06. Battle of San Milan - 13th July 1808

San Milan - a sleepy hillside farming community on the far west slopes of the upper Ebro valley. Nothing ever happened there... the farmers threshed their corn, their wives harvested lemons and limes, the grapes and olives ripened, the sun beat down and the sons and daughters grew up, red-cheeked and happy. Nothing broke the eternal peace of this Mediterranean idyll. People were poor and uneducated but they lived simple wholesome lives...

The army was commanded by Vincente Maria Acevedo, Captain-General of the Asturias. He had his distant gaze upon a large and fruitful prize - the French-held fortress of Burgos. The general climbed a rock outcrop, swept his long frock coat from his hip and took out a spyglass. In silence he studied the sweeping vista below him. Brown rugged hills, here and there a crop of dark pine woods and between them red-roofed farms, green olive groves and a trickle of azure as the summer Ebro, low in water, ran through the valley.

Small dust clouds arose in a couple of places and the general carefully watched parties of Frenchmen, their blue and white uniforms grey as dust, moving wagons of foraged supplies over the wooden bridge and into their lines. Acevedo snapped his brass spyglass closed and descended off the outcrop, a dandified lancer officer helping him down with a piggy-back ride over the last few sharp boulders.

Acevedo had his eye on a distant prize it was true, but closer at hand were gifts just as plump and ripe for picking and which were less jealously guarded. The town of Miranda, bulging with French storehouses and magazines full of cannon, muskets, ball and powder. And nearer at hand than that, the enemy division below him that guarded the road to that place. It seemed a small unit, barely 5,000 men and lacked any cavalry. Acevedo had watched the French for several days and he could tell they were good troops who knew their drill well and whose voltigeurs had kept Quiros' brigade away from that vital bridge for over a week now, but even so... just 5,000... He called for an ADC, dictated a series of march and approach orders and the man then ran off to issue the papers to a suite of messengers. Below the rock outcrop Acevedo mounted his horse and watched a long column of dusty but enthusiastic troops, the dark grins showing their keen-ness to get at the hated French. The Army of Asturias was on the march.

The horseman in the blue jacket saw the twinkle of sunlight sparkling high on the bare shoulder of rock. He noted the position on the crude pencil map pinned to a board hung from his hip by a leather strap and turned his horse, cantering away in the shade of the lemon trees, unseen by the general above him.

The lieutenant reported to his captain and the captain passed the news to his battalion colonel. By mid-afternoon General Mouton, lounging in a tin bath outside his tent, had the grubby map in his hands. He lay aside his pipe and his glass of afternoon brandy and called for his batman to bring a towel. Drying himself from his bath and with only the towel wrapped about him, general Mouton sent orders to his own brigades. So those Spaniards were bored with this fortnight-long game of cat and mouse at the damned bridge, hm? They were going to try their luck? Excellent. Mouton was bored too. He'd been posted here almost a month and was tired of watching those rats skulking up among their rocks. Time to give those Catholics absolution!

Doodle is here:

http://doodle.com/cigtyt9ust24yy5z



We are using Pipe Creek map #1 for the battle. The watercourses shown in blue are UNCROSSABLE except where traversed by marked roads at either fords or bridges. Please set trees to 50% in your game options.

The blue line shows the approximate position of the French. The brown line near them is the position of General Quiros' Spanish brigade which has been there nearly 2 weeks contesting the bridge between them. The brown arrow shows the column of dust being raised by more approaching Spanish troops.

The key crossing of the main highway is circled in red and the lower right circle denotes the important highway SE to Miranda. This is Mouton's LoC and must be maintained. More detail in the private forums.

San Milan is in hex 32.07 and a bridge over the Ebro here guards the road north-west out of Miranda. This place is a critical traffic junction for the French, marking as it does the main western road from France into central Spain via Vitoria and Burgos as well as the critical west-east communication road down the Ebro valley via Zaragosa and Lerida to Barcelona. Unless its the main plaza in Madrid, there is perhaps no more critical crossroads in all Spain right now.

This will be a small battle, needing only 3 to 5 French players and up to 8 Spanish. If we are short, the Spanish team will work with 6 players, so 9 is the minimum needed.

Is there any chance you could offer Friday as well as Saturday in the doodle please, Diggers.  I appreciate that Fridays are generally less popular but you never know, and unfortunately I definitely cannot make next Saturday.

Martin (J)

Friday added with times of 8, 9, 10 pm UK time as I think the earlier times make it hard for USA based players to participate.

Much obliged.

Martin (J)

Just so that I am certain, what mods will I need, please? (I have the pipe creek maps and addition to SOW already installed).

Only Gunship24's "Road to Wagram and Peninsula" (the main Nap mod):

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w7qt1gj27c68ymj/Road+to+Wagram+%26+Peninsular.7z

And Kevin's most recent version of the "KS Napoleon Mod" it's version 1701.

http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/t1200-new-ks-napoleon-mod-version-1701

Thanks.

Hi All,

Anyone who can play please fill in the Doodle. We are short of Spanish players this week and we need 1 more in order to make the game even playable. More than that helps too of course.

We have enough French players but can fit 2 more - though these will only be battery commands. I would prefer to fill more Spanish slots before I allocate commanders to the French artillery so if things remain as tight as they are if an additional French player turns up but no more Spanish, the new guy will have to take a Spanish command.

Thanks everyone.

Given the support that 20:30 BST on Saturday 16th Aug has received, this is now our meeting time. Anyone needing to test set-ups and maps should get there at least an AN HOUR EARLIER, that is 19:30 BST. (Morsey, I'll be there then and hopefully Kevin to check your connection).

Greetings

Just signed up for the upcoming battle, if there there is a spot , will be there early just to make sure i have everything setup correctly.

Hello Rayle,

You're very welcome to join us. Please make sure you have the Road to Wagram and Peninsula mod installed and the latest version of the KS Napoleon Mod which is v1.701. If you can get onto Teamspeak about an hour before the formal start time this will help us help you to get your setup working for online play.

Rather than going by forum names we tend to like to get to know the person behind the title, so when you join us in TS, do please let us know your real name.

If you're interested in commanding a force on the strategic map, please say so. In a couple of turns, various forces will become free when a few players move over to command the British.

Greetings

  i have the required mods installed. i see you are online,how about logging into team speak  and give that a test

 Roger; that's my real name  

 Upon checking my installed mods I have the KS napoleon mod 1.650, that i downloaded from your sticky post for setting up to play Kriegspiel style games, where would i get the updated KS Nap. mod?

OK , there it is, found 1701

Excellent. You will need the Pipe Creek add-on. Make sure you have this installed and working before you enter TS. Have you filled in the Doodle? Link is just above the first map in the opening post.

Greetings

I have the Gettysburg Anniversary Edition so I am good to go. It is the Team Speak functioning or not is the question. Planning on logging in on Friday coming to give it a test run, somebody should be on, I guess. about 1500 UK time should be good, right?

Roger AKA rayle or Roberts sometimes

Okay, I'll try and be on at 15:00 UK time tomorrow. Unfortunately I can't host so we can't check your game set-up unless someone else is around.

Roger,

I've sent you a private message with my e-mail in it. Please contact me by e-mail and I will send you more details of Saturday's battle.

20:30 BST today (Saturday) has proved to be the most popular time so we will try our best to commence the game as soon after that as we can. This means please don't turn up at 20:30 BST but try to get there at least 30 minutes beforehand so we can test everyone's set-ups and the C-in-Cs have a few minutes to reveal their plans.

I know both sides have talked on their private forums concerning tactics so hopefully, unlike at Ordal, there won't be much time needed for that.

I hope to see you all there later today.

(Quick AAR, lengthy one may follow)
The smoke has barely settled on the field and as casualties and missing soldiers come wandering back from the front, I have ridden hard and fast to spread the news of our victory this day!

The french forces have been hammered a death blow in North West Spain! Figures on casualties are vague, but it has been rumored now that their supply line has been cut and their communications have been intercepted. I wonder what General Edens wife will think when she receives a "misguided" letter from his mistress??!! OR what will happen when the Spanish farmhands who are fighting in the ranks get hold of the fine french wine bound for generals further on the front?? Actions by Generals de Longa, Mantilla, Maestrada, and Lemaur have been exemplary, their men showing great bravery on the battle line. Our cannons also put the fear of god into the hearts of the imperial french. One general however stands completely to blame for any losses accumulated this day...that man is General Mariscal de Campo Gregorior Bernaldo de Quiros, a coward and a scoundrel! If he had conducted himself with any less bravery I would imagine the whole army would have routed by his example. He inflicted very little casualties upon the french while getting his entire brigade routed or killed. He will face harsh retribution for his actions and failures! Nevertheless, we shall not dwell on the scum of the enemy but rather the victory of our forces this fine summer day!
QUE VIVA ESPANA!

-Capitan General Acevedo

General Quiros led his already battered and disordered men valiantly in a suicidal charge across a bridge and up the hill into the teeth of the French guns as ordered by his commanding general. "Drive the invaders from our soil! Charge those guns!"
Who after giving the murderous orders to charge  nearly fell from his horse in his haste to depart the slaughter he ordered.
Or was it that he was so drunk he didn't understand what was happening?
The empty wine flask that fell from his clutches as he fled the field in haste was not lost on the survivors who gave their best for Spain.
3 regiments of conscripts and 1 irregular gave their all only to have their fine commanders name drug through the mud .....

Why is it that he has not yet chosen his second?
I have chosen swords better to see the wine spill from his worthless guts......

The Flanking Column consisting of the Regiments of Mantilla, Maestrada and Lemaur encountered unexpected French resistance in form of a Batallion on the Highground overseeing the critical crossing on the Rio Tortolas. General Mantilla was ordered to probe and potentially weaken the enemy Batallion for General Maestrada to storm the Bridge. Just at that moment, General Lemaur was dropped by a French Sharpshooter and Avecado had to personally take command of his troops.

It turned out that the French Batallion was deeply entrenched on the Highground overseeing the crossing. Mantilla's Brigade took heavy losses and it was decided, in light of fresh French Batallions arriving, to stall the attack. Avecado decided that crossing the river at this junction would be most impracticable. Facing with potential extinction of his Southern Command he decided to personally lead General Lemaur's Regiment further South to force a crossing at Estrada and cut the pivotal Valladolid road to Burgos at the Intersection of Camino.

In the meantime the artillery arrived. Avecado had mistakenly ordered them to a destination just short of where they were needed. With the commanding General absent, placement of the fieldpieces turned out to be difficult and ineffective. Lemaur by then had crossed the Rio Tortolas and made for the intersection of Camino. He was greeted by Spanish Cavalry under Fortunado and a full Regiment of Frenchmen originally ordered to disperse the Cavalry. Upon sight of Lemaur's men, the French Regiment turned around in style and after a quick exchange of volleys, Lemaur's men broke and ran for the nearest hills. Avecado managed to rally all but one regiment and place the remnants of his Regiment on the Camino intersection. Just minutes later, a French Batallion was spotted moving out of the woodwork Lemaur had just vacated. To the rescue came Fortunado himself, leading a Squadron of Lancers against French Infantry in Line. A severe mistake. The French Batallion surrendered and Camino was safe for the day.

Thanks Mitra.

Has anyone done one of those nice GCM-style replays?

Murat

In-game replay. The battle was dispersed over three widely separated actions so you may need to watch each bit on separate re-runs.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v64ql2af6r7b3sm/SanMilanReply.rar

========================================================

Uzquiza
14th July

General,

I am pleased to forward you my report of yesterday's action north of here and the part played by my cavalry in said battle.

I led my brigade across the Rio Pimo at Poza de la Sal in the early evening, at about six-thirty and proceded to close up to my scouts who had spent the night south of there, watching a number of crossings over the Ebro.

I led the cavalry across this river and established a position astride the Miranda Highway by seven o'clock in the evening. I could hear cannon and musketry to the north-west and smoke on the northern hills but held my position where you marked it on the map astride the road where several French supply carts coming up from the direction of Miranda were intercepted.

I awaited for some time the promised infantry from the west but none came for over an hour. I rode to the west trying to see the position at the Astudillo Fords and noted a French brigade of infantry there defending the river against what looked like three of our brigades and a battery. The enemy sent a battalion towards my vantage point so I withdrew back to the highway. Still there was no sign of our infantry getting across the Tortolas.

During this time I observed the northern noise of battle cease and scouting forwards with my first squadron of lanceros I noticed a French battalion arraigned in a column of companies facing away from me astride the road and in a hollow in the ground between two bodies of pine woods. I resolved at once to charge these French men from the rear. As the charge was sounded, a French general rode up from the left, galloping to the enemy unit and it reformed into line, swinging smartly about to face my lanceros. Nonetheless we charged bravely home, spearing some 100 of the enemy but losing 50 of our own men. The squadron withdrew into a thicket of trees nearby but a galling fire from the enemy musketeers obliged the squadron to flee, a most disagreeable performance.

I had now only a single squadron under command and dare not engage the enemy for fear of the untried troopers doing likewise so we blocked the highway and waited.

After some ten or fifteen minutes a French brigade advanced towards me then swung more southerly. It became clear the enemy general was leading his force towards a Spanish column to my left and I observed some regiments of General Lemaur's brigade coming over the hill from the valley of the Rio Tortolas and the village of Cegollos. At last we had crossed the river.

A sanguniary battle then ensued and after about fifteen or twenty minutes Lemaur's men and an officer of your staff arrived, a Colonel Byrdia. Three Spanish battalions formed up with my cavalry blocking the road. The enemy infantry marched away west towards Astudillo from whence the sounds of battle still raged, the distinct boom of our 12-pound guns being heard.

A body of French skirmishers issued from the woods to the west of the highway and I ordered my remaining squadron to deploy into line facing their flank. The enemy voltigeurs marched towards Lemaur's brigade and completely exposed their right flank and rear to my horsemen, thus I ordered the charge to be sounded and the lanceros put the enemy to flight within moments, capturing more than 50 of them as well as a fanion.

I then saw General Mantilla's brigade arriving further south-east of us. His men, too, took up a position cutting the road, as ordered. The French supply and communications route had been secured by elements of three brigades.


I am, and respectfully remain,
Sincerely yours,
Col. San Fortunado, Lanceros de Asturias

http://www.sowmp.com/gcm/battles/battle/8292

GCM Replay sans map.

In hindsight, we shouldn't have attacked up north at all because it allowed Mitra to pull away. Attacking across a ford into a French battery and Brigade doesn't really seem to work.