Second Battle of Boulou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Second Battle of Boulou
Part of the War of the Pyrenees
Battle of Boulou, by Jacques Gamelin
Date 29 April – 1 May 1794 Location Le Boulou, Pyrénées-Orientales, France 42°31′29″N 2°49′51″E / 42.5247°N 2.8308°E / 42.5247; 2.8308 Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Spain Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Jacques Dugommier Pierre Augereau	Luis Firmín de la Unión John Forbes
Strength
16,000	15,000
Casualties and losses
20 killed, 300 wounded	2,000 killed or wounded, 1,500 captured

The Second Battle of Boulou was an important fight during the War of the Pyrenees. This war was part of the bigger French Revolutionary Wars. The battle happened from April 29 to May 1, 1794.

In this battle, the French army, led by General Jacques François Dugommier, attacked the combined Spanish and Portuguese forces. These forces were commanded by General Luis Firmín de Carvajal, Conde de la Unión. General Dugommier won a big victory. This win helped France get back almost all the land they had lost to Spain in 1793.

The town of Le Boulou is in France. It is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Perpignan. It is also about 7 kilometres (4 mi) north of Le Perthus, which is on the border with Spain.

In the spring of 1794, the Spanish army held French land south of the Tech River. Their right side, near the Mediterranean Sea, was separated from their main army by mountains. General Dugommier used a clever trick. He made his right side look like it was attacking. This made the Spanish move their troops away from the center. Then, the French attacked the gap in the Spanish lines. They went around the Spanish center. This forced the Spanish to retreat over a tough mountain pass. The Spanish lost many soldiers. They also had to leave behind their wagons and all their cannons.

Background to the Battle

War in 1793

The year 1793 was hard for the French army. They were not well-trained and had to defend Roussillon from the Spanish. In June, the French lost Fort de Bellegarde after a siege. This fort was very important because it controlled a key mountain pass.

However, the French fought back. They stopped the Spanish at the Battle of Perpignan in July. Then, in September, the French won a battle at Battle of Peyrestortes. But five days later, the Spanish defeated the French at the Battle of Truillas.

After this, the Spanish general, Antonio Ricardos, moved back to the Tech River valley. The French tried many times to push him back into Spain, but they failed. The Spanish captured Collioure and Fort Saint-Elme in December. This was a big loss for the French.

New Leaders for the Armies

Map of the War of the Pyrenees, Eastern Front

In January 1794, General Jacques François Dugommier took command of the French army. He had just won a big victory at the Siege of Toulon. Dugommier started to completely reorganize the army. He set up places for supplies, hospitals, and weapons. He also made roads better.

Dugommier's army grew to 28,000 soldiers. He divided his army into three main groups. These groups were led by Generals Dominique Catherine de Pérignon, Pierre Augereau, and Pierre François Sauret. There was also a cavalry group and a reserve group.

Meanwhile, the Spanish army also faced changes. Their main general, Antonio Ricardos, died. His replacement also died before he could reach the army. So, General Luis Firmín de Carvajal, Conde de la Unión finally took command. He had refused three times because he felt the army was too weak. He said they needed "an angel and not a man" to lead it.

The Battle Plan

Setting a Trap

Pont du Diable in Céret, looking south toward the Pyrenees

General de la Unión had about 20,000 soldiers. He placed them to defend the Tech valley. His army was spread out, with defenses both north and south of the river. The Spanish right side was near the coast. Their center was at Le Boulou. Their left side was at Céret, where de la Unión had his headquarters. A group of Portuguese soldiers was also with the Spanish army.

General Dugommier had a plan. He thought the Spanish army was too far to the west. He wanted to cross the Tech River and attack the Spanish from behind. To make this easier, he told General Augereau to pretend to attack Céret. This would make the Spanish move more troops to their left side. Dugommier also kept his main forces hidden from the river.

The main Spanish supply route went from Le Boulou through a pass called Le Perthus. Dugommier wanted to force the Spanish to retreat over a much harder pass called Col du Porteille. If they had to use this pass, they might have to leave their wagons, cannons, and supplies behind.

In late April, Augereau built a small fort near Céret. The Spanish built two forts of their own. On April 27, Augereau tested the Spanish defenses. The next day, he captured one of the new Spanish forts. This made de la Unión send 2,000 soldiers from his center to his left.

On April 29, de la Unión sent 3,000 soldiers to attack Augereau. Augereau followed his orders. He fought a slow retreat, drawing the Spanish troops further away. De la Unión eventually stopped the attack. But he left some cavalry to watch Augereau.

That night, the Spanish generals met. De la Unión's main advisor saw through Augereau's trick. He suggested that the Spanish attack the French center near Le Boulou. The generals agreed. They also decided to move their supplies away for safety. But they waited until the next morning to give the orders.

French Attack Begins

Map of the Battle of Boulou in 1794

In the early morning of April 30, General Pérignon's French division crossed the Tech River. Their plan was to climb the mountains behind the Spanish camps. This would allow them to attack the Spanish from the rear.

One French group climbed Saint Christopher Peak. They set up cannons and fired on the Spanish positions from behind. Another group moved west to cut off the road to Bellegarde. Other French groups attacked Spanish forts and camps.

While these attacks happened in the center, Augereau took back a town called Oms on the French right side. On the left, Sauret captured Argelès-sur-Mer. To make the French army look even bigger, Dugommier placed many new, untrained soldiers near his headquarters.

Montesquieu-des-Albères

De la Unión sent more soldiers to help his struggling forces. But these reinforcements could not stop the strong French attack.

On May 1, de la Unión saw that his defenses were collapsing. He prepared to retreat. The French continued their attacks, capturing more Spanish camps. The Spanish were forced to retreat, leaving behind their wounded.

As the Spanish army retreated, they ran into a French ambush. Many Spanish wagons and cannons were destroyed or left behind. Most of the Spanish army had to climb the steep road to the Col du Porteille pass. The French chased them, making their retreat even harder.

Results of the Battle

The Spanish army suffered heavy losses. About 2,000 soldiers were killed or wounded. Another 1,500 soldiers were captured. The French also captured 140 cannons and all the Spanish army's supplies and baggage.

The French had very few losses. Only 20 soldiers were killed. Historians say that the Spanish army never fully recovered from this defeat. After the Battle of Boulou, the only Spanish forts left in France were Collioure and Bellegarde. The French captured Collioure in May and Bellegarde in September 1794.