Siege of Tortosa (1810–1811)

The siege of Tortosa (16 December 1810 – 2 January 1811) pitted an Imperial French army under General Louis Gabriel Suchet against the Spanish defenders of Tortosa led by General Lilli, Conde de Alacha.

Siege of Tortosa (1810)
Part of Peninsular War

Le général de division Suchet, commandant le 3ème corps de l'armée d'Espagne, reçoit la capitulation de la ville de Tortosa, 2 janvier 1811. Oil painting by Jean-Charles-Joseph Rémond, 1837 (Palace of Versailles)
Date19 December 1810 – 2 January 1811[1]
Location40°48′41″N 0°31′10″E / 40.8114°N 0.5194°E / 40.8114; 0.5194
Result French victory[1]
Belligerents
France First French Empire Spain Kingdom of Spain
Commanders and leaders
France Louis Gabriel Suchet Spain Conde de Alacha
Strength
12,000[1] 11,000[1]
Casualties and losses
1,000[1] 11,000[1]
Peninsular war: Aragón Catalonia
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200km
125miles
21
Battle of Ordal at Ordal, on 13 September 1813
Castalla
20
Battle of Castalla (1812) at Castalla, on 21 July 1812 and on 13 April 1813
19
Battle of Altafulla at Altafulla, on 29 January 1812
Valencia
18
Siege of Valencia (1812) at Valencia, from 26 December 1811 – 9 January 1812
Saguntum
17
Battle of Saguntum at Saguntum, on 25 October 1811
16
Battle of Cervera (1811) at Cervera, from 4 to 14 October 1811
15
Siege of Figueras (1811) at Figueras, from 4 April to 19 August 1811
14
Battle of Montserrat at Montserrat, on 25 July 18117
13
Siege of Tarragona (1811) from 5 May – 29 June 1811 Siege of Tarragona (1813) from 3 to 11 June 1813
12
Battle of El Pla at El Pla, on 15 January 1811
Tortosa
11
Siege of Tortosa (1810–11) at Tortosa, from 19 December 1810 to 2 January 1811
10
Battle of La Bisbal at La Bisbal, on 14 September 1810
9
Siege of Mequinenza at Mequinenza, from 15 May to 8 June 1810
8
Siege of Lérida at Lérida, on 23 April and 29 April to 14 May 1810
7
Battle of Vic at Vic, on 20 February 1810
6
Battle of Mollet at Mollet, on 21 January 1810
5
Battle of Belchite (1809) at Belchite, on 18 June 1809
María
4
Battle of María at María de Huerva, on 15 June 1809
3
Battle of Alcañiz at Alcañiz, on 23 May 1809
2
Third siege of Girona at Girona, from 6 May to 12 December 1809
1
Battle of Valls at Valls, on 25 February 1809
  current battle

Background

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The French conquest of Aragon started with the siege of Tortosa.

Siege

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The siege progressed swiftly and Alacha surrendered on 2 January 1811. Tortosa is a city that lies on the Ebro River about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of Tarragona. The action took place during the Peninsular War, part of the Napoleonic Wars.[2]

Colonel Rouelle was employed at the siege of Tortosa, where he defeated two sorties by the besieged on the December 24 and December 28, 1810. These two feats were mentioned in dispatches.

Aftermath

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The French conquest of Aragon proceeded with the Battle of El Pla.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Bodart 1908, p. 421.
  2. ^ Esdaile 2003, p. 336.

References

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  • Bodart, Gaston (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon (1618-1905). Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  • Esdaile, Charles J. (2003). The Peninsular War. Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN 9781403962317. Retrieved 24 May 2021.