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Battle of Puerto de Baños

The Battle of Puerto de Baños (12 August 1809) saw a Portuguese-Spanish column led by Robert Wilson attempt to defend a mountain pass against Marshal Michel Ney's VI Corps. After a nine-hour combat, Wilson's force broke up and scattered into the mountains. Baños de Montemayor is located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northeast of Plasencia, Spain. The clash occurred during the Peninsular War, part of a larger struggle known as the Napoleonic Wars.

Battle of Puerto de Baños
Part of Peninsular War

Baños de Montemayor
Date12 August 1809
Location
Baños de Montemayor, Spain
40°19′6″N 5°51′26″W / 40.31833°N 5.85722°W / 40.31833; -5.85722
Result French victory
Belligerents
France French Empire Portugal
Spain Spain
Commanders and leaders
France Michel Ney
France Maurice Mathieu		 Robert Wilson
Strength
12,500 3,500
Casualties and losses
185 400
Peninsular war: Castile & Andalusia 1809–1810
Map
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100km
62miles
Tormes
12
Battle of Alba de Tormes at Tormes, on 26 November 1809
11
Battle of Ocaña at Ocaña, on 19 November 1809
Tamames
10
Battle of Tamames at Tamames, on 18 October 1809
9
Battle of Almonacid at Almonacid, on 11 August 1809
8
Battle of Arzobispo at Arzobispo, on 8 August 1809
Talavera
7
Battle of Talavera at Talavera, on 27–28 July 1809
Alcántara
6
Battle of Alcántara (1809) at Alcántara, on 14 May 1809
Medellín
5
Battle of Medellín at Medellín, on 28 March 1809
Ciudad Real
4
Battle of Ciudad Real at Ciudad Real, on 27 March 1809
3
Battle of Los Yébenes at Los Yébenes, on 24 March 1809
2
Battle of Miajadas at Miajadas, on 21 March 1809
Uclés
1
Battle of Uclés (1809) at Uclés, on 13 January 1809

Background

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In the summer of 1809, the British army of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington marched into western Spain to join Gregorio García de la Cuesta's Spanish army. Wilson's 3,500-man Portuguese-Spanish force served as the left flank guard of this offensive. The Allied armies defeated King Joseph Bonaparte's Imperial French army at Talavera at the end of July. However, the threat of Marshal Nicolas Soult's large army to the north soon forced Wellesley and Cuesta to withdraw to the west.

Battle

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Having advanced to Escalona, Wilson found himself isolated by the sudden concentration of French forces. The Portuguese-Spanish force successfully dodged some French intercepting columns by taking to the mountains. At Puerto de Baños, Wilson found Ney's corps marching north to cross the pass and decided to fight. After a skillful defense, Wilson's troops were finally defeated, but they escaped into Portugal without further incident.

Further reading

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  • Gates, David (2002). The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War. London: Pimlico. ISBN 0-7126-9730-6.
  • Oman, Sir Charles William Chadwick (1902b). A History of the Peninsular War. Vol. II. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  • Smith, Digby (1998). The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-276-9.
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