish, inexperienced and poorly positioned on open ground, were swept by French infantry supported by a powerful cavalry charge. The road to Burgos was opened.

The Battle of Medina de Rioseco saw Bessières's French forces attack a divided Spanish army. Taking advantage of poor coordination between Generals Blake and Cuesta, Bessières launched a decisive attack on the center and destroyed the union of enemy forces. It was one of the rare French successes at the start of the Peninsular War.

To open the road to Madrid, Napoleon ordered an attack on Spanish redoubts defending the Somosierra pass. After several unsuccessful infantry assaults, he ordered a bold charge by the Polish Guard chasseurs. They broke enemy lines, captured the guns, and forced the Spanish to retreat. The road to the capital was cleared.

The Battle of Tudela opposed a poorly coordinated Spanish army to a French force superior in organization. Lannes attacked the Spanish center and right, breaking their line, while Moncey pressed on the left wing. The Spanish army was dislocated and in flight before nightfall.

As a division of Marshal Victor advanced isolated at the front, Blake succeeded in surprising it with a force attack. The French were momentarily beaten and forced to withdraw. It was a rare Spanish success during the November campaign.

Blake, poorly positioned on the heights of Zornoza, was attacked by Lefebvre with part of IV Corps. The French gained the advantage from the start thanks to superior artillery and discipline. Blake managed to withdraw but suffered heavy losses.

Taking advantage of the precipitate withdrawal of Duke del Parque's Spanish troops after Tamames, General Kellermann launched a rapid pursuit. The Spanish rearguard, surprised near the bridge at Alba de Tormes, was attacked by French cavalry before the entire army could cross the river. Enemy formations were broken and artillery captured.

Venegas's Spanish forces, attempting to march on Madrid after the Battle of Talavera, were intercepted at Almonacid by General Sébastiani. Despite numerical superiority and a defensive position on the heights, the Spanish were repulsed after a series of coordinated assaults by French infantry and artillery. Their line gave way in the afternoon, followed by a disorganized retreat.

Suchet faced the Valencian army near Castellón in a decisive battle to secure the eastern flank of Spain. Though slightly inferior in numbers, the French engaged a methodical attack and broke the Spanish center. French cavalry pursued fugitives and completed the victory.

Despite numerical inferiority, Victor engaged a decisive maneuver against Cuesta's army deployed on an extended line. After containing Spanish attacks on his wings, he launched a central counteroffensive supported by artillery and cavalry. The Spanish army was completely routed.

Despite numerical inferiority, Soult and Sébastiani faced Aréizaga's Spanish army near Ocaña. Thanks to a powerful artillery attack, a cavalry maneuver on the right wing, and experienced infantry, the French inflicted total rout on the Spanish. The Army of La Mancha was destroyed.

French forces of Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Victor attacked entrenched Anglo-Spanish positions around Talavera. The battle was bloody and fierce, with repeated assaults against heights held by Wellington's troops. After two days of fighting, the French failed to break British lines. However, the allies could not exploit their victory due to fatigue, losses, and the arrival of a new French army in their rear.

Duke del Parque's Spanish army occupied the heights of Tamames and repulsed General Marchand's frontal attack. Despite several assaults, French troops, numerically inferior and poorly coordinated, failed to break the Spanish line. The battle marked one of the rare Spanish tactical successes in 1809.

Victor attacked Spanish forces entrenched near the monastery of Uclès. The well-coordinated assault broke the enemy line, and French cavalry exploited the breakthrough to encircle fugitives. Rout was complete, and Venegas narrowly escaped capture.

Soult attempted to raise the siege of Badajoz by attacking the allied army at Albuera. The French frontal assault, directed by Godinot then Girard, initially succeeded. But a fierce counterattack by British infantry and the tenacity of Spanish troops broke the French momentum. Both sides suffered heavy losses without a decisive victory.

The Battle of Barrosa saw General Victor's French troops attempt to intercept an Anglo-Spanish sortie from Cádiz. Although the Spanish hesitated, Graham's British mounted an energetic attack on the heights of Barrosa. After fierce fighting the French were repulsed but retained their strategic positions. The battle is considered indecisive, or even tactically favorable to the Allies.

Suchet faced Blake's Spanish army, which had come to relieve the besieged town of Sagunto. Thanks to a determined attack on the enemy center, French troops broke the Spanish lines and achieved a decisive victory, opening the road to Valencia.

The Battle of Zújar pitted French cavalry commanded by Latour-Maubourg against an isolated Spanish force attempting to interrupt French communications in southwestern Spain. Thanks to a skillful turning maneuver, French cavalry dispersed the enemy forces and captured a large number of prisoners.

General Hugo intercepted a mobile guerrilla force commanded by 'El Empecinado' in the mountainous region of Cuenca. Thanks to a flanking movement and surprise, French troops partially encircled the Spaniards and inflicted heavy losses.

The battle opposed Masséna, attempting to relieve the French garrison besieged at Almeida, to Wellington, firmly entrenched at Fuentes de Oñoro. After two days of skirmishing, Masséna launched a massive attack on 5 May. Despite initial success on the British right flank, allied resistance held. The French army withdrew without breaking the blockade.

Suchet launched a bold maneuver to take Valencia by encircling Blake's forces. After intense fighting around Mislata and the Turia River, the Spanish army was trapped. Blake attempted a breakout but failed and had to capitulate with a large part of his troops.

After a grueling siege and several days of intense bombardment, Anglo-Portuguese forces launched a night assault against Badajoz's fortifications. Despite fierce French defense, the Allies seized the town after violent street fighting.

Wellington launched a rapid assault against Ciudad Rodrigo, held by a small French garrison. After several days of intense bombardment, Anglo-Portuguese troops breached the town walls and launched a night assault. The French garrison was overwhelmed despite courageous defense.

The Battle of Salamanca saw the Army of Portugal, commanded by Marmont, surprised and defeated by a skillful attack by Wellington. A false maneuver by Marmont exposed his left flank, which the Allies exploited with a decisive attack that broke the French lines.