Siege of Astorga

Astorga is located in the province of León, in northwest Spain.^[2] Because of its location, it sat on the flank of the French army as they advanced into Spain, and then invaded Portugal.^[3] The city was built into a hill, part of the Manzanal mountains;^[2] and therefore was provided with natural defenses.^[4] The French had already been defeated once trying to take the city, in September 1809,^[5] after which General La Romana repaired the walls of the city and built up its defenses.^[6]

The French forces, part of André Masséna's army, were led by Jean-Andoche Junot.^[4] Junot arrived at Astorga on March 21 with Napoleon's 8th corps, consisting of 12,000 men, including 1,200 cavalry forces.^[5] Junot's forces included the Irish Legion; they had joined earlier that month.^[3] Astorga would be the first action for the Second Battalion of the Legion.^[3] Junot placed Bertrand Clauzel's division in the position Loison had held,^[7] with Solignac in support, and St. Croix to watch the rear.^[4]

General Loison attempted to take the city in February 1810, as it was meant to be his headquarters during the invasion of Portugal; but was unprepared to attack the defenses he found there, and was forced to retreat.^[6] Junot's troops came to assist Loison, but brought no siege guns with them; It took Junot weeks to gather enough artillery to assault the town.^[8] In the meantime, the French forces dug trenches to besiege the town.^[8] Incidentally, the English and Spanish troops under Wellington had the same troubles when they recaptured the city in 1812.^[9] The garrison in Astorga had no siege guns, either: for several weeks there was a standoff.^[8] During these weeks, Santocildes emptied the town of 3,000 of its residents and stocked up on supplies for the siege,^[4] which began on March 21 of 1810.^[10] The Spanish could expect no hope from Wellington's forces, which remained in Portugal.^[11] Until the siege guns arrived, there was no action except nuisance fire from what little artillery Junot had,^[7] and skirmish parties sent out from Astorga.^[4]

Junot's 18 siege guns arrived on April 15 from Valladolid,^[7] and by the 20th, the wall of the city was breached.^[12] The French stormed the city the next evening;^[3] however, their first attack was repulsed at the cost of 300 men.^[12] Those of the storming company who were not killed holed up just inside the wall and held the position for the night.^[4] The next morning, Santocildes surrendered as the French were preparing for another attack.^[12]

Santocildes was almost out of ammunition when he surrendered: he had fewer than 30 rounds of ammunition left per man, and only 8 rounds of artillery.^[5] He gave the French 2,500 prisoners and the city, but cost the French 160 men, with 400 wounded.^[4] His garrison lost only 51 dead and 109 wounded.^[4] Most of the French casualties came in the assault on the breach.^[12] The Irish Legion led the charge over the wall, and suffered heavy losses: Captain John Allen's company's drummer boy continued to beat the charge after having lost both legs, for which he was given the French Legion of Honor.^[3]