The two battles of the Bruch (Spanish: Batallas del Bruch; Catalan: Batalles del Bruc) were engagements fought successively, at El Bruc, near Barcelona, Catalonia, on 6 and 14 June 1808, during the Peninsular War, by French troops commanded by Brigadier General François de Schwarz and General of Division Joseph Chabran against Spanish volunteers and mercenaries led by General Antoni Franch i Estalella and Joan Baget.
The French detachment of 3,800 soldiers under General of BrigadeFrançois Xavier de Schwarz left Barcelona on June 4, advancing in the direction of Lleida–Saragossa. A rainstorm that day slowed their march considerably, giving time for local Spanish forces, composed of militia from the neighboring villages, volunteers (sometent), and Swiss and Walloon soldiers from the Barcelona garrison (2,000 men), to mobilize for action. The Spaniards were led by General Antoni Franch i Estalella and deployed along the Bruc Pass.
The resulting stand was a success,[1] and the French under General Schwarz were turned back to Barcelona with the loss of 360 dead, 800 wounded, 60 prisoners, and one gun captured. The Spanish also captured a French Imperial Eagle.[2]
11th Italian artillery company (section 1 - 2 guns)
Spanish forcesedit
General Antoni Franch i Estalella, Commander-in-Chief
260 regulars and militia (Captain José Viñas)
200 regulars and militia (Francesc Riera Balaguer)
June 14edit
A second French sortie on June 14, led by General of DivisionJoseph Chabran, succeeded only in putting to the torch several buildings in El Bruc after having been defeated and repelled by the Spanish forces led by Joan Baget. The following day, the Spanish attacked the French in their withdrawal to Barcelona, inflicting more than 500 dead and wounded on Chabran's troops.[3]
French armyedit
First Division - General of Division Joseph Chabran, Commander-in-Chief
Brigade: Brigadier-General Goulas
7th Regiment of the line (2 battalions - 1785 men)
16th Regiment of the line (3rd battalion - 789 men)
Brigade: Brigadier-General Nicolas
2nd Regiment of the line (3rd battalion - 610 men)
37th Regiment of the line [3rd battalion - 789 men)
56th Regiment of the line (4th Battalion - 833 men)
93rd Regiment of the line (3rd battalion - 792 men)
battles, bruch, battles, bruch, spanish, batallas, bruch, catalan, batalles, bruc, were, engagements, fought, successively, bruc, near, barcelona, catalonia, june, 1808, during, peninsular, french, troops, commanded, brigadier, general, françois, schwarz, gene. The two battles of the Bruch Spanish Batallas del Bruch Catalan Batalles del Bruc were engagements fought successively at El Bruc near Barcelona Catalonia on 6 and 14 June 1808 during the Peninsular War by French troops commanded by Brigadier General Francois de Schwarz and General of Division Joseph Chabran against Spanish volunteers and mercenaries led by General Antoni Franch i Estalella and Joan Baget Battles of El BruchPart of Peninsular WarFirst battle of El Bruch engraving by Jose Coromina Faralt c 1820 Date6 June and 14 June 1808LocationEl Bruc near Barcelona Catalonia41 34 48 N 1 46 49 E 41 58000 N 1 78028 E 41 58000 1 78028Result1st Spanish victory2nd Spanish victoryBelligerentsFrench EmpireKingdom of SpainCommanders and leadersFrancois de Schwarz Joseph ChabranAntoni Franch i Estalella Joan BaigetStrength3 800 5 000 regulars2 000 regulars and militiaCasualties and losses6 June 360 dead800 wounded60 captured 1 gun capturedTotal 1 22014 June 83 dead274 woundedTotal 357Grand total 1 5776 June 20 dead80 woundedTotal 10014 June 15 dead50 woundedTotal 65Grand total 165 Peninsular war Spanish uprising 1808200km125milesSantander12Bailen11Rioseco10Valencia9Girona8Zaragoza7Cabezon6Cadiz5Alcolea4Valdepenas3 Bruch2 Dos de MayoMadrid1 current battle The result of these battles and actions was a Spanish victory 1 Contents 1 Background 2 June 6 2 1 French army 2 2 Spanish forces 3 June 14 3 1 French army 3 2 Spanish forces 4 Aftermath 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground editThe previous month s uprising in Madrid had put Iberia in revolt against French rule June 6 editThe French detachment of 3 800 soldiers under General of Brigade Francois Xavier de Schwarz left Barcelona on June 4 advancing in the direction of Lleida Saragossa A rainstorm that day slowed their march considerably giving time for local Spanish forces composed of militia from the neighboring villages volunteers sometent and Swiss and Walloon soldiers from the Barcelona garrison 2 000 men to mobilize for action The Spaniards were led by General Antoni Franch i Estalella and deployed along the Bruc Pass The resulting stand was a success 1 and the French under General Schwarz were turned back to Barcelona with the loss of 360 dead 800 wounded 60 prisoners and one gun captured The Spanish also captured a French Imperial Eagle 2 nbsp The sometent at Bruc 1880 by Ramon Marti Alsina French army edit nbsp Statue of Antoni Franch i Estalella at Castells d Igualada square nbsp Montserrat mountains viewed from the Bruc Schwartz Column Brigadier General Francis Xavier Schwartz Commander in Chief 1st Regiment Neapolitan of the line 2 battalions 1940 men 2nd Line Regiment Switzerland 3rd battalion 580 men 2nd Regiment of the line 3rd battalion 610 men 1st Regiment of Chasseurs Neapolitan 2 squadrons 160 men 3rd Regiment Provisional cuirassiers 1 squadron 100 men 11th Italian artillery company section 1 2 guns Spanish forces edit General Antoni Franch i Estalella Commander in Chief 260 regulars and militia Captain Jose Vinas 200 regulars and militia Francesc Riera Balaguer June 14 editA second French sortie on June 14 led by General of Division Joseph Chabran succeeded only in putting to the torch several buildings in El Bruc after having been defeated and repelled by the Spanish forces led by Joan Baget The following day the Spanish attacked the French in their withdrawal to Barcelona inflicting more than 500 dead and wounded on Chabran s troops 3 French army edit First Division General of Division Joseph Chabran Commander in Chief Brigade Brigadier General Goulas 7th Regiment of the line 2 battalions 1785 men 16th Regiment of the line 3rd battalion 789 men Brigade Brigadier General Nicolas 2nd Regiment of the line 3rd battalion 610 men 37th Regiment of the line 3rd battalion 789 men 56th Regiment of the line 4th Battalion 833 men 93rd Regiment of the line 3rd battalion 792 men Spanish forces edit Commander Joan Baget Commander in Chief Four companies of volunteers soldiers of Extremadura regiment and militia Wallon Guards Swiss regiment Wimpffen 300 men 300 militia Antoni Franch 100 militia Captain Jose Vinas Sallen residents 60 men led by the vicar Ramon Mas Patriots 100 men 5 gunsAftermath editThe Spanish conventional warfare proceeded with the Battle of Girona See also editDrummer of El Bruc Timeline of the Peninsular WarNotes edit a b Gates 2001 p 59 Rodriguez Solis 1895 p 167 Pigeard 2004 References editGates David 2001 The Spanish Ulcer A History of the Peninsular War Da Capo Press ISBN 0 306 81083 2 Pigeard Alain 2004 Dictionnaire des batailles de Napoleon in French Paris Tallandier Rodriguez Solis Enrique 1895 Los guerrilleros de 1808 Historia popular de la Guerra de la Independencia in Spanish Vol I Calle de Balmes Further reading editFinestres Charles 2008 Timbals de guerra al Bruc in Catalan Jordi amp Moliner Antoni Oman Sir Charles William Chadwick 1902 A History of the Peninsular War 1807 1809 Vol I Oxford Clarendon Press Retrieved 1 May 2021 External links edit 6 6 1808 Primera Accion del Bruch in Spanish Guerra de Independencia espanola 1808 1814 14 6 1808 Segunda Accion del Bruch in Spanish Guerra de Independencia espanola 1808 1814 nbsp Media related to Battles of the Bruch at Wikimedia Commons Preceded byDos de Mayo Uprising Napoleonic WarsBattles of El Bruch Succeeded byCapture of the Rosily Squadron Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battles of El Bruch amp oldid 1214306469, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
