British light dragoons 1808-1810

The English army of Antoine has two plates of light dragoons. They wear the traditional and spectacular caterpillar helmet that will be abandoned for the benefit of the shako during the late phases of the war

British artillery 1808-1810

Antoine's English army includes, besides the artillery of the Spanish corps, two artillery batteries with English feet.

Highlander infantry 1808-1810

The figures below represent the Scottish infantry of the English army of Antoine.


The thin red line is fairly well rendered by the use of narrower sockets than the DBA 1500-1900 extension.


 We decided in my game group to reduce the depth of the infantry bases for simple aesthetic reasons.


 The flags are still missing. Photos will be changed when they are added.

 

 

At the battle of La Coruña, it was a 42nd Highlander soldier who brought General John Moore mortally wounded to put him in the rear. Moore's army was evacuated from Spain and the 1st Highlanders Battalion went with them.

Like the 1st Battalion, the 2nd Battalion was sent from Ireland to Spain, where he served throughout the Spanish War in the Duke of the Army of Wellington. The 2nd fought with great distinction in the battle of Fuentes de Oñoro and the bloody seat of Badajoz.

The 1st Battalion returned to Spain in the period of the Battle of Salamanca and then served in the rest of the war in Spain and in the south of France, including the Battle of Vittoria and the Battle of Nivelle.

 

The thin red line in Spain 1808-1810

The figures below represent the British infantry of the English army of Antoine. The thin red line is fairly well rendered by the use of narrower sockets than the DBA 1500-1900 extension.


 We decided, in my game group, to reduce the depth of the infantry bases for simple aesthetic reasons

.

The army consists of sixteen British infantry pads (twelve English stricto sensu and four regiment of Highlanders)


They also feature two Rifles pads (light infantry, green uniform)

English High Command in Spain 1808-1810

Antoine's army consists of two English bodies and a Spanish corps.
The photos (coming soon) represent the two plates of command of this army.

Commander-in-chief Wellesley

Arthur Wellesley

Wellesley (future Duke of Wellington) gained prominence as a general during the peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, and was promoted to Field Marshal after leading allied forces to victory against the French at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. After the exile of Napoleon in 1814, he served as ambassador in France and obtained a duchy. During the Hundred Days in 1815 he commanded the allied army which defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, as well as a Prussian army under Blücher. The record of the Battle of Wellesley is exemplary; He eventually took part in some 60 battles during his military career.

Wellington is famous for its adaptive defensive style of war, resulting in several victories against a numerically superior force while minimizing its own losses. He is considered one of the greatest defensive commanders of all time, and many of his tactics and battle plans are still being studied in military academies around the world.

Major general Robert Craufurd

Major-General Robert Craufurd (5 May 1764-1723 January 1812) was a Scottish soldier. After a military career which brought him from India to the Netherlands, he received the command of the Light Division in the Spanish War of Napoleon under the Duke of Wellington. Craufurd was a strict discipline and somewhat prone to violent mood swings that earned him the nickname Black Bob. He was mortally wounded during the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, on January 19, 1812 and died four days later
.

Robert Craufurd

Robert Craufurd à Bussaco

English army in Spain 1808-1810

This is the Napoleonic army of my son Antoine. It has two DBA bodies and is intended to be reinforced by a Spanish body. This remains to be constituted.

The figures of this army:
- The General Staff
- The English Infantry
- The Scottish infantry
- Artillery



(Historical data below from monatlas.fr)

1808

On November 13th, Moore's army (30,000h) which crossed the Portuguese border reached Salamanca. Informed of the French threat on Madrid, she headed for Valladolid to clear the capital. But, learning the capitulation, Moore decides to join Astorga to reinforce Baird troops (12 000h) from La Coruña.
When he reached Astorga, Moore had only the body of Soult in front of him, which ascended the valley of the Carrion. He thinks he has to step back by launching an offensive on Sahagun.


From 22 December 1808 to 18 January 1809: The race to the sea
Napoleon, at Madrid, was delighted with the offensive of the English, for he saw in it a magnificent opportunity of putting an end to them.
For that Soult must contain the English while Napoleon, passing by Benavente will arise on the backs of Moore. Lefebvre, Lasalle, and Milhaud will rapidly descend the valley of the Tagus to cut off a possible retreat from the English towards Portugal. Moore should not be able to escape the crash.

On 22 December, despite terrible climatic conditions, Napoleon's army set out.

On the 24th of December, Ney is at Tordesillas and Soult passes Carriande.
But Moore is cautious, he falls back on Astorga.

On December 28, when the French reached Valderas, Moore had already rode west.

 1809

On January 7, pressed by the French Moore made front in Lugo (50km from La Coruna). Soult impressed will lose three days to wait for the bulk of his strength. This inactivity will allow Moore to reach La Coruña.

On the 11th of January the English army was assembled at La Coruña, on the embarkation platforms, but the fleet was not at the rendezvous. Soult therefore has the opportunity to repair his error. This will not be the case because he will still wait five days before launching an assault that would have allowed to capture the English army.

On the 16th of January the English ships arrived in the harbor, and embarkation began. Soult then decides to attack but it is too late. The resistance of some English battalions will suffice to enable the English to embark. Moore succeeded, at the cost of an epic retreat, to save his army.

In the spring the English armies are back in Portugal in spite of Soult playing the wren in Porto.
Sir Arthur Wellesley organized an Anglo-Portuguese army of 50,000 men.

In early May, Wellesley went on the attack.

On 12 May he sent Soult out of Porto and forced him to retreat to Spain. Not to be isolated Ney is forced to evacuate Galicia.
Having no longer any danger in the north, Wellesley, reinforced by the Spanish army of La Cuesta, ascended the Tagus to oblige Victor to retreat towards Madrid.

On July 28, Victor made a front and attacked the Anglo-Portuguese at Talavera without waiting for Soult's corps. The Anglo-Spaniards will stand up against the French assaults, however around 5pm their center folds. But King Joseph refused to make a final effort and ordered the retreat. The English will proclaim their triumph.
Wellesley, rewarded, will henceforth bear the title of Duke of Wellington.

At the news of the French victory at Wagram, Wellington, fears the return of Napoleon in Spain and decides to retreat to Portugal.

The Spanish armies, which never cease to grow, do not hesitate to take the offensive but without success: The army of Extremadura is defeated by Kellermann near Salamanca.
The army of Andalusia is defeated by Soult in Ocaña on 19 November.

1810

In February Soult progresses in Andalusia (Seville is occupied the 1st, Malaga the 5). But still too slow he can not seize Cadiz whose siege will immobilize three army corps.

In September Massena arrives in Spain with the mission to finish with the English while walking on Lisbon.

On the 27th September Massena encountered Wellington at Bussaco near Coimbra. Threatened to be turned the English fold back behind the fortified lines of Torres-Vedras.

Early October Massena arrived in front of these fortified lines. To defend them Wellington has 69,000 men whereas Massena can attack only with 35,000h. The siege will last for months without the French being able to start the English lines.

Würtemberg light infantry and jägers 1809

The light infantry of the kingdom of Württemberg included, in 1809, four battalions.

- Two battalions of light infantry properly so called (the first battalion, von Wolff and the second von Brussell)
- Two battalions of Fussjäger (Chasseurs à pieds): the König battalion and the von Neuffer battalion.

The light ones were distinguished from the blue uniform of the troops of the line by the wearing of uniforms with predominantly green, this color being moreover totally associated with the outfits of the hunters.

Light infantry

In 1809, the light infantry battalions were wearing the shako, replacing the old helmet similar to that of the light horse.

Jägers

Jägers würtembergeois charging the Hungarian infantry

Würtemberg high command 1809

The Army of Württemberg constituted the VIIIth Corps of the Great Army during the 1809 German campaign. The command was entrusted to the French Major General Dominique Vandamme.

The high command

A command card was made to serve me as baggage item because I did not wish to make a tent camp.

 The würtemberge generals

The two command pads are not finished. I still have the flags because you still have to buy the tip and the ribbons before sticking the canvas of the flags.

The French High Command

The pamphlet representing General Vandamme is not yet finished.