The Battle of the Pyrenees
was a large-scale offensive launched on 25 July 1813 by Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult
from the Pyrénées
region on Emperor Napoleon’s
order, in the hope of relieving French garrisons under siege at Pamplona
and San Sebastián
. After initial success the offensive ground to a halt in face of increased allied resistance under the command of Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington
. Soult abandoned the offensive on 30 July and headed toward France, having failed to relieve either garrison.
The Battle of the Pyrenees involved several distinct actions. On 25 July, Soult and two French corps fought the reinforced British 4th Division
and a Spanish division at the Battle of Roncesvalles
. The Allied force successfully held off all attacks during the day, but retreated from the Roncesvalles Pass
that night in the face of overwhelming French numerical superiority. Also on the 25th, a third French corps severely tried the British 2nd Division
at the Battle of Maya
. The British withdrew from the Maya Pass that evening. Wellington rallied his troops a short distance north of Pamplona and repelled the attacks of Soult's two corps at the Battle of Sorauren
on 28 July.
Instead of falling back to the northeast toward Roncesvalles Pass, Soult made contact with his third corps on 29 July and began to move north. On 30 July, Wellington attacked Soult's rearguards at... Read More