Battle of Montserrat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Montserrat
Part of Peninsular War
Montserrat as seen from Manresa
Date 25 July 1811 Location Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain 41°35′34″N 1°50′12″E / 41.59278°N 1.83667°E / 41.59278; 1.83667 Result French victory
Belligerents
First French Empire	Kingdom of Spain
Commanders and leaders
Marshal Suchet	Baron de Eroles
Units involved
Army of Aragon	Army of Catalonia
Strength
10,000+	1,500, 10 guns
Casualties and losses
200	400, 10 guns

The Battle of Montserrat happened on July 29, 1811. It was a fight between Spanish irregular soldiers and French troops. The Spanish were led by Joaquín Ibáñez, Baron de Eroles. The French were commanded by Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet. This small battle was part of the Peninsular War. This war was itself a part of the bigger Napoleonic Wars. The fighting took place near the Santa Maria de Montserrat Monastery. This monastery is on Montserrat Mountain in Catalonia, Spain. It's about 36 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Barcelona.

What Happened at Montserrat?

Marshal Suchet had just won a big victory. He had captured Tarragona. This wiped out most of Spain's regular army in northeast Spain. After this win, Suchet was promoted to Marshal. He then took two French divisions. These divisions were led by Louis François Félix Musnier and Bernard-Georges-François Frère. Their job was to clear out Spanish local fighters. These fighters, also called miquelets, were near the Lleida–Barcelona road.

Montserrat had been a base for these Spanish fighters. It was a tough place to attack. The French had tried for three years to get rid of them. Suchet sent soldiers from Louis Jean Nicolas Abbé's brigade up one mountain path. His other troops watched other ways the Spanish might escape.

The French soldiers managed to take over the Spanish base. They captured the Spanish cannons. But most of the Spanish irregular fighters got away. Suchet then put an Italian army group in charge of the mountain. However, the Imperial troops were later pulled out. This happened after Spanish forces, led by Luis Roberto de Lacy, captured Cervera in mid-October.

Who Was Fighting?

In July 1811, Marshal Suchet's Army of Aragon had many soldiers. He reported over 43,000 troops ready for duty. This included five groups of infantry (foot soldiers). There was also one infantry brigade and one cavalry brigade. The main leaders of these groups were Generals of Division Musnier, Frère, Jean Isidore Harispe, Pierre-Joseph Habert, Luigi Gaspare Peyri, and Claude Antoine Compère. The cavalry was led by General of Brigade André Joseph Boussart.