Best source for the Battle of Vitoria 21 June 1813

[Hanslune]

What/where is the best description of what occurred during this battle other than Oman? I am particularly interested in what the Light Division did, and specifically the actions of the 1/52 Light Infantry in the 2nd Brigade under Vandeleur.

Thanks

 

[Edric Streona]

Vittoria 1813

This is a good account.

 

[Hanslune]

I had that bookmarked on Amazon. I'll wait til Monday and if no other suggestions come in I'll go with that. Thanks

 

[Edric Streona]

Historical Record of the Fifty-second Regiment (Oxfordshire Light Infantry)

I do not have this. Nor have I read it. I HAVE read the similar historical records for the 45th, 74th, 88th and 5th regiments. They usually go into very specific details about individual actions.

 

[Hanslune]

Yes it was very useful. I had looked for that same book about 5 years ago and did not find it-the must have copied it since then or I missed it. I appreciate the link!

 

[martin76]

What/where is the best description of what occurred during this battle other than Oman? I am particularly interested in what the Light Division did, and specifically the actions of the 1/52 Light Infantry in the 2nd Brigade under Vandeleur.

Thanks

I guess you are not interested in the maneuver of Vitoria but only in the Battle of Vitoria. Ok. Sources about the battle:

1st.- Servicio Histórico Militar. Archivo de la Guerra de la Independencia. Colección del Duque de Bailén. Caja nº XXXVI, Legajo nº 54, Carpeta 1 and Caja nº XXXIX, Legajo nº 61, Carpeta 1 (one of the most important Official Records collection about battle of Vitoria).

2nd: Saint Yon, Alexander. Memoire sur la retraite des armées d´Espagne en 1813

3rd: Conde de Toreno. Historia del levantamiento, guerra y revolución de España. Tomo III.

4th: Gómez de Arteche, José. Guerra de la Independencia. Historia militar de España de 1808 a 1814. (Tomos XII and XIII)

5th: Napier, William Francis Patrick. History of the War in the Peninsula and the South of France from the Year 1807 to the Year 1814. (Six Volumes). Personally I´ve read it in a French Version. The Battle of Vitoria is in Volumen number X. (I guess number VI in the English edition).

6th. Casse. A. du, Mémoires et correspondence politique et militaire du roi Joseph

7th. Oman, Charles. A History of Peninsula War. (Volumen VI)

8th: Sarramon, Jean.Histoire de la Guerre de l´Independence de la Péninsule Ibérique contre Napoléon Ier. La bataille de Vitoria.

9th: Miot de Melito. Mémoires du comte Miot de Melito, ancien ministre, ambassadeur, conseiller d´état et membre de l´institut

10th: Duke of Wellington. The dispatches of the field marshal the Duke of Wellington

11th: Fortescue. A History of the British Army

12th: Diputación Foral de Álava. La batalla de Vitoria 175 años después.

13th: Repollés Zayas, Julio. El guerrillero Don Julián Sánchez, brigadier de caballería.

14th: Murray, George, Sir. Memoir annexed to an Atlas, containing plans of the principle battles, sieges, and affairs, in which the British Troops were engaged during the War in the Spanish Peninsular and in the south of France from 1808 to 1814

15th: Jourdan Jean-Baptiste. Mémoires militaires du maréchal Jourdan (guerre d'Espagne), écrits par lui-même.

16th: Thiers, Adolph. Histoire de l´Empire (Volumen 3)

17th: Jomini. Antoine-Henri. Vie politique et militarie de Napoléon

18th: Sánchez Arjona. Ciudad Rodrigo en la Guerra de la Independencia.

19th: Rodríguez Villa, Antonio. El teniente general Don Pablo Morillo

20th: Gurwood. Recueil choisi des dépêches et des ordres du jour du Feld-Maréchal Duc de Wellington

21st: Prieto Llovera, Patricio. El grande de España capitán general Castaños

22nd: Hugo, Joseph-Léopold-Sigisbert. Mémoires du général Hugo

23rd: Iribarren. Espoz y Mina. El Liberal.

24th: Victoires, conquêtes, désastres, revers et guerres civiles des Français, de 1792 à 1815.

Osprey is very nice and interesting (unfortunatly only the British point of view). You should read Spanish, French, Portuguese and British views about the battle.. as I do in WW1.

Regards

 

[Hanslune]

I guess you are not interested in the maneuver of Vitoria but only in the Battle of Vitoria. Ok. Sources about the battle:

Thanks but I was interested specifically in ' 1/52 Light Infantry' in that battle is because I am writing a book on the son of one of sergeants in that unit.

 

[Edric Streona]

The Osprey book goes into some detail with maps showing positions of ALL French and Allied brigades. Vandeleurs Brigade seems to have spent the early part of the battle not committed..at 4pm they were advancing in the second line, as the left flank brigade... while D’Erlon temporarily tried to stall the 3rd Divisions advance vandeleurs Brigade was one of three (Grant and Colvilles brigades being the others) that flanked him past the village of Ali... triggering first D’Erlon and then Reille to retreat.
The brigade was only lightly engaged.
2/95th lost 1 officer and 9 men wounded.
1/52nd lost 1 officer snd 3 men killed, 2 officer 18 men wounded.
It also (shows Spanish troop movements).

 

[martin76]

The Osprey book goes into some detail with maps showing positions of ALL French and Allied brigades. Vandeleurs Brigade seems to have spent the early part of the battle not committed..at 4pm they were advancing in the second line, as the left flank brigade... while D’Erlon temporarily tried to stall the 3rd Divisions advance vandeleurs Brigade was one of three (Grant and Colvilles brigades being the others) that flanked him past the village of Ali... triggering first D’Erlon and then Reille to retreat.
The brigade was only lightly engaged.
2/95th lost 1 officer and 9 men wounded.
1/52nd lost 1 officer snd 3 men killed, 2 officer 18 men wounded.
It also (shows Spanish troop movements).

Edric..

I have 100% Ospery books about WW1... and yes.. It is an excellent source... but I am sure you agree with me... Osprey is based mostly (when not exclusively ) in the British Point of view... A Point.. by other side, essential and very necessary .. but not unique. It is not possible to understand the Battle of Somme without reading the British sources... but it is not possible to understand the battle reading ONLY British sources.
I am sure you think as me.. not only about Somme, but about Vitoria or about Lepanto or about Waterloo.

 

[martin76]

Thanks but I was interested specifically in ' 1/52 Light Infantry' in that battle is because I am writing a book on the son of one of sergeants in that unit.

Ok.. I understand you need to read very detailed sources about 1/52. Edric has provided the best sources for that information.