Battle of Toulouse - Move 8

Table at the start of move 8

Bottom – Hill has regrouped and is attacking across the bridge again

Left – Picton’s infantry are struggling to fight their way into Toulouse

Top Left – Spanish infantry are closing on the French square

Top Right – Beresford continues to retreat in the face of two French corps

British Left

Beresford retreats with his two infantry brigades in square

Despite the overwhelming odds, the British infantry still do some damage

The right hand square has caused casualties on the cuirassiers who are shaken

Spanish infantry attack French square

Two Spanish infantry brigades attack the French square protecting the gunners

Two to one seems pretty good odds……..

Spanish infantry retreat from French square

….however the two Spanish columns lose the melee with the single French square

Both lose 10% casualties and retire shaken, leaving a hold in the Spanish centre.

British Centre

Friere’s Spanish infantry have advanced to support their cavalry

It all ends in tears when two Spanish brigades lose a melee with one French square

They retire shaken, leaving a gap in the centre of the Spanish line

Then the shaken Spanish cavalry lose their morale and rout

So much for the Spanish attempt to save Beresford.

British Right

Wellington has ordered Picton to attack Toulouse

He only has two brigades on his left to launch the attack

Both are repulsed shaken

His two right hand brigades have taken part of Toulouse

British south of river

Hill has rallied his shaken infantry brigades and continued to attack Toulouse

Assisted by Picton he has taken half of Toulouse

Game Notes

Wellington has taken most of Toulouse

Soult has used his reserve to crush Beresford.

He has now ordered one corps to pursue Beresford and the second to attack Freire

He seems to have abandoned Toulouse to its fate.

In the closing stages of the battle much will depend on how many casualties Wellington suffers. If he still has a viable army at nightfall a second days battle may be called for.