Battle of Castalla

Battle of Castalla
Part of Peninsular War
Battle of Castalla
Date 13 April 1813[1] Location Castalla, Spain 38°36′N 0°40′W / 38.600°N 0.667°W / 38.600; -0.667 Result Anglo-Spanish victory[1]
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom, Spain Kingdom of Sicily
Commanders and leaders
Louis Suchet	John Murray
Strength
15,000[1]	17,000[1] to 18,716
Casualties and losses
1,400[1]	Biar: 301, 2 guns Castalla:700[1]

Peninsular war: Aragón Catalonia

200km
125miles

21

Castalla

20

19

Valencia

18

Saguntum

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

María

4

3

2

1

  

  current battle

In the Battle of Castalla on 13 April 1813, an Anglo-Spanish-Sicilian force commanded by Lieutenant General Sir John Murray fought Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet's French Army of Valencia and Aragon. Murray's troops successfully repelled a series of French attacks on their hilltop position, causing Suchet to retreat. The action took place during the Peninsular War, part of the Napoleonic Wars. Castalla is located 35 kilometers north-northwest of Alicante, Spain.

General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington wanted to prevent Suchet from reinforcing the other French armies in Spain. He ordered, Murray, whose army had been built up to over 18,000 Allied troops, to accomplish this purpose. Murray's maneuvers were ineffective and prompted Suchet to lash out at his force. The French marshal fell upon a nearby Spanish force, beating it with heavy losses. Suchet then focused on crushing Murray. One of the British brigadiers, Frederick Adam conducted a rear guard action on 12 April, allowing Murray to draw up his army in a formidable defensive position near Castalla. On the 13th, Suchet's frontal attacks were repulsed with heavy losses by British troops under Adam and John Mackenzie and by Spanish troops led by Samuel Ford Whittingham. The French withdrew and Murray did not follow up his victory.