The Battle of Arroyo de Molinas

Spotted this one on The Little Corporal so decided to use it for a lock down battle with Michelle. She chose the British & Allies so I had the French.

 French forces under General Girard are in and around the town of Arroyo de Molinas and British General Roland "Daddy" Hill has been sent to defeat them whilst they are separated from the main French army.

Hill has two British brigades of infantry, (one of four battalions the other of three) a 6 pounder battery, a Portuguese infantry brigade of four battalions, a British Light cavalry brigade (2nd KGL Hussars, 9th Light Dragoons & 13th Light Dragoons) and a small Spanish cavalry brigade under General Morillo (two regiments).

Girard has two infantry brigades, each of three battalions, a 6 pounder battery plus Bron's cavalry brigade comprising 27th Chasseurs a Cheval, 10th Hussars & 20th Dragoons.

The head of the Allied column is just arriving top left corner

Girard has placed three battalions in the town and is ordering the gun battery to come up to the cross roads

Hill is ahead of the Spanish cavalry who lead the Allies onto the battlefield

There is little for them to see from this distance

Morillo decides to head for the fields beside the town on his left

So the British cavalry head for the other side of the town - a pincer movement ?!

Then the first British infantry brigade marches on, headed by 92nd Highlanders

The Spanish cavalry now spy French infantry behind the field walls

Whereas, the British cavalry see nothing at all !

But, lo and behold, a French cavalry brigade appears from behind Arroyo de Molinas

The French gunners manoeuvre their cannon into position

The Spanish cavalry have taken casualties and been disordered by fire from the houses and the infantry behind the wall

There is more than one battalion lurking behind there it seems

The British cavalry cross the corn field heading for the enemy cavalry

Now the Spaniards can see there are three enemy battalions plus gun smoke hanging around some of the windows

The French gun is placed and ready just as the 92nd Highlanders approach the town

Morillo attempts a charge across the field, forcing the French into square

As the First British brigade lines out and heads for the town, a second brigade marches towards where the British cavalry have gone

The First brigade attacks the town but find the first houses empty

Charge ! The British cavalry charge and one enemy cavalry regiment counter charges

The rest of the French cavalry wait and see

Amazingly, the French win hurling back one British regiment and then retiring behind its sister regiments

The British have another go

Meantime, the Scots are getting hit by cannon fire and musket shots from the windows 

A second British cavalry regiment heads back with casualties !

In fact, they both have three casualties so are shaken and that means the brigade is broken - it will have to retreat from the battle field

The French have resumed line and fired again at Morillo's men. These dragoons are now shaken

Here's the British cavalry streaming from the field - this wont please Daddy Hill !

Despite the galling fire, the British infantry charge down the street and assault the French battery

The enemy gunners are all killed so that torment has been dealt with

but the Scots were shaken and disordered so retreat behind the rest of the brigade to lick their wounds

A pause for a selfie !

 Best picture of the day was Michelle's of her cavalry charge (before they left !)

The French cavalry watch the enemy cavalry disappear

The French infantry beyond the town have advanced to counter the threat of approaching enemy infantry

Its the Portuguese who have been sent across to tackle this side of town. Here we see them charge and defeat the regiment opposing them

The French break and leave their sister battalion in the fields with a hanging flank

The British first brigade are now ordered to charge the occupied houses in the town

The first one is El Murrio's tavern - and he's not happy !

The lead battalion of the British second brigade has now entered the fields which last saw the rout of the British cavalry

The rest of the brigade advances towards the church

a furious fight develops in the town

 but the First Brigade has lost half their number and fall back

The French, right of town, having seen one unit break, have retired behind the vineyards as the Portuguese press on and attack the town

but they meet stubborn defence and one by one the Portuguese battalions retire shaken. The assault fails.

T'other side of town, the British second brigade has charged the French column beside the church

With rear support, the British win

and the French battalion flees - that brigade has now broken

 

but the British first brigade commander sees his men turn and flee from the town too

The British Second Brigade tried a charge against the house behind the church but loses too many men and the lead battalion broke taking the supports with it. At this point, Morillo's Spanish cavalry appeared on this side of the battlefield, charged and broke from melee with the French cavalry. This was the final straw as Hill now had no troops left ! 

The French have held Arroyo de Molinos.

What El Murrio wants to know is ... who is going to pay for all this damage ?