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SECOND SIEGE OF BADAJOZ
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The Duke of Wellington before the situation of weakness and isolation enque was the strong square of Badajoz, after being taken by the French ejécito, it gave concrete instructions to the general Beresford in order that sitíe and it takes the city. |
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SECOND
SIEGE OR STORMING OF BADAJOZ |
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On April 16, a loud gunfire was heard in the direction of Olivenza, becoming known shortly after that it had fallen into the allies' possession. Fortunately, General Cole decided to take over the siege of this square and postpone the one in Badajoz, which was in a very precarious situation. The French, knowledgeable that the Allies were guarding the city from afar, decided to organize on March 23 a column composed of four sapper companies, four of engineers and thirty artillery tanks, in order to stock up on firewood and others Materials. Getting away about two leagues from the city (almost two hours' drive), was certainly a risky exit, but forced by circumstances. When the task was already accomplished and the carriages loaded, the city's lookouts discovered the presence of a detachment of 1,500 infantrymen and 400 on horseback along the road of Jurumeña that soon unfolded by the hills of the Wind and the lebratos , surrounding the city from the south. Immediately several batteries fired their cannons, to alert the expedition commanded by Commander Marquet. He ordered the column to abandon the carriages to a league of the fortification and to speed through the shelter of the walls. Philippon ordered the departure of an infantry battalion, 50 cavalrymen and two artillery pieces who rose rapidly towards the Windhill Hill. The Allies suddenly felt on two different fronts. One force from the square, and an unknown force, advancing along the road to Valverde, decided to hastily abandon the position, leaving several dead, numerous wounded and 40 soldiers and officers prisoners. Upon the enemy's escape, all abandoned materials were recovered, but it was found that the Allies closed the city's siege and that the siege of the city began inexorably. |
Mapa del segundo asedio a Badajoz. 1ª defensa francesa |
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From the square it was known how
the site positions were taken and as successive forces were incorporated
into the next operations. The first days of May ran without clashes. The
weather became very rainy in such a way that large areas around the city
were flooded, making it difficult to siege. Engineers designed the
construction of a dam at the height of the Rivillas bridge, so that the east
front of the fortress was flooded, from the reveline of San Roque to the
bastion of Santa Maria.
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 Troop movement on the current plane of the city |
Response of the French to gunnery fire from the Cuestas of the Orinaza |
 The bridge and the niche from San Cristobal |
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On 12 Beresford, a beresford mp an MP asked to present the governor with
a letter offering the capitulation of Badajoz, to which Philippon
replied stoutly that his duty was to defend his positions. That same
night, clashes took place in the city's glacis, trying to force the
French to abandon the covered roads.
On the 13th morning the besieged watched with stupor as the Allies regrouped their forces and made strange movements. At night, numerous shooters opened fire almost around the perimeter of the fortification, fearing a general attack at all points. The batteries were thoroughly used, enforcing this impetuous attack. In the following days, a large number of forces were withdrawn and the batteries were silenced. The French decided on the 16th to make a reconnaissance outing with four infantry companies, 500 cavalry companies and numerous engineers. They checked the withdrawal of most of the besieged forces and took the detachments guarding the posts near the fortress. Fulfilled the mission of this departure and in the face of the threat of nearby detachments the French retreated to their positions. Beresford receives reports that Marshal Soult, at the head of the 4th French Army Corps, had left Seville two days earlier, advancing through Guadalcanal, where he was joined by the cavalry of Latour Maubourg. Two days later in the face of this threat, he ordered the siege to be lifted, heading to the town of La Albuera, where the Allies had concentrated on trying to intercept and beat the French army. The besieged, without understanding what was happening and unaware of the great battle that was coming, did not understand how the English left the siege when the conditions of the square advised the imminent attack. The next day, the encirclement of the city was over. The silence was total. A silence erasing the roar of 80 artillery pieces exchanging their fires at the Battle of the Albuera, where 60,000 men fought in one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War. |
Antonio García Candelas
Suggestions and impressions
| SIEGES OF BADAJOZ | ENTER |
