battle of Bailén

Bailén, battle of (battle of Baylen) (1808). Fought in southern Spain on 19 July, the battle of Bailén constituted a serious embarrassment to the Napoleonic imperium. Having in May overthrown the Spanish Bourbons and thus provoked a general uprising, Napoleon ordered the forces that he had over the preceding months sent into Spain to occupy various strategic points. Among these was the port of Cadiz, the troops detailed for this purpose consisting of the first division of the army corps commanded by Gen Pierre Dupont de l'Etang. Led by Dupont himself, this division advanced as far as Cordoba which it sacked on 7 June. However, alarmed at his growing isolation, Dupont fell back on Andujar. A further two divisions were sent to assist him and by early July over 20, 000 French troops were concentrated around Andujar and Bailén. By this time some 30, 000 Spanish regulars under Gen Francisco Javier Castaũos were attempting to envelop him from the west and south, but, though his men were poor quality second-line troops, Dupont should still have been able to escape. However, when he finally resolved on retreat a bizarre series of accidents enabled the Spaniards to occupy Bailén and cut off Dupont and a large portion of his army. On 19 July the French general tried to fight his way out of the trap, but he completely mishandled the situation and, with overwhelming numbers of enemy troops closing on all sides, was compelled to order a ceasefire. After much argument, it was eventually agreed that Dupont's entire army—not just that part of it caught in the trap—should be repatriated by sea. This agreement was never honoured: though Dupont was sent home, his troops were eventually left to die of starvation on the barren island of Cabrera. The episode was an unusual, and deeply resented, humiliation for Napoleon.

Bibliography

• Oman, Charles, A History of the Peninsular War (Oxford, 1902-30)

— Charles Esdaile