Battle of Puente Sanpayo
1809 battle during the Peninsular War
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The Battle of Puente Sanpayo or Battle of San Payo (Galician: Ponte Sampaio) took place at the eponymous bridge in Pontevedra, between 7–9 June 1809 during the Peninsular War. It ended with a Spanish victory achieved by Colonel Pablo Morillo who repelled Marshal Michel Ney's attempt to displace him from a strong riverside position.
| Battle of Puente Sanpayo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Peninsular War | |||||||
Position of the bridge of Sanpayo | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 French Empire |
 Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Michel Ney |
Pablo Morillo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
9,200[1] Unknown number of gunners and artillery[1] |
10,000 ("poorly equipped")[1] Unknown number of gunners and artillery[1] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 600+ killed or wounded[1] | 110 killed or wounded[1] | ||||||
Background
The Spanish campaign in early 1809 started with the Battle of Uclés.
Battle
The Spanish forces commanded by Colonel Pablo Morillo defeated the French forces of Marshal Michel Ney.[2] On 7 June, the French launched frontal assaults, but it was unsuccessful; the Spanish volleys proved insurmountable. Over the next two days, Ney attempted to outflank the Spanish by crossing the river at another place, but the Spanish managed to react, prepare defensive erections, and meet him. Moreover, the Spaniards managed to disable the French artillery crews.[1] Ney and his forces were forced to retreat and the French offensive to re-capture the cities of Pontevedra and Vigo was a failure. The battle marked the final evacuation of Galicia by the French army and the creation of a new front.[3][4][5][6][7]
Aftermath
The Spanish campaign in early 1809 proceeded with the French advance in Catalonia in the Battle of Valls.
