History of the war in the Peninsula and in the south of France from the year 1807 to the year 1814, vol. 3Napier, William Francis Patrick
History
History of the war in the Peninsula and in the south of France from the year 1807 to the year 1814, vol. 3
Napier, William Francis Patrick
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
Early in June, St. Cyr, having consumed nearly all his corn, resolved
to approach Gerona, and secure the harvest which was almost ripe in
that district; but, previous to quitting Vich, he sent his sick and
wounded men, under a strong escort, to Barcelona, and disposed his
reserves in such a manner that the operation was effected without
loss. The army, loaded with as much grain as the men could carry,
then commenced crossing the mountains which separate Vich from the
districts of Gerona and Hostalrich. This march, conducted by the way
of Folgarolas, San Saturnino, Santa Hillario, and Santa Coloma de
Farnes, lasted two days; and, the 21st of June, the head-quarters
being fixed at Caldas de Malavella, the Fort of St. Felieu de Quixols
was stormed, and the Spanish privateers driven to seek another
harbour. The French army was then distributed in a half circle,
extending from St. Felieu to the Oña river. Intermediate posts were
established at St. Grace, Vidreras, Mallorquinas, Rieu de Arenas,
Santa Coloma de Farnes, Castaña, and Bruñola; thus cutting off the
communications between Gerona and the districts occupied by Conpigny,
Wimphen, the Milans, and Claros.
During the march from Vich, the French defeated three Spanish
battalions, and captured a convoy, coming from the side of Martorel,
and destined for Gerona. St. Cyr calls them the forerunners of
Blake’s army; a curious error, for Blake was, on that very day,
being defeated at Belchite, two hundred miles from Santa Coloma.
Strictly speaking, there was, at this period, no Catalonian army,
the few troops that kept the field were acting independently, and
Conpigny, the nominal commander-in-chief, remained at Taragona. He
and the other authorities, more occupied with personal quarrels and
political intrigues than with military affairs, were complaining and
thwarting each other. Thus the Spanish and French operations were
alike weakened by internal divisions.
Verdier was slow, cautious, and more attentive to the facilities
afforded for resistance than to the number of regular soldiers within
the works; he, or rather Reille, had appeared before Gerona on the
6th of May, but it was not till the 4th of June that, reinforced with
Lecchi’s division, he completed the investment of the place on both
sides of the Ter. On the 8th, however, ground was broken; and thus,
at the very moment when Blake, with the main body of his army, was
advancing against Zaragoza, in other words, seeking to wrest Aragon
from the French, Catalonia was slipping from his own hands.
THIRD SIEGE OF GERONA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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