Battle of Valls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Valls
Part of the Peninsular War
Battle of Valls
Date 25 February 1809 Location Valls, Spain 41°17′00″N 1°15′00″E / 41.2833°N 1.2500°E / 41.2833; 1.2500 Result French-allied victory
Belligerents
French Empire Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Westphalia	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr Annet Morio de L'Isle Domenico Pino	Theodor von Reding (DOW)
Strength
13,300	10,540-11,000 infantry, 700 cavalry, 8 guns
Casualties and losses
1,000 killed or wounded	1,500 killed or wounded 1,500 captured

The Battle of Valls was an important fight during the Peninsular War. It took place on February 25, 1809, near the town of Valls in Catalonia, Spain. In this battle, French forces led by General Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr fought against Spanish forces commanded by General Theodor von Reding. The battle ended with a victory for the French and their allies. Sadly, General Reding was badly hurt during a cavalry charge and later died from his wounds.

What Was the Peninsular War?

The Peninsular War was a big conflict that lasted from 1807 to 1814. It was part of the larger Napoleonic Wars across Europe. This war was fought mainly in Spain and Portugal. It involved France, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, trying to control the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish, Portuguese, and British armies fought back to defend their lands. The Battle of Valls was one of many battles in this long and difficult war.

The Battle of Valls: How It Unfolded

In early 1809, the Spanish General Reding found his army split up. One part of his army was cut off by a French attack. Reding decided he needed to bring his separated troops back together. He left the city of Tarragona with about 2,000 soldiers and most of his cavalry. On his journey, he successfully met up with other Spanish units. This brought his total strength to nearly 20,000 soldiers.

Reding then sent some of his men to watch a pass and continued towards Tarragona with the rest. However, the French General Saint-Cyr knew what Reding was doing. Saint-Cyr moved his troops to block the main roads back to Tarragona. One of Saint-Cyr's generals, Souham, took up a position in the town of Valls.

The Morning Skirmish

Even though he knew Souham was in Valls, Reding decided to take that route. His army marched through the night. Just before dawn, Reding's lead soldiers reached a bridge about two miles from Valls. Here, they ran into some of Souham's French soldiers, and a small fight began.

Both generals quickly got their armies ready for a bigger battle. Souham brought his entire division out of Valls and set them up north of the town. Reding thought Souham's force was not very strong. He pushed his front lines and most of his middle forces across the river. The French division eventually broke and fell back towards Valls.

The Main Fight

Most of Reding's army and their supplies had crossed the bridge. But Reding decided to give his soldiers a long break. Meanwhile, General Saint-Cyr heard about the fighting. He rushed to Valls with his cavalry and an Italian division. When Saint-Cyr arrived, the French soldiers rallied. Seeing this, Reding pulled his forces back across the river to a defensive spot.

After about three hours, the Italian division finally joined Saint-Cyr. The French formed their battle lines and crossed the river, even though the Spanish were firing at them. The Spanish soldiers fought hard, but as the French columns got closer, the Spanish lines began to break.

Reding's Last Stand

The only close-up fighting happened when General Reding, along with his officers and cavalry, bravely charged at the French. They were met by the Italian cavalry. In the fierce fight that followed, General Reding was seriously wounded three times. He later died from these injuries. The battle ended with a French victory.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The battle involved two main sides:

• French and Allies: This side included soldiers from the First French Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Kingdom of Westphalia. Their main commander was General Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr.
• Spanish Forces: The Spanish army was led by General Theodor von Reding.

The French and their allies had about 13,300 soldiers. The Spanish had slightly fewer, with around 10,540 to 11,000 infantry, 700 cavalry, and 8 cannons.

General Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, French commander.

General Joseph Souham, led a French division.

General Domenico Pino, an Italian commander.

Aftermath of the Battle

After the Battle of Valls, the French continued their advance in Catalonia. This led to other important events in the Peninsular War, such as the Third siege of Girona and the Battle of Alcañiz. The war continued for several more years across Spain and Portugal.

See also

• Timeline of the Peninsular War

Images for kids

• 

  General Joseph Chabran

• 

  General Louis François Jean Chabot

• 

  General Honoré Charles Reille

• 

  General Giuseppe Lechi