Battle of Valls

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Battle of Valls

| partof = the Peninsular War

| image = BatalladeValls.jpg

| caption = Battle of Valls

| date = 25 February 1809{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| place = Valls, Spain

| coordinates = {{coord|41.2833|N|1.2500|E}}

| result = French-allied victory{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| combatant1 = {{flagicon|First French Empire}} French Empire
{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Kingdom of Italy
{{flagicon|Westphalia}} Kingdom of Westphalia

| combatant2 = {{flag|Spain|1785}}

| commander1 = {{flagicon|France}} Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr
{{flagicon|France}} Annet Morio de L'Isle
{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Domenico Pino

| commander2 = Theodor von Reding{{DOW}}{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| strength1 = 13,300{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| strength2 = 10,540-11,000 infantry,
700 cavalry,
8 guns{{sfn|Gates|2002|p=69}}{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| casualties1 = 1,000 killed or wounded{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

| casualties2 = 1,500 killed or wounded{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}
1,500 captured{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=394}}

}}

{{OSM Location map

| coord = {{coord|40.5|-2.0}}

| zoom = 5

| float = right

| nolabels = 1

| width = 304

| height = 160

| title = Peninsular War: Aragón Catalonia

| caption = {{legend|black|current battle}}

| shapeD=n-circle

| shape-colorD=dark blue

| shape-outlineD=white

| label-colorD = dark blue

| label-sizeD = 12

| label-posD = left

| label-offset-xD =

| label-offset-yD =

| label1 = Valls

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|41.28|1.25}}

| mark-title1 = Battle of Valls at Valls, on 25 February 1809

| label-color1 = black

| shape-color1 = black

| label-pos1 = top

| label-offset-y1 = -10

| label2 =

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|41.99|2.83}}

| mark-title2 = Third siege of Girona at Girona, from 6 May to 12 December 1809

| label3 =

| mark-coord3 = {{coord|41.05|0.13}}

| mark-title3 = Battle of Alcañiz at Alcañiz, on 23 May 1809

| label4 = María

| mark-coord4 = {{coord|41.55|-0.99}}

| mark-title4 = Battle of María at María de Huerva, on 15 June 1809

| label5 =

| mark-coord5 = {{coord|41.3|-0.75}}

| mark-title5 = Battle of Belchite (1809) at Belchite, on 18 June 1809

| label6 =

| mark-coord6 = {{coord|41.54|2.21}}

| mark-title6 = Battle of Mollet at Mollet, on 21 January 1810

| label7 =

| mark-coord7 = {{coord|41.93|2.25}}

| mark-title7 = Battle of Vic at Vic, on 20 February 1810

| label8 =

| mark-coord8 = {{coord|41.61|0.63}}

| mark-title8 = Siege of Lérida at Lérida, on 23 April and 29 April to 14 May 1810

| label9 =

| mark-coord9 = {{coord|41.37|0.3}}

| mark-title9 = Siege of Mequinenza at Mequinenza, from 15 May to 8 June 1810

| label10 =

| mark-coord10 = {{coord|41.96|3.040556}}

| mark-title10 = Battle of La Bisbal at La Bisbal, on 14 September 1810

| label11 =

| mark-coord11 = {{coord|40.81|0.52}}

| mark-title11 = Siege of Tortosa (1810–11) at Tortosa, from 19 December 1810 to 2 January 1811

| label12 =

| mark-coord12 = {{coord|41.37|1.28}}

| mark-title12 = Battle of El Pla at El Pla, on 15 January 1811

| label13 =

| mark-coord13 = {{coord|41.12|1.25}}

| mark-title13 = Siege of Tarragona (1811) from 5 May – 29 June 1811
Siege of Tarragona (1813) from 3 to 11 June 1813

| label14 =

| mark-coord14 = {{coord|41.59|1.84}}

| mark-title14 = Battle of Montserrat at Montserrat, on 25 July 18117

| label15 =

| mark-coord15 = {{coord|42.27|2.97}}

| mark-title15 = Siege of Figueras (1811) at Figueras, from 4 April to 19 August 1811

| label16 =

| mark-coord16 = {{coord|41.67|1.27}}

| mark-title16 = Battle of Cervera (1811) at Cervera, from 4 to 14 October 1811

| label17 = Saguntum

| mark-coord17 = {{coord|39.68|-0.27}}

| mark-title17 = Battle of Saguntum at Saguntum, on 25 October 1811

| label-pos17 = top

| label18 = Valencia

| mark-coord18 = {{coord|39.47|-0.38}}

| mark-title18 = Siege of Valencia (1812) at Valencia, from 26 December 1811 – 9 January 1812

| label19 =

| mark-coord19 = {{coord|41.15|1.38}}

| mark-title19 = Battle of Altafulla at Altafulla, on 29 January 1812

| label20 = Castalla

| mark-coord20 = {{coord|38.6|-0.67}}

| mark-title20 = Battle of Castalla (1812) at Castalla, on 21 July 1812 and on 13 April 1813

| label21 =

| mark-coord21 = {{coord|41.40|1.85}}

| mark-title21 = Battle of Ordal at Ordal, on 13 September 1813

}}

The Battle of Valls was fought on 25 February 1809, during the Peninsular War, between a French force under Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr and a Spanish force under Theodor von Reding. Fought near the town of Valls in Catalonia, Spain, the battle ended in a French victory. General Reding was fatally wounded during a cavalry charge against French cavalry.

Background

The Spanish campaign in early 1809 started with the Battle of Uclés.

Battle

During actions on 15 February 1809, Reding's left wing was cut off from reinforcement by a French attack. Reding decided to retrieve this cut-off army, instead of counter striking at Souham. Planning to meet up with his northern units, Reding left Tarragona with only 2,000 men and most of his cavalry. On his way, he successfully met with units standing guard over the pass to Santa Cristina and another unit at Santas Cruces. Having sufficient strength, he continued to the town of Santa Coloma, whereupon he met with his previously cut-off left wing. With the combined left wing and the forces he took with him, Reding then had a total of almost 20,000 troops at his disposal. Deciding to defend Tarragona, he dispatched 4–5,000 of his men to watch Igualada and pressed home with his remaining men. St. Cyr, aware of Reding's movements, moved to block the two direct routes of returning to Tarragona. Reding, aware that Souham had moved and taken position in the town of Valls, still decided to take the route. Committing his forces to a march at night, Reding got his army to a bridge only two miles out of the town before daybreak.

Upon arriving at the bridge, Reding's vanguard was involved in a skirmish with men of Souham's division. Both commanders, realizing that the time for battle had arrived, rushed to get their men into position. Souham brought the rest of his division out of Valls and set them into position north of town. Reding, deciding this division to be insignificant, pushed his advanced line and most of his center across the river, continuing to send more across until the French division finally broke and fell back to Valls. At this point, most of his men and baggage train had crossed the bridge, but he nonetheless decided to give his men a long break. St. Cyr, learning of the attack later in the day, rushed to Valls with the 7th Italian Dragoons, also bringing the Italian division which would be delayed for six hours before joining the French line at Valls. Having seen the French line rallying when St. Cyr arrived with the Italian Cavalry, Reding pulled his forces back across the river in a defensive position. After three hours had passed, the Italian division had finally caught up to St. Cyr, who formed the French line of battle and crossed the river under constant bombardment. The Spanish forces poured fire onto the French attackers but as the columned French grew close to the Spanish line, the Spaniards began to rout. The only point of hand-to-hand combat came when Reding took his staff and cavalry and attacked the left column, only to be met by the Italian dragoons. in the ensuing melee, Reding himself took three fatal wounds.{{sfn|Oman|Hall|1903|pp=76-}}

French order of battle

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:70%;"

|+VII Corps of General Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr on 1 February 1809{{sfn|Oman|1902b|p=626}}

! Corps

! Division

! Strength

! Units

rowspan=44 | VII Corps
General of Division
Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr
File:Gouvion-saint-cyr.jpg

| rowspan=5 | 1st Division
General of Division
Joseph Souham
File:Général Joseph Souham.jpg

| rowspan=5 | 6,220

| {{flagicon|France}} 1st Light Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|France}} 3rd Light Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 7th Line Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions

{{flagicon|France}} 42nd Line Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|France}} 67th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

rowspan=6 | 2nd Division
General of Division
Joseph Chabran
File:Joseph Chabran.jpg

| rowspan=6 | 4,037

| {{flagicon|France}} 2nd Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 10th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 37th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 56th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 93rd Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Switzerland}} 2nd Swiss Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

rowspan=2 | 3rd Division
General of Division
Louis François Jean Chabot
File:Louis François Jean Chabot.jpg

| rowspan=2 | 1,633

| {{flagicon|France}} Chasseurs des Montagnes, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Kingdom of Naples|1811}} 2nd Neapolitan Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions

rowspan=6 | 4th Division
General of Division
Honoré Charles Reille
File:Général Honoré Charles Michel Joseph Reille.jpg

| rowspan=6 | 3,980

| {{flagicon|France}} 32nd Light Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 2nd Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 16th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 56th Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|France}} 113th Line Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions

{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Valais Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

rowspan=5 | 5th Division
General of Division
Domenico Pino
File:Domenico Pino.jpg

| rowspan=5 | 8,008

| {{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 1st Italian Light Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 2nd Italian Light Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 4th Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 6th Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 3 battalions

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 7th Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

rowspan=5 | 6th Division
General of Division
Giuseppe Lechi
File:Giuseppe Lechi.jpg

| rowspan=5 | 3,941

| {{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 2nd Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 4th Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} 5th Italian Line Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Italian Velites Infantry Regiment, 1 battalion

{{flagicon|Kingdom of Naples|1811}} 1st Neapolitan Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions

rowspan=4 | German Division
General of Brigade
Annet Morio de L'Isle

| rowspan=4 | 5,321

| {{flagicon|Westphalia}} 1st Westphalian Light Infantry Regiment

{{flagicon|Westphalia}} 2nd Westphalian Line Infantry Regiment

{{flagicon|Westphalia}} 3rd Westphalian Line Infantry Regiment

{{flagicon|Westphalia}} 4th Westphalian Line Infantry Regiment

rowspan=3 | French Cavalry

| rowspan=3 | 1,730

| {{flagicon|France}} 24th Dragoon Regiment

{{flagicon|France}} 3rd Provisional Cuirassier Regiment

{{flagicon|France}} 3rd Provisional Chasseur Regiment

rowspan=4 | Italian Cavalry

| rowspan=4 | 1,862

| {{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Napoleone Dragoon Regiment

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Royal Chasseur Regiment

{{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Prince Royal Chasseur Regiment

{{flagicon|Kingdom of Naples|1811}} Neapolitan Chasseur Regiment

rowspan=1 | French Artillery

| rowspan=1 | 2,050

| {{flagicon|France}} Various artillery companies

rowspan=1 | Italian Artillery

| rowspan=1 | 585

| {{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} Various artillery companies

rowspan=1 | German Artillery

| rowspan=1 | 48

| {{flagicon|Westphalia}} Artillery company

rowspan=1 | Corps Total

| rowspan=1 | 39,415

| {{flagicon|France}} {{flagicon|Napoleonic Italy}} {{flagicon|Westphalia}} {{flagicon|Kingdom of Naples|1811}} {{flagicon|Switzerland}}

Aftermath

The Spanish campaign in early 1809 proceeded with the French advance in Catalonia in the Third siege of Girona and the Battle of Alcañiz.

References

Bibliography

{{cite book | last=Bodart | first=Gaston | date=1908 | title=Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905) | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_A0kNAAAAYAAJ | url-access=registration | access-date=22 May 2021}}
{{cite book| last=Gates | first=David | year=2002 | title=The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War | location=London | publisher=Pimlico | isbn=0-7126-9730-6}}
{{cite book | last1=Oman | first1=Charles | last2=Hall | first2=John A. | year=1903 | title=A History of the Peninsular War | volume=2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6VBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA76 | publisher=Clarendon Press}}
{{cite book | last=Oman | first=Sir Charles William Chadwick | year=1902b | title=A History of the Peninsular War | volume=II | location=Oxford | publisher=Clarendon Press | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofpeninsu02oman | url-access=registration | access-date=22 May 2021}}