Battle of El Pla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of El Pla |
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| Part of Peninsular War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 First French Empire |
 Kingdom of Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Jacques MacDonald Francesco Eugenio † Giuseppe Palombini |
Marquis Campoverde Pedro Sarsfield |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| VII Corps |
Army of Catalonia |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 | 3,800 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 600 | 160 | ||||||
The Battle of El Pla was an important fight that happened on January 15, 1811. It took place near El Pla de Santa Maria in Catalonia, Spain. In this battle, Spanish soldiers led by Pedro Sarsfield fought against French and Italian troops. The Spanish army managed to push back the attack and win the battle. This event was part of the Peninsular War, which was a big conflict during the Napoleonic Wars.
Why the Battle Happened
The battle happened shortly after the Siege of Tortosa ended. In this siege, the French army, led by General Louis Gabriel Suchet, captured the Spanish city of Tortosa. During that time, another French army, called the VII Corps and led by Jacques MacDonald, kept the main Spanish army from helping Tortosa.
The Battle Unfolds
After the siege of Tortosa was over, Marshal MacDonald and his 12,000 soldiers started moving towards Lleida. As they reached Valls, a French commander named Francesco Eugenio decided to attack a nearby Spanish force. However, Eugenio was badly hurt and his soldiers were forced to retreat by Sarsfield's Spanish troops.
Later, another group of Italian soldiers joined Eugenio's remaining men. But Sarsfield attacked again, defeating both Italian groups. Only a small group of French cavalry, led by Jacques-Antoine-Adrien Delort, stopped the French and Italian forces from being completely destroyed. After the fighting, MacDonald realized that the main Spanish army was coming up behind him. So, during the night, he quickly marched his troops north to Montblanc, giving up the battlefield to the Spanish.
What Happened Next
After this battle, the French continued their efforts to take control of the Aragon region in Spain. One of the next major events was the Siege of Figueras.
Who Fought in the Battle
The French and Italian forces included several groups of infantry (foot soldiers) and some cavalry (horseback soldiers).
- They had two battalions each from the 1st and 2nd Italian Light Infantry Regiments.
- They also had two battalions each from the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Italian Line Infantry Regiments.
- One battalion from the 8th Italian Line Infantry Regiment was also present.
- About 30 cavalrymen from the Italian Royal Chasseurs à Cheval fought.
- Towards the end of the battle, two squadrons of the French 24th Dragoon Regiment joined the fight.
