Napoleonic - Song of Drums & Shakos : the Peninsula

Spain 1809

10:30AM NOVEMBER 17th

ZARAGOSSA-HUERTA ROAD

Being an after-battle report by Mr D- W-.

A detachment of French infantry from the 17th regiment de Ligne 3rd (Fusilier) Company under Sous-Lieutenant Reno is escorting the weekly oxcart of supplies for the small garrison at Huerta.

The group is making good progress except for young Soldat Villechaize who, having gone with the veterans to the taberna the previous night, is in his third visit to the bushes in as many miles. An exasperated Sous-Lieutenant trots back and reminds him what Spanish women have been doing to unfortunate French stragglers. Soldat Villechaize, frantically pulling up his trousers, races to catch up.

Sous-Lieutenant Reno is still at the rear of the escort when shouts from in front of the cart indicate that figures can be seen moving around in nearby St Juan's Wood to the east of the road. A few seconds later a couple of shots came from the wood and Soldat Casson staggers back as a near miss tears through his knapsack. Lt. Reno orders the rear section to advance as the front section of the escort returns fire knocking down Sancho Grazia.

As the rear section passes the wagon they also open fire on the guerillos wounding Fr Jaime Saville & Mark Consuelos and knocking down Sancho Grazia yet again after he had just regained his feet. To the consternation of the French escort a further group of guerillos appears at the edge of Tapas Wood and open fire as the French are frantically trying to reload. Luckily for the French the shots whistle past them without effect and a few seconds later the front section of the escort manages to complete their reload and return fire at Tapas Wood. The French return fire proves to be very effective and Pedro Sanchez is killed outright and Fernando Franco wounded and the other guerillos retreat into the wood.

Sous Lieutenant Reno orders the rear section to clear St Juan's Wood at the point of the bayonet which they do, wounding Sancho Grazia. They disarm the wounded and rejoin the detachment. On their return to the road, the detachment reloads and forms up once more. They move along the road and as they are on the point of passing the edge of St Juan's Wood the guerrilos in the wood attack once more.

Sous Lieutenant Reno orders an immediate volley and the resultant hail of musket balls kills the Spanish commander Segundo de Iglesias outright and forces the guerillos to take a morale test which they fail, the majority fleeing beyond the wood and only Fr Rafael de Harris disappearing into the wood.

 

 Sous Lieutenant Reno orders a section to check the wood and retrieve any arms and ammunition before the column cautiously passes by Paella and Sangria Woods on the way off towards Huerta.