Battle of Roncesvalles (1813) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Roncesvalles
Part of the Peninsular War
Image is a map of the Combat of Roncesvalles. It is copied from Sir Charles Oman's "A History of the Peninsular War: Volume VI" which was originally published in 1922. Oman died in 1946.
Date 25 July 1813 Location Roncevaux Pass, Spain 43°01′13″N 1°19′26″W / 43.02028°N 1.32389°W / 43.02028; -1.32389 Result French victory
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom Portugal
Commanders and leaders
General Reille	Major-General Cole
Strength
40,000 men 8 guns	11,000 men
Casualties and losses
200 dead or wounded	450 dead or wounded

The Battle of Roncesvalles was a fight between French forces and a group of British and Portuguese soldiers. It happened on July 25, 1813, in the Roncevaux Pass in Spain. This battle was part of a bigger war called the Peninsular War, which lasted from 1808 to 1814.

Why the Battle Happened

After a big win at the Battle of Vitoria, the Allied forces were feeling strong. These forces were led by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, a famous British general. They had beaten the French army, which was led by King Joseph Bonaparte.

Wellington wanted to capture two important French strongholds in Spain: San Sebastián and Pamplona. These were the last places the French still held in Spain.

Wellington focused most of his efforts on capturing San Sebastián, a key port city. He sent about 11,000 soldiers to surround and block Pamplona. To stop the French from attacking back through the mountains, Wellington spread his troops out. They covered about 50 kilometers (30 miles) of mountain passes.

The Battle Begins

The French army, led by Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, quickly got ready to fight again. They launched a surprise attack towards Pamplona. They moved through two mountain passes: Maya and Roncesvalles.

At Roncesvalles, the French had a huge army of 40,000 soldiers and 8 mountain guns. They were led by Generals Reille and Clausel. The pass was defended by about 11,000 British soldiers from the 4th Division. They also had help from a Portuguese brigade.

The French attacked from a town called Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. They split into two groups, attacking on both sides of the pass. General Clausel attacked on one side, and General Reille on the other.

The fighting started around 6:00 AM. The British soldiers were greatly outnumbered. A British brigade on the eastern side fought bravely for three hours. But they were eventually forced to fall back.

By 2:00 PM, the British commander, Major-General Galbraith Lowry Cole, brought in more soldiers. However, around 5:00 PM, a thick fog covered the battlefield. At the same time, the Portuguese soldiers fought off French attacks in a valley. Despite orders to hold their ground, General Cole decided to pull his troops back towards Pamplona.

What Happened Next

The Allied forces regrouped after the battle. They prepared for another fight near a village called Sorauren. This led to the Battle of Sorauren just two days later.

Later, General Wellington admitted he made a mistake. He said that trying to capture both San Sebastián and Pamplona at the same time was "one of the greatest faults he ever committed in war."

Years later, a soldier named Colonel Walter O'Hara named a street in Toronto, Canada, after this battle. This street is called Roncesvalles Avenue. Because of this street, the whole neighborhood around it is now known as Roncesvalles, Toronto.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Roncesvalles (1813) para niños