Battle of Miajadas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Miajadas |
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| Part of Peninsular War | |||||||
 General Count de Lasalle, one of the most talented French cavalry commanders, led the pursuit of the Spanish army ahead of his cavalry division. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Kingdom of Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Jacques Gervais Subervie | Juan Henestrosa | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 regiment | 2 regiments | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 132-150 | low | ||||||
The Battle of Miajadas took place on March 21, 1809, in Miajadas, Spain. It was an important event during the Peninsular War. In this battle, Spanish cavalry, led by General Juan Henestrosa, surprised a French cavalry regiment. The French soldiers were from the 10th Horse Chasseurs Regiment. They were led by Colonel Subervie. The Spanish cavalry charged them from the side, causing many losses for the French.
Contents
Why Did the Battle of Miajadas Happen?
This battle was part of the bigger Peninsular War. This war was fought between France and its allies against Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. In January 1809, the French leader Napoleon went back to France. Before leaving, he asked his brother Joseph Bonaparte, who was King of Spain, to take control of a region called Andalusia.
A French army group, led by Marshal Claude-Victor Perrin, was given this job. This group had about 20,000 soldiers and 50 cannons. They started their mission on March 15, 1809.
The French army moved across the Tagus River. They headed towards Almaraz. This area was defended by the Spanish Army of Extremadura. This Spanish army was led by Captain-General Gregorio García de la Cuesta. The Spanish forces faced some defeats. These losses made General La Cuesta pull his army back. They moved towards the Guadiana River.
During this retreat, the Spanish cavalry was important. General Henestrosa's cavalry was assigned to protect the rear of the Spanish army. On the French side, General Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle led the chase. His cavalry division was made up of several regiments.
A small fight happened on March 20 at Berrocal. French cavalry fought some Spanish soldiers. The Spanish were pushed back. The next day, as La Cuesta's army kept retreating, General Henestrosa decided to set a trap for the French.
How the Ambush at Miajadas Unfolded
On March 21, the 10th French Horse Chasseurs Regiment was ahead of the rest of General Lasalle's forces. Colonel Subervie led this regiment. They arrived near the village of Miajadas. They did not know the Spanish rearguard was waiting there.
General Henestrosa saw this French regiment was alone. He placed a small group of cavalry in front of Miajadas. This was to trick the French. He hid his main units, the Almanza and Infante Cavalry Regiments, on both sides of the road.
Colonel Subervie fell into the trap. He ordered his soldiers to charge the few Spanish cavalrymen outside the village. As soon as the French charged, the hidden Spanish cavalry attacked. They quickly defeated the 10th Chasseurs. The French suffered many losses in this unequal fight.
After the ambush, General Henestrosa was able to pull his troops back safely. General Lasalle arrived on the battlefield with the rest of his division right after the fight. But it was too late to catch Henestrosa.
What Was the Outcome of the Battle?
The Battle of Miajadas was a clear Spanish victory. The 10th French Chasseurs Regiment suffered heavy losses. Reports say between 132 and 150 French soldiers were killed or wounded. Spanish losses were very low.
This setback at Miajadas made General Lasalle stop his pursuit of the Spanish army. This gave General La Cuesta time to get more soldiers. Feeling confident after this success, the Spanish general positioned his army near Medellín. The French arrived there on March 23.
A bigger battle happened next, called the Battle of Medellín. At first, things looked good for the Spanish. But soon, the battle turned into a disaster for them. General Lasalle's cavalry played a big part. They helped defeat the Spanish forces. This helped make up for the losses the 10th Regiment had faced at Miajadas.
See also
