battle gevora badajoz

Soult surprised by the bold movement of these forces and worried by the success of his mission, observed meticulously the behavior of this body of army encamped in the surrounding areas of Badajoz. First it bombarded intensely Mendizábal's camp, which one had to withdraw from the surroundings of the fort and to avoid to be a white of French artillery.

In these conditions, Soult ordered that from Merida his cavalry should come with rapidity to the place supervised by Latour-Maubourg with 3.000 workforce, to place it to Mendizábal's left flank, once forded the Gévora, always with supreme seal and before the unconcern of the Spanish control.

The allied camp was seen wrapped and attacked by the cavalry, at the same time as the marshall Mortier ordered to Turn to advance with the infantry after crossing the Gévora. The Portuguese cavalry without the sufficient support fled towards Elvas, remaining helpless and surrounded Mendizábal that forming two pictures, it tried to resist uselessly the French assault. In an hour there fell down, between dead and wounded, 800 Spanish (between them the brigadier of Gabriel died) and 400 Frenchmen. The forces of Soult 4.000 prisoners did, getting hold of numerous pieces of artillery and varied armament. In the confusion of the battle, only scanty workforce managed to come sheltered by the fortification at the head of Mendizábal.

This battle had two very serious consequences. One of them was the loss of the square of Badajoz, after the death of the general Menacho. Other one, not less importantly, the practical disappearance of the only operative army of Estremadura.

GEVORA'S BATTLE (SAINT ENGRACIA)
`Versão portuguesa`		Version française
The strategic position of the strength of Badajoz, has caused frequent armed, related clashes so much with the possession of the square, how under control of the zone for the supply and step of the different armies who were operating in the peninsula, durantes multiple clashes celebrated along the history. This battle, which took place on the verge of his fortification bastion, was one of the most significant examples.

	Some historians mention it as battle of Holy Engracia, since it passed partly in a few heights placed between the fort of St Kitts and the river Gévora. As precedent of the same one, it is necessary to emphasize that the marshall Soult had put fence to Badajoz, which conquest was indispensable to protect the French rear and to continue attacking from Towers Vedras, the capital of Portugal.In aid of Badajoz and in order to avoid the loss of the square, the Duke of Wellington entrusted to the Marquess of the Roman (Captain General Pedro Caro and Surera) the control of a force 8.000 Spanish infantes and 1.200 men of the Portuguese cavalry, in order that with precise instructions they were contributing to the break of the fence of Badajoz. A few days after this agreement D. Pedro Caro dies suddenly, the responsibility of the operation being assigned to the Marquess of Mendizábal, that breaking the fence of the city it was found in the heights of Holy Engracia, under the protection of the fort of St Kitts and the confluence of the river Gévora with the Guadiana. Nevertheless he neither adopted the necessary precautions, nor followed the instructions of Wellington.
Soult surprised by the bold movement of these forces and worried by the success of his mission, observed meticulously the behavior of this body of army encamped in the surrounding areas of Badajoz. First it bombarded intensely Mendizábal's camp, which one had to withdraw from the surroundings of the fort and to avoid to be a white of French artillery. In these conditions, Soult ordered that from Merida his cavalry should come with rapidity to the place supervised by Latour-Maubourg with 3.000 workforce, to place it to Mendizábal's left flank, once forded the Gévora, always with supreme seal and before the unconcern of the Spanish control. The allied camp was seen wrapped and attacked by the cavalry, at the same time as the marshall Mortier ordered to Turn to advance with the infantry after crossing the Gévora. The Portuguese cavalry without the sufficient support fled towards Elvas, remaining helpless and surrounded Mendizábal that forming two pictures, it tried to resist uselessly the French assault. In an hour there fell down, between dead and wounded, 800 Spanish (between them the brigadier of Gabriel died) and 400 Frenchmen. The forces of Soult 4.000 prisoners did, getting hold of numerous pieces of artillery and varied armament. In the confusion of the battle, only scanty workforce managed to come sheltered by the fortification at the head of Mendizábal. This battle had two very serious consequences. One of them was the loss of the square of Badajoz, after the death of the general Menacho. Other one, not less importantly, the practical disappearance of the only operative army of Estremadura.