Setting: Castalla, Spain; 12-13 Apr 1813
A terribly draft Peninsular War scenario for Shako.
?? TODO ?? Finish it. ??
Historical Situation
Terrain
Key features are:
Anglo-Sicilian Player
Objective
Forces Available
General Sir John Murray
| Division | Units (1) |
Size (Gates, 1986) |
Size (Wise, 1974) |
Shako |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advance Guard (Adam) |
|
1,179 men in 3 Bns |
1 Reg 1 LI |
|
| 1st Division (Clinton) |
|
4,036 in 5 Bns | 4,000 men | 5 Reg |
| 2nd Division (Mackenzie) |
|
4,045 men in 5 Bns | 3,000 men in 4 Bns (3 British, 1 German) |
4 Reg 1 LI |
| 1st Spanish Division “Mallorquina” (Whittingham) |
|
3,901 men in 6 Bns | 4,370 men | 6 SR |
| 2nd Spanish Division (Roche) |
|
4,019 men in 5 Bns | 4,000 men |
4 SR 1 SR LI |
| Cavalry |
|
1,036 men in 9 Squadrons | 700 men |
1 Hu 1 LDr |
| Artillery | 30 guns and 500 men | 10 field guns and 4 mountain guns | 3 FtG
(3) |
|
| Total | 18,716 men and 30 guns | 16,000 infantry and cavalry, 14 guns | 25 units |
Notes:
(1) The unit list is largely taken from the British Forces employed in Murray’s Tarragona Campaign, June 1813 (Gates, 1986), however, it is likely the are very similar to those employed at Castalla as the Division commanders and Division sizes are similar.
(2) Given Gates (1986) says there were 9 squadrons, I assume that some of the 1st Sicilian Light Dragoons were also present at Castalla, although not with Murray in the Tarragona Campaign hence not appearing in the Units column of the table above.
(3) Sapherson (1991) states that the Eastern army had 5 companies of artillery, making 30 guns total, and typically only 3 companies served in the field at any one time. Wise’s (1974) figure of 14 guns suggests 3 companies, but Gates (1986) figure of 30 guns suggests all 5 companies were present at Castalla. This seems unlikely to me, and would probably unbalance a Shako game anyway, so I’ve opted for the lower figure of 3 batteries.
De Roll’s Regiment
De Roll’s Regiment was predominantly Swiss in origin and were considered superior to the KGL. At times 3 companies of de Roll’s regiment and 5 of Dillon’s were combined into a provisional battalion called “Roll Dillon’s”. At other times De Roll’s rifles formed part of a combined light infantry battalion.
Calabrian Free Corps
The Calabrian Free Corps was a two battalion unit (shrinking to one) raised by Sir John Stuart in Sicily. It had British officers and Calabrians in all other ranks. It was also known as the Calabrian Light Infantry and Rifles, reflecting its split between these two types of troops.
Anglo-Italian Levy / Italian Legion
I assume what Gates (1986) calls the “Anglo-Italian Levy” is what Haythornthwaite (1995) call the “Italian Legion” as both are Italian and both served in the Eastern army, and there is nobody else in that force with a similar description. The Italian Legion was a 2 battalion unit formed form Italian prisoners in England. Austrians commanded the first regiment and other foreigners in Sicilian service the 2nd.
Kings German Legion
The Kings German Legion (KGL) was amongst the finest in the British Army. They were recruited from Hanoverians.
Dillon’s Regiment
Haythornthwaite (1995) suggest Dillon’s Regiment was another Swiss unit – certainly it operated with the Swiss De Roll Regiment – however, Sapherson (1991) says it was French Royalist. None-the-less, like De Roll’s, Dillon’s was considered superior to the KGL. At times 3 companies of de Roll’s regiment and 5 of Dillon’s were combined into a provisional battalion called “Roll Dillon’s”.
3rd ‘Estero’ Sicilian Infantry Regiment
The 3rd ‘Estero’ Sicilian Infantry Regiment was a two battalion unit (Sapherson, 1991).
Brunswick-Oels Hussars
The Brunswick-Oels Hussars had 200-250 men formed into 2 squadrons (Sapherson, 1991). They, along with 12 companies of infantry, were raised in 1809 for Austrian service from German, Croat, Danish, Dutch, Italian and Polish prisoners of war. The Brunswickers almost immediately transferred to British service. Only the Hussars served in the Eastern army in Spain.
1st Sicilian Light Dragoons
The Sicilian Light Dragoons wore a pre-1812 British Light Dragoon uniform with dark blue coat with yellow facings and white lace; yellow metal buttons and badges; dark blue breeches; red sash; blue saddlecloth with white or yellow trim; Tarleton helmet with red side plume and black caterpillar plume (Sapherson, 1991). It is unclear if the helmet had a black turban or alternatively a metal base and crest.
1st Spanish Division “Mallorquina” (Whittingham)
Haythornthwaite (1995) mention the following units were part of Whittingham’s Spanish Divsion when it joined the Eastern army:
- two companies of Cordova Regt
- Majorca Cazadores
- Battalion of Light Companies
- 2nd Mallorca Regt. Haythornthwaite (1995) mention that the 2nd Mallorca Regt were with Whittingham’s Spanish Divsion when it joined the Eastern army, whereas Gates (1986) only mentions the Mallorca Regt in Murray’s Tarragona Campaign, June 1813.
- 5th Grenadiers. ?? Possibly an alternative name for either the Mallorca Grenadiers or the Murcia Grenadiers.
- (Grenadiers) Guadalajara Regt. The Grenadier companies were with Whittingham’s Spanish Divsion when it joined the Eastern army.
- Mallorca Grenadiers
- 2nd Murcia Regt. Might have just been the Grenadiers.
- Murcia Grenadiers
- Almansa Hussars
- Olivenza Dragoons
Deployment
Reserves Off-table
French Player
Objective
Forces Available
Marshal Suchet
| Division | Units |
Size (Gates, 1986) |
Size (Wise, 1974) |
Shako |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Division (Robert, for Musnier) | ?? | 5,084 men in 8 Bns | 12,000 men in 24 Bns in 3 Divisions |
6 Reg 1 LI 1 SR |
| 2nd Division (Harispe) | ?? | 4,052 men in 6 Bns |
4 Reg 1 LI 1 SR |
|
| 3rd Division (Habert) | ?? | 2,722 men in 4 Bns |
3 Reg 1 LI |
|
| Cavalry Division (Boussard) | ?? | 1,424 men in 8 Squadrons | 2,000 men in 10 squadrons |
1 Cr 1 Dr 1 Ch (1) |
| Artillery | ?? | 24 guns and 282 men | 12 guns | 2 FtG |
| 13,564 men and 24 guns | 14,000 men and 12 guns | 23 units |
Notes: (1) In mid-Autumn 1812 Boussard’s Division in Suchet’s Army of Aragon and Valencia had 1,922 men in 5 Regiments (1 Cuirassier, 2 Dragoon, 2 Lt) (Gates, 1986). The number of men accords with Wise’s (1974) figure of 2,000 men at Castalla in April 1813 but is considerably higher than Gates’ figure of 1,424 men. I’ve opted to give the French only 3 regiments to match the number of men mentioned by Gates. I’ve arbitrarily included the Cuirassiers and dropped two lighter units.
If present the heavies would have been the 13th Cuirassiers as they were the only Cuirassiers to serve in Spain, and further more they served in the east of the country for the whole war.
Deployment
Reserves Off-table
Victory Conditions
Game Length
12 turns or use the variable game length rules.