Talavera

This scenario is based on that included in the Volley & Bayonet Road to Glory rules book. In this refight however the Portina stream was considered to be pure decoration – and not a terrain impediment.

Those involved with the refight were Frank Chadwick and Lou Cardinale commanding the French, while the British were played by Jake Strangeway and the Spanish by Mike Burke. The table size was 6x8, and was played in the normal scale (3x3 bases, etc) with 15mm figures.

The Allied commanders deployed the British 2nd, 3rd and 4th divisions in more or less a straight line running north-south, with the cavalry and the 1st division in reserve. The Spanish cavalry divisions were positioned about a mile behind the British, and their infantry in the walled vineyards and Talavera itself. The redoubt was held by their artillery and a single division backing them up.

Above, the British positions viewed from behind the advancing French line. Talavera is on the left andto the right, in the centre is the redoubt.

The French set up second, and decided to screen the Spanish and press the British left flank. To that end, they deployed the Light Cavalry Division in front of the Spanish, but put the entire I Corps under Victor and both Dragoon Divisions under Latour-Maubourg and Mihaud to their right. The IV Corps under Sebastianni was deployed in the center about a mile and a half from the Portina stream.

The French moved first, and moved to turn the British left flank – the 1st Divison under Ruffin moved up to engage Campbell’s Divison which was guarding the bridge over the Portina. In a brief, vicious firefight, the entire 4th British Brigade was destroyed – the combined musketry and cannon fire from the French was too much for them. The division collapsed, and things were looking ill for the Allies. Lapisse’s division moved forward to take up positions at the foot of the Cerro de Medellin, which was held by Hill’s division. Villate’s division of 7,000 men was moved to reserve, with two brigades fanning out to cover the left flank of Lapisse. The IV Corps moved directly forward, keeping their options open to move against either the British or the Spanish.

Wellesley sent a messenger to Cuestra asking for reinforcements. The Spanish, seeing that the French were putting the bulk of their forces against their Allies, moved the 5th division under Bassecourt out from Talavera and began to march to the sound of the guns. The British put in a charge with the 2nd Light Cavalry brigade against the exposed 54th Ligne, driving it back in disorder, but unable to inflict serious casualties. Campbell’s division moved up to extend the British line south along the Portina, while Sherbrooke’s division moved to be in a position to counter attack the French.

The next two turns saw things begin to turn against the French. Lapisse launched an attack against the Hill’s division on the Cerro de Medellin, but were repulsed. A counterattack by the 1st and 2nd KGL brigades almost ended it disaster for the British, as they lost one combat, but were able to rout the 45th Ligne. More damaging to the French cause was the fate of the 96th Ligne. It was caught in the flank by a combined charge of the 2nd Light Brigade and the Heavy Brigade and routed off the table – shattering Ruffin’s division.

Here, French IV Corps deploys for its attack. This photograph is taken from behind the Allied lines look towards the Allied left and centre. The redoubt is on the right.

By noon things were looking grim for both sides. The IV Corps was now fully committed against the British, while the Madrid Garrison and Marshal Jourdan moved toward Talavera, trying to prevent Cuestra from sending more aid to the embattled British. At 11:00 he had committed the 2nd Spanish Cavalry to the British to plug a gap in the British left.

Campbell’s and Hill’s divisions were both exhausted and collapsed, Sherbrooke had taken almost 50% casualties and were a hair’s breadth from exhaustion. Only Mackenzie’s division was fresh – and it was on the British right, and furthest away from the fighting.

For the French, I Corps was a broken shell. 1st and 2nd Divisions were exhausted, and the 3rd division had lost 3500 men dead or deserted. Latour-Maubourg’s Dragoons had become exhausted, but had destroyed the British 1st Light Cavalry brigade – which in turn had exhausted the British Cavalry.

Sebastianni saw the British withdraw off the Cerro de Medellin and ordered his brigades forward to take the hill. If they could take it, they would split the British line in half. As the troopers of the 28th, 32nd and 58th Ligne scrambled up the slope, they were met with shot and steel by Bassecourt's Division – the Spanish had arrived in the nick of time. The French were thrown back with losses and forced to regroup.

The Spanish deploy on the hill and prepare face the French attacks on the extreme left. Additional British and Spanish troops extend the Allied line in the top left.

At 1:00 Jourdan saw that he had to put more pressure on the Spanish, and ordered the Madrid Garrison forward. The Grenadiers and the 51st Ligne forced the Spanish under Iglesias back from the walls of the vineyard they were defending, but without inflicting significant casualties. Then disaster struck for the French. The Spanish Guard Grenadiers moved forward through the vineyards, and ran smack into the 2nd Spanish Provincials. The Grenadiers, confused by the smoke and unprepared for the ferocity of the Spanish irregulars on their home soil were driven back, leaving over 500 dead in their wake. At the same time, the 51st Ligne had strayed too close to the redoubt, and the Spanish batteries, finally given a target, shattered the brigade.

Here, the French Madrid Garrison, on the right, advance to attack the Spanish around Talavera.

With all hope of pushing through the Spanish lines gone, Desolles convinced Jourdan to allow him to pull his division back before it was further mauled.

As 2:00 came around the British took a chance and moved Mackenzie’s division across the Portina stream to threaten the French left. Leval’s division was there to stop them, but it was diverting resources that could be committed to the attack. Victor and Sebastianni ordered their men forward, knowing that time was not on their side. The Villate’s division moved forward to drive off the Spanish cavalry which was threatening them, but was unable to inflict any hits. The return fire from the remaining British batteries exhausted the division.

At 3:00 Jourdan had ridden over and taken position on the Cerro de Cascajal overlooking the battle. He had a brief meeting with Victor and Sebastianni. Victor’s Corps was done for the day, and Sebastianni only had Leval’s division available for offensive maneuvers. With the retreat of the Madrid Garrison, they could already see the dust rising as more Spanish marched to aid the British.

The French attack around Talavera has failed and additional Allied troops move to support the Allied left. Here, the Allied line on the left is almost right angles before stretching back across the battlefield towards Talavera, not shown.

Afraid that he faced the possibility of his army being destroyed, Jourdan ordered a retreat with Leval’s division covering the army along with Mihaud’s Dragoons. Fortunately for the French, the British were in no condition to pursue.