FIRST SIEGE OF  BADAJOZ

 SIEGE OF  B I HISTORICAL RECREATION SIEGES BADAJOZ

He divided his army into two bodies that advanced through the Guadiana Valley. These movements are closely followed by the army of Extremadura, who do not miss the opportunity to harass the French. In Usagre and in the vicinity of Almendralejo General Ballesteros with about 5000 men establishes contact with French troops, but these do not go from being mere skirmishes to control them.

In Almendralejo the two columns meet, waiting for the artillery siege train that was advancing more slowly. Soult could not besiege a fortress like Badajoz's with his reduced strength and consequently decided to change his plans. He sent his light cavalry under General Briche to take Merida, then left four squadrons of dragons in La Albuera, guarding the garrison of Badajoz, then went with the rest of his men to besiege Olivenza, square fortified that at that time he was not in the right conditions of defense.
When Soult arrived in Olivenza on January 11, he found a tightly garrisoned but unsustainable fortification. French heavy artillery began arriving on 19 January, and on 22 the French managed to reopen a gap in their poorly repaired walls. The garrison surrendered on 23 January, with more than 4000 Spaniards taken prisoner from the Army of Extremadura.

The Frenchman was then free to start the siege of Badajoz, which would culminate almost two months later. At the time, the garrison of the square had about 5,000 men, with the fortress being well endowed with defenses, ammunition and food.

FIRST SIEGE OR STORMING OF  BADAJOZ

Marshal Soult was then able to focus on the conquest of Badajoz, so on January 26th he ordered to start trench work, in order to attack the square from the south from three positions that, starting from the left bank of the Guadiana, Cerro del Viento and Valverde's way, they were to converge on the curtain of union between the bastions of San Juan and Santiago.

Immediately the first trenches began to open and in a few days, several batteries were located to the left of the Guadiana. The defense of the square was commanded by the Marshal de Campo D. Rafael Menacho, who did not remain inactive in the face of the blockade, deciding to harass the French with almost daily departures, in which he attacks the works and batteries that Soult tries to install, increasingly close to the glacis of fortification.

On 28 January, 54 French cannons begin bombing the Fort of Pardaleras. The days later Menacho at about four o'clock in the afternoon, he ordered the departure of the Seville Regiment, which was supported by 4 battalions and 2 cavalry squadrons, causing extensive destruction and heavy casualties to the enemy. The infantry takes the trench at bayonet point and on the right flank, the cavalry that had come out Puerta Palmas, followed by the covered path departing to the road of Olivenza, which crosses galloping, to charge violently against the batteries of the Cerro of the Wind, destroying the entire post and killing the Head of the Cazin Engineers Battalion and causing 200 casualties to the enemy.

Faced with the proximity of General Girand's troops, who came to the aid of the detachment, the Spaniards retreat to the protection of the square, covered by the fire of the fort of Pardaleras, welcoming to Badajoz by Puerta Pilar.

With forces reduced to the garrison enclosed in the square, completely blocked and isolated, all hopes were entrusted to their tenacious Governor, determined to bury their walls among the ruins of their walls, rather than submit to the French.

On 6 February, General Mendizábal advanced on Badajoz, succeeding in rejecting the French cavalry that went out to meet him. Forcing the French fence managed to enter Badajoz. With this operation the garrison of the square was reinforced considered, reaching for this, a total of 17,000 men.

But the city had neither the capacity nor the resources to host such a large troop, so Mendizabal decided to cross the Guadianae and camp between the fort of San Cristobal and the elevations of Santa Engracia. He left a part of his army in Badajoz, putting the number of defenders at 9,000 men, with an endowment of 170 pieces of artillery.

After Mendizábal's army in St Engracia was defeated, Marshal Soult sends a parliamentarian to Badajoz to negotiate his surrender, but Menacho refuses to receive him, and urges the garrison to resist within the city. If the enemy can break through the walls, they'll erect barricades, dig ditches in the streets, and open splinters in the houses.
The fort of Pardaleras is taken by the French on the night of 11 February, although the next day the artillery of the square reduced it to rubble after heavy bombardment. The following days are used to carry out successive exits from the besieged and continuous French bombardments, without significant progress.

The French batteries finally manage to open a gap of about 30 meters in the curtain located between the bastions of Santiago and San Juan, as well as in part of their flanks.

Croquis del 1er. Sitio de Badajoz sobre la ciudad actual.

Recreation of the site and the gap. On the left, Santiago's stronghold

Current image from the same point of view of the previous re-creation.

BATTLE OF GÉVORA OR SANTA ENGRACIA

Without taking into account the Duke of Wellington's recommendations, Mendizabal neglects his position without taking the necessary precautions. The French aware of this circumstance decide to ambush Mendizabal's army, crossing Genoa upstream and attacking the unsuspecting camped.

In the confusion, the entire Spanish cavalry flees. Mendizábal, orders the infantry to form in two cadreds, repelling from the hill of the Atalaya the attack of the French cavalry. This happened at first, as in later waves, the Spaniards oblious the mselves from breaking their ranks and dispersing. The Spaniards escaped in all directions, concluding the fight after an hour action. The Spaniards suffer the death of Brigadier José de Gabriel y Estenoz, a native of Badajoz, as well as 800 casualties among the dead and wounded. Another 4,000 men, including General Virués, are arrested with their equipment, 17 guns, 20 ammunition tanks and 5 flags. The French 400 casualties in this battle.

The next day the Spaniards make an exit from Badajoz, against the batteries located in front of the bastions of San Miguel and the Almond, storming the entrenchments and nailing and immobile several pieces. Spare parts of this new surprise the French manage to regroup and counterattack, expelling the Spaniards from the highs. The balance of this skirmish is 700 casualties for the besieged and 400 for the Gauls.

Plan of the siege of 1811 and the Battle of Gevora or Santa Engracia.

DEATH OF THE MENACHO MARSHAL

Emboldened by the Spaniards for these punishment actions against the besiegers, they continued to charge on the batteries of sappers and miners, located to the right of Pardaleras Fort, While some were dedicated to destroying the enemy, others nailed the artillery pieces, leaving them unused. So before they could be helped, they lost seven cannons, their equipment and the dust that was sent to the service of the square. Recovered the French make a great fire from a parallel next, forcing the assailants to retreat.

Governor Menacho, according to his custom, led operations from the Bomb Barracks in the bastion of San Juan. This was known by the French, who concentrated on that point a large gunning with shrapnel projectiles. One of them hit the General's side, penetrating one of his steel balls into his belly, causing a gravisma injured, which in a few minutes caused his death.

SURRENDER OF THE PLACE

General Imaz, second of the Marshal, assumes command of the square, in the face of bewilderment and sorrow of the inhabitants of the population and the troop that defended it.

Some 25,400 shells were thrown over Badajoz during the siege, with about 800 fifths of gunpowder spent. 8,800 meters of trenches were opened, which were fortified with 15,000 sacks of earth, 2,000 cestones and many other.

General Imaz, against the report of the engineers and the opinion of his General Staff, decided on 10 March to capitulate and hand the peace to Napoleon's forces.

The French enter the city, capturing 7,000 defenders. In hospitals and find 1,100 wounded and sick who are equally taken prisoner. The artilling of the square, about 170 cannons, with abundant projectiles and dust, are also seized. The French had about 2,000 casualties. Among the Spaniards Imaz's surrender was much criticized, as many were of the opinion of having endured the French assault or making their way between their lines. In addition, it was known that Massena retreated from the Vedras Tower Lines, and that the arrival of reinforcements with General Beresford was imminent.

FORTICFICATION BASTION

SIEGES OF BADAJOZ

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