Battle of Ocana 1809 Napoleonic WRG in 25/28mm (January 2012)

Battle of Ocana 1809

Robert decided he wanted us to refight the battle of Ocana in 1809 (not that we were travelling to 1809).

Between the Spanish Army of La Mancha and the French Army of the Centre.
The historical battle ended up with a resounding French victory, the French massed most of their cavalry on the Left Flank opposite the Spanish cavalry on the Spanish Right Flank.  The French cavalry overthrew the Spanish cavalry and then with the French infantry and the French Grand Battery overthrew the Spanish infantry.

Did that happen in our refight, in a word "No".  Jason command the Spanish Right Flank cavalry, Don was C-in-C and commanded the right, Geoff command the centre and I (Thoran) commanded the Spanish Left Flank.

On the French side Robert was French C-in-C and commanded the French massed cavalry on the Left Flank opposite Jason, then Paul B commanded the French Left opposite Don, Zac the Centre opposite Geoff and Paul C the Right Flank opposite me.

The French Left Flank cavalry was beaten by the Spanish cavalry (this was well done by Don Jason) don't think Rob was too happy about this (let you know when he comes down from the roof), then the French Left was pushing hard against the Spanish Right (but the French Left was in danger from the remaining Spanish cavalry).
The French Centre was pressing the Spanish Centre and inflicting large number of Spanish casualties with the massed guns (destroyed two battalions of the Regimento de Corona and the battalions of the  Provinical de Rhonda and Provincial de Alcazar).

The French Right attacked the Spanish Left and was held and partly pushed back even though the Spanish came under some heavy fire from the massed French guns.  The Spanish artillery on the left did do a fair bit of damage to the French infantry (and King Joseph's Royal Guard).

By the end of the day the French cavalry on both flanks (will have to award the Cazadores de Pavia [Brunswick Hussars] a medal for beating two French regiments [including the Royal Guard] and two batteries) had been beaten and their infantry attacks were being held and half of the French Grand Battery had been overrun by Spanish cavalry.

Although the battle had not ended we can say thet it is a Spanish victory as the French Left Flank was gone the French Right and Centre where bogged down trying to push against the stubbon Spanish.  The French Right Flank had lost half of the Grand Battery all it's cavalry and most of the original infantry (This flank like the Spanish had been reinforced by the Centre).

See below.

Spanish Centre (my white uniformed Austrians acting as Spanish)

Ocana

Spanish Left Flank (Austrian Hussars and Brunswick Hussars, did not have enough Spanish Cavalry)

Ocana

French Grand Battery (Two 12pdr and two 8pdr companies)

French Right with the Royal Guard

More of the Spanish Centre (Austrian infantry was used to make up the numbers of the Spanish)

Spanish Right Flank, Massed cavalry.

French Left Flank. Massed cavalry

French Right

Spanish Centre from the French Centre

Spanish Right under the C-in-C

Ocana

Spanish reinforcements from the Centre for the Left

Spanish Centre showing the reinforcements moving to the Left

Where is all the cavalry

Spanish Centre giving some support to the Right

Spanish Left

Spanish Left, French Right

Some of the Grand battery crews on the run (Spanish cavalry had charged them)

Spanish Right Flank cavalry

Ocana (3 Spanish battalions were wiped out by the French Grand Battery here)

Spanish Left Flank

French Right Flank

French Grand Battery

French Left moving against the Spanish Right

The destruction of the French cavalry (well done, Jason & Don)