Talavera 208 - Bassecourts Spanish 5th Division, Provincial de Siguenza (Militia) Regiment

5th Division: Major-General Bassecourt
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 1st Battalion
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 2nd Battalion
Africa Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Reina Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Provincial de Siguenza (Militia)

The Provincial Militia (Milicias Provinciales) were forty-two regiments each of one battalion except the Mallorca Regiment of two battalions.

The regiments took the name of their area of origin and detached their grenadier companies to form four divisions of two battalions in each.

The role of the militia during wartime was to support the main field armies by acting as garrison troops, but were considered to be able to take their place in the line alongside the regulars when required.

With a strength of 550 men per battalion in 1808, the militia battalions amounted to a force of about 30,000 men .

In 1805 the uniform changed from a blue coat and breeches to the white seen in the accompanying illustrations with red collars, cuffs and turn-backs and gold lace and buttons for officers.

However, as highlighted on the following link, many of the Provinciales had not received their white uniforms when the war started with many described accoutered in the more common brown with red facings as illustrated in the units covered in my posts about General Portago's 3rd Spanish Division at Talavera. 

http://www.the-ancients.com/gemigabok/spanish-militia-uniforms-in-may-1808/

Spanish 3rd Division - Talavera

The Provincial de Siguenza were one of the regiments that are reported to have been in their 1805 white uniform and I have depicted them, thus, but with a few brown clad recruits having joined the battalion by 1809.

The appearance of the Siguenza regiment on the Spanish order of battle can be traced from the start of the war as shown in May 1808 with the Spanish forces mustering and those troops forming the Army of Andalusia.

Spanish Army of Andalusia, 20th May 1808

Gibraltar Camp:

3/Guardias Wallonas (30/800)

Valencia Infantry Regiment (l/2)(7/318)

Corona Infantry Regiment (39/675)

l/,3/Africa Infantry Regiment (36/455)

Barbastro Light Infantry Regiment (l/2)(6/246)

Campo Mayor Infantry Regiment 33/1034

3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (10/121)

l/,2/Jaen Infantry Regiment (34/795)

Grenadieros provinciales de Andalucia (2)(50/l,400)

Provinciales de Cuenca (12/487)

Provinciales de Jaen (14/496)

Provinciales de Lorca (12/434)

Provinciales de Guadix (13/503)

Provinciales de Siguenza (14/543)

Provinciales de Chinchilla (13/408)

Provinciales de Malaga (12/313)

Artillery (20/575)

Sappers (9 131)

Santiago Cavalry Regiment (2)(16/130)

Alcantara Cavalry Regiment (2)(15/116)

Cueta:

Espana Infantry Regiment (44/872)

Cantabria Infantry Regiment (51/916)

3/Jaen Infantry Regiment (13/512)

Fixo de Cueta Infantry Regiment (62/l,112)

Artillery (18/326)

Sappers (6/250)

Cavalry (l sqn)(7/98)

Source - Clerc, Capitulation de Baylen, Causes et Consequences, Paris, 1903

The Siguenza were, as many of the Provinciale, popular formations with the people compared with the national army, and most show good up to strength numbers.

The Siguenza were, like the Africa and Murcia battalions who would stand alongside them at Talavera, part of Lapena's Reserve Division at Bailen in July 1808.

Spanish Forces at Baylen

17th  July 1808

Commanding General: Lieutenant General Francixco Xavier Castaños

Reserve Division: Lieutenant Genreal Manual de Lapeña

Provincial Grenadiers (912)

2/Africa Infantry Regiment (525)

Burgos Infantry Regiment (2,089)

Det/Reding #2 (Swiss) Infantry Regiment (243)

Zaragosa Infantry Battalion (8922)

3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (420)

Provinciales de Siguenza Infantry Regiment (502)

Naval Grenadier Company (50)

Pavia Dragoon Regiment (541 men & 408 horses)

Jerez Lancer Regiment (70)

Artillery (12 guns)(502)

Sappers (1 co)(100)

Source - Oman

Many of the battalions that served with Castanos at Bailen would form the core of his Army of the Centre that followed up the French withdrawal to the River Ebro in the late summer and early autumn of 1808 and would later find themselves chased to the south east of Madrid as the Emperor led his Grande Armee back into the Peninsula that November.   

Spanish Army of Andalucia, 19 July 1808

Commanding General: Teniente General Francisco X. Castanos

Reserve Division: Teniente general Manual de Lapena

Granaderos provinciales (912)

Africa Infantry Regiment (525)

Burgos Infantry Regiment (2,089)

2/,6/von Reding (Swiss) Infantry Regiment (243)

Batallon de Zaragosa (822)

3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (420)

Provincial de Siguenza (502)

Compania de Granaderos de marina (50)

Dragones de Pavia (541 men/408 horses)

2 Horse Batteries (12 guns)(502)

Sapper Company (1)(100)

Source - Gomez de Arteche Y Moro, Guerra de la Independencia, Historia Militar de Espana de 1808 a 1814

Following the reformation of the Army of the Centre under its new commander the Duke of Infantado in the December 1808 at their winter quarters in Cuenca, the Siguenza disappear from the order of battle and were definitely not involved in the Battle of Ucles in January which makes me wonder if they were left in Siguenza to recruit, when the Army of the Centre passed through on their march to Cuenca.

Either way the regiment does not appear in the orders of battle until April of 1809 when it is listed among the units transferred from the Army of the Centre to the Army of Estremadura with which it would be at Talavera in July 1809.

Forces Passed to the Army of Estramadura from the Army of the Centre by order of the Supreme Central Junta. April 1809 after the Battle of Medellin.

Division: Mariscal de campo de Echevarri
l/Reyna Infantry Regiment (l)(795)
l/Africa Infantry Regiment (l)(838)
lst Real Marina Infantry Regiment (2)(615)
l/,2/Murcia Infantry Regiment (2)(l,229)
2/Cazadores de Barbastro (l)(851)
Cazadores Voluntarios de Valencia y Albuquerque (l)(831)
Provincial de Siguenza (l)(l,081)

My Provincial de Siguenza are composed of figures from the AB and Warmodelling range of figures which helps differentiate their appearance from the regulars in their division, all composed of AB figures.

My Coronela and Sencilla are my home brewed concoction and I take no responsibility for their accuracy, only to say that I have taken the Siguenza coat of arms and applied them as required. They are posted here should others choose to use them.

So there we are, the final battalion of Bassecourt's 5th Division is finished and the pictures of the whole division on parade with General Bassecourt and Cuesta in attendance will follow.

As the first game approaches at the end of June, I will be finishing off the order of battle with the Spanish Horse battery of guns that accompanied Albuquerque's cavalry to the British left flank and will complete the project bar a few odds and end figures that will be added through the games.

This weekend I am off up to Lincoln and Newark for a weekend away with the chaps from the Devon Wargames Group. We will be spending an afternoon, guests of Wargames Foundry with a big game planned on the Saturday. Then it's a curry and a few evening games at the hotel in Lincoln before off to Partizan at Newark on the Sunday.

As always I will have the camera to hand with posts about all the fun and games to follow, and if that was not enough we have a book review to come from Mr Steve, so lots of things to come here on JJ's.

Sources referred to in this post:

http://www.eborense.es/batalla_talavera1809_ejercito_espanol.html

The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-14 - G.F.Nafziger & M Gilbert

Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808 - Rene Chartrand & Bill Younghusband

Talavera 208 - Bassecourts Spanish 5th Division, 3rd Battalion, Murcia Regiment

5th Division: Major-General Bassecourt
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 1st Battalion
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 2nd Battalion
Africa Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Reina Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Provincial de Siguenza (Militia)

So the 3rd Battalion, Murcia Regiment completes the penultimate battalion in Bassecourt's Infantry Division and moves the project on to complete the Allied order of battle for Talavera in time for the first Talavera 208 game next month.

If you are interested in the background of the Murcia Regiment leading up to the Battle of Talavera then follow the link above to my post about the second battalion.

This has been the hardest unit to complete so far as Casa JJ is in quite a state of disorder at the moment as we  have some major building and decorating work going on at the moment that has meant by painting desk and equipment have had to be put in storage in another room and I have been forced to relocate temporarily to another table.

I had not realised how much my painting position means to me until now but the move from my usual spot has been a real 'eye opener' and really caused some getting used to as my seating and lighting arrangements are completely different and I have found it a bit of a struggle to get used to the new arrangement.

This has meant the painting process has not been as enjoyable as usual and I am looking forward to getting my desk set up in the normal place with everything back as it was and I can then just reach out and pick up a certain colour or tube of glue without really thinking about it.

Not only has my painting routine been disrupted but as you will see the pictures of the new unit had to be done on the Talavera table as my normal photography set up had to be abandoned this month due to my relocation, but I hope they give you a feel form new Spanish battalion and the look of the regiment as a whole and how it will look on the battlefield next month.

Last week was spent in Murcia as Carolyn, the boys and I grabbed some much need time away in Spain enjoying the freedom from building work and delighting in eating out.

The time also gave me an opportunity to review the Talavera project and 'sense check' progress to putting on the first game with a slight adjustment needed to the order of battle and a review of the skirmish capabilities of the various infantry battalions to allow for the new functions added to Carnage & Glory since we last played.

With just one Spanish infantry battalion and a few supernumeraries including some Spanish horse gunners and Generals Bassecourt and Cuesta to complete I am really looking forward to playing the game and seeing the armies out on the table in all their splendour, so to speak.

My 3rd Battalion, Murcia Regiment is composed of figures from the AB range of figures supplied by Fighting 15's and their Sencilla is the one I created for the regiment and can be downloaded as an image from my post about the second battalion.

Still lots to come this month before the big game with trips and games planned at Legionary in Exeter, Partizan in Newark and a trip to Wargames Foundry to look forward to, not to mention a big 28mm Punic Wars game for our Summer trip to North Devon next month.

So onwards and upwards and the Provincial de Siguenza Militia battalion to come plus a divisional parade for Bassecourt's boys before putting them under fire in June.

Sources referred to in this post:

http://www.eborense.es/batalla_talavera1809_ejercito_espanol.html

The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-14 - G.F.Nafziger & M Gilbert

Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808 - Rene Chartrand & Bill Younghusband

Talavera 208 - Bassecourts Spanish 5th Division, 2nd Battalion, Murcia Regiment

5th Division: Major-General Bassecourt
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 1st Battalion
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 2nd Battalion
Africa Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Reina Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Provincial de Siguenza (Militia)

I know the Murcia region in Southern Spain very well, situated on the Costa Calida or 'Warm Coast', famous as a fruit growing area and with the cities of Murcia and Cartagena, the latter founded by the Carthaginians and a major Spanish naval base.

It would seem the Murcians were enthusiastic opponents of Napoleon, raising at least five battalions of volunteer infantry, one light infantry unit and the the three regular battalions. Several of the volunteer battalions took part in the determined siege of Saragossa.

The Murcia Regiment were first raised in 1694 and were the nineteenth regiment of line infantry, having two battalions present at Talavera.

Bassecourt's Regiments

In May 1808 at the commencement of the war the Murcia Regiment was listed with three battalions but with just over the list strength for one battalion, having 833* officers and men. 

*Source - Seccion de Historia Militar, Estados de la Organizacion y Fuerza de los Ejércitos Españoles Beligerantes en la Peninsula, durante la Guerre de España contra Bonaparte, 1822, Barcelona.

However a second source shows a different picture with two full strength battalions in Portugal and the third battalion mustering in the Gibraltar Camp.

Spnaish Army of Andalusia - 20th May l808

Gibraltar Camp:

3/Guardias Wallonas (30/800)

Valencia Infantry Regiment (1/2)(7/318)

Corona Infantry Regiment (39/675)

1/3/Africa Infantry Regiment (36/455)

Barbastro Light Infantry Regiment (1/2)(6/246)

Campo Mayor Infantry Regiment 33/1034

3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (10/121)

In Portugal:

1/Murcia Infantry Regiment (23/781)

2/Murcia Infantry Regiment (22/700)

Officers/Men

Source - Clerc, Capitulation de Baylen, Causes et Consequences, Paris, 1903

The picture of the regiment in the early part of the war is then further confused with Oman showing the regiment with a strength of just 833 men for June 1808 seemingly quoting the previous source for a later date, so the precise strength of this unit between May and June 1808 is anyone's guess.

Sencilla for the Murcia Regiment

The third battalion appears on the order of battle of Spanish forces at Bailen in the July of 1808, as part of General La Pena's Reserve Division.

Battle of Bailén

Spanish Forces at Baylen - 17th July l808
Commanding General: Lieutenant General Francixco Xavier Castaños
Chief of Staff: Major-General T. Moreno
Artillery Commander: Mariscal de campo Marques de Medina
Engineer Commander: Colonel Bernardino de Loza

Reserve Division: Lieutenant General Manual de Lapeña
Provincial Grenadiers (912)
2/Africa Infantry Regiment (525)
Burgos Infantry Regiment (2,089)
Det/Reding #2 (Swiss) Infantry Regiment (243)
Zaragosa Infantry Battalion (8922)
3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (420)
Provinciales de Siguenza Infantry Regiment (502)
Naval Grenadier Company (50)
Pavia Dragoon Regiment (541 men & 408 horses)
Jerez Lancer Regiment (70)
Artillery (12 guns)(502)
Sappers (1 co)(100)

Following the victory at Bailen, elements of the regiment returned to Murcia to act as garrison troops in the province.

The regiment is then shown forming two battalions in La Pena's 4th Division, part of General Castanos' Spanish Army of the Centre that moved up to the River Ebro in the October and November.

Army of the Center, Commanding General: General Castanos
4th Division: General La Pena (7,500)
Africa Infantry Regiment (2)
Burgos Infantry Regiment (2)
Saragosa Infantry Regiment (1)
Murica Infantry Regiment (2)
Provincial Grenadiers of Andalusia (2) (militia)
Signenza Militia Infantry Regiment (1)
Navas de Tolosa Infantry Regiment (1)(new levee)
Baylen Infantry Regiment (1)(new levee)
5th de Sevilla (1) (new levee)

Source Oman (battalions)

With Spanish forces beaten and pursued by the French Grande Armee under Emperor Napoleon, the Army of the Centre found itself regrouped around Cuenca under a new commander by January 1809, and the regiment was in a much reduced strength of under one full battalion now in the Vanguard Division.

It would have the misfortune to be part of General Venegas' army that was given a hard lesson in manoeuvre by Marshal Victor at Ucles that same month.

Battle of Uclés (1809)

Spanish Army of the Centre - Battle of Ucles, 13th January 1809
Commanding Officer: D. Francisco Javier Venegas

Right:
Reales Guardias Walones (22/425)
Campo Mayor Infantry Regiment (l6/465)
Granaderos provinciales (29/220)
Murcia Infantry Regiment (49/652)
Provincial de Toro (12/239)
Irlanda Infantry Regiment (9/377) (270 at battle)
Voluntarios de Carmons (40/456)

Center:
Burgos Infantry Regiment (17/5l9)
Gerona Infantry Regiment (17/499)
Chincilla Infantry Regiment (12/354)
Jaen Infantry Regiment (16/342)
Sappers (383)

Left:
Cantabria Infantry Regiment (20/315)
Africa Infantry Regiment (43/771)
Ordenes militaires Infantry Regiment (42/848)(500 in battle)
Barbastro Light Infantry Regiment (11/221)
4th Seville Infantry Regiment (20/224)
Cuenca Infantry Regiment (12/626)

Reserve:
Los Tiradores de Cadiz (17/407) (240 in battle)
Cavalry:
Reina Cavalry Regiment (24/323)
Principe Cavalry Regiment (5/155)
Borbon Cavalry Regiment (15/223)
Espan~a Cavalry Regiment (29/351)
Santiago Cavalry Regiment (21/107)
Tejas Cavalry Regiment (15/153)
Pavia Cavalry Regiment (32/527)
Lusitania Cavalry Regiment (12/177)
Castilla Cavalry Regiment (5/138)

Officers/Men

Source - Gomez de Arteche Y Moro, La Guerra de la Independencia, Madrid, 1883

On the 4th April the regiment along with the other units that would make up Bassecourt's 5th Division at Talavera were transferred from the Army of the Centre to the Army of Estremadura and with a much increased strength of over 1,200 men between its two battalions.

Forces Passed to the Army of Estramadura from the Army of the
Center by order of the Supreme Central Junta.
Division: Mariscal de campo de Echevarri
l/Reyna Infantry Regiment (1)(795)
l/Africa Infantry Regiment (1)(838)
lst Real Marina Infantry Regiment (2)(615)
1/2/Murcia Infantry Regiment (2)(1,229)
2/Cazadores de Barbastro (1)(851)
Cazadores Voluntarios de Valencia y Albuquerque (l)(831)
Provincial de Siguenza (1)(1,081)

Battalions/Men

My 2/Murcia are composed of figures from the AB range supplied by Fighting 15's and the Sencilla is my conversion using flags created by MS Foy over at the Prometheus in Aspic blog and which I have posted here for others to use. Simply download the image and size accordingly.

So with five battalions down and two to go, the completion of Bassecourt's division gets closer as does the date of the first game in June of the Talavera 208 Project. I don't know about you but I'm getting quite excited by the prospect, and from the comments received I know some of you are also looking forward to seeing the first game up and running.

If you care to click the link on the banner at the top of the post for the Talavera 208 project you will see that the 'Just Giving' page is showing a good total for Combat Stress and the great work they do. Thank you to everyone who has made a contribution so far and the kind comments received. If you are enjoying the outputs from this project so far then please show your support by making a contribution.

Sources referred to in this post:

http://www.eborense.es/batalla_talavera1809_ejercito_espanol.html

The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-14 - G.F.Nafziger & M Gilbert

Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808 - Rene Chartrand & Bill Younghusband

Next up more from Portsmouth and the Historic Dockyard and the 3rd battalion Murcia Regiment.

Talavera 208 - Bassecourts Spanish 5th Division, 1st Battalion, Reina (Reyna) Regiment

5th Division: Major-General Bassecourt
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 1st Battalion
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 2nd Battalion
Africa Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Reyna Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Provincial de Siguenza (Militia)

Progress continues on this the last division required to complete the orders of battle for Talavera 208, with the addition of the 1st Battalion Reina (Reyna) or Queen's Regiment in English.

The Reina Regiment was the second regiment of line infantry in seniority founded in 1537 originally titled the Galicia Regiment changing to Reina in 1789.

For a look at the reforms and issues affecting the recruiting of men into the Spanish army up to and including the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars see the post on the Africa Regiment.

The uniform illustrated for the regiment bears a distinct resemblance to the 1st Rey or King's Regiment differing principally in the colour of the lace and buttons, being silver/pewter rather than brass/gold.

Reina Regiment No.2

As with the Africa Regiment, though to a lesser extent, the problems with understrength numbers affected the Reina at the outbreak of war if the numbers recorded for the regiment on the 20th May 1808 are accurate, with the regiment recording a strength of all three battalions amounting to that of just one.

Spanish Army of Andalusia 20 May l808 
In Grenada:
Malaga Infantry Regiment (37/50l)
Reyna Infantry Regiment (33/788)
l/Reding III Infantry Regiment (28/875)
2/Reding III Infantry Regiment (29/892)
Montesa Cavalry Regiment (3)(23/328)
lst Cazadores de Aragon (40/l,300)
Voluntarios d'Espana (3 sqns)(l9/20l)
Source - Clerc, Capitulation de Baylen, Causes et Consequences, Paris, l903

By June of 1808 and the rush of enthusiasm to take up the fight against the French invaders the Reina were showing a doubling of their numbers across the three battalions

Reina Infantry Regiment (3)(70/1,530)
Source - Oman, Spanish Army June 1808

The Regiment was in action in the July of 1808 with the 1st Division of General Castanos' army as the French Imperial forces suffered their first major set back in three glorious years of steamrollering over the rest of Europe when General Dupont was forced to surrender at Bailen thus shattering the myth of Napoleonic invincibility.

The strength of just 795 men again barely equating to one battalion that alone three.

The Surrender at Bailen - Jose Casado del Alisal

Spanish Forces at Baylen, 17th July l808
Commanding General: Lieutenant General Francixco Xavier Castaños
Chief of Staff: Major-General T. Moreno
Artillery Commander: Mariscal de campo Marques de Medina
Engineer Commander: Colonel Bernardino de Loza

lst Division: Lt. General T. Reding
3/Wallon Guard Infantry Regiment (852)
Reina Infantry Regiment (795)
Corona Infantry Regiment (824)
Jaen Infantry Regiment (922)
Irlanda Infantry Regiment (l,724)
Reding #3 (Swiss) Infantry Regiment (l,l00)
Provincial de Jaen (500)
Voluntarios de Barbastro Infantry Regiment (39l)
Tercio de Tejas (436)
lst Voluntarios de Granada Infantry Regiment (525)
Cazadores de Anteguera (343)
Montesa Cavalry Regiment (l30)
Farnesio Cavalry Regiment (l50)
la Reina Dragoon Regiment (l45)
Numancia Dragoon Regiment (l40)
Olivencia Dragoon Regiment (l35)
Utrera Lancer Regiment (54)
Horse Battery (6 guns)
Foot Battery (4 guns)
Sappers (2 cos)(60)
Source - Oman

A different regiment but with similar facings, this grenadier provided
inspiration for painting my Reina grenadiers

All three battalions remained with Castanos's 1st Division as his army became the Army of the Centre in October of 1808 and as the Spanish army as a whole moved up in the wake of the retreating French to the River Ebro, prior to the Emperor's intervention.

As the Spanish were driven back by the second French invasion the Reina found themselves part of the scratch force detailed to defend Madrid at the Somosierra Pass. The Spanish defences were brushed aside as Napoleon forced his way into the Spanish capital.

Battle of Somosierra Pass, 1808 by Horace Vernet

Spanish Forces Defending Somosierra, Army of the Reserve, November l808
lst Voluntarios de Madrid (l,500)
2nd Voluntarios de Madrid (l,500)
Guardias Walonas (500)
Jaen Infantry Regiment (2)l,300)
l/,3/Corona Infantry Regiment (2)(l,039)
Cordoba Infantry Regiment (l,300)
Badajoz Infantry Regiment (566)
l/,3/Irlanda Infantry Regiment (2)(l,l86)
Reyna Infantry Regiment (2)(927)
Provincial de Toledo (500)
Provincial de Alcazar (400)
3/Voluntarios de Sebilla (400)
Principe Cavalry Regiment (2)(200)
Alcantara Cavalry Regiment (l00)
Montesa Cavalry Regiment (l00)
Voluntarios de Madrid Cavalry Regiment (2)(200)
Artillery (22 guns, 200 gunners)

The remains of the Army of the Centre fell back south east of Madrid at Cuenca and General Castanos was replaced by the Duke of Infantado who eager to respond to the Emperor heading off to the north-west in pursuit of Sir John Moore's British army made plans to advance on Madrid, only to see his Vanguard division taken apart at Ucles on the 13th January 1809.

Fortunately for the Reina, they missed that defeat, remaining with the 1st Division but reporting a very weak return on the 11th January.

Spanish Army of Cuenca, 11th January l809
lst Division:
Reyna Infantry Regiment (3/13/27/8/459)
l/,3/Africa Infantry Regiment (5/38/24/ll/736)
l/,3/Burgos Infantry Regiment (5/l2/34/l4/47l)
l/Sevilla Infantry Regiment (l/l4/25/-/l67)
3/Sevilla Infantry Regiment (l/8/8/4/94)
Provincial de granada (0/7/l2/l/l63)
Provincial de Bujalance (l/3/5/4/92)
Provincial de Cuenca (-/l2/l6/8/602)
Provincial de Diudad Real (2/3/8/2/258)
Provincial de Plasencia (l/3/5/2/l73)
Volontarios de Valancia (lt inf)(2/l7/l5/9/303)
Cazadores de las Navas de Tolosa (3/3l/4l/9/492)
Tiradores de Cadiz (l/l6/27/4/787)
* Figures are Chiefs, Officers, Sergeants, Drummers & Soldiers
Numbers are men present, not effective strength.
Source - Gomez de Arteche y Du Casse, Guerra de la Independencia

On the 4th of April along with the other units that would form the 5th Infantry Division at Talavera, the Reina were transferred to join General Cuesta's Army of Estremadura, now reduced to the one battalion, but at least at an effective strength.

Forces Passed to the Army of Estramadura from the Army of the Centre by order of the Supreme Central Junta. (battalions)(strength)
Division: Mariscal de campo de Echevarri
l/Reyna Infantry Regiment (l)(795)
l/Africa Infantry Regiment (l)(838)
lst Real Marina Infantry Regiment (2)(6l5)
l/,2/Murcia Infantry Regiment (2)(l,229)
2/Cazadores de Barbastro (l)(85l)
Cazadores Voluntarios de Valencia y Albuquerque (l)(83l)
Provincial de Siguenza (l)(l,08l)

My Reina regiment are composed of figures from AB supplied by Fighting 15's and with a Coronella from GMB Flags.

I have modelled my first battalion with half the companies composed of grenadiers.

So there we are four down and three to go, work goes on next with my home regiment, the boys from Murcia.

Sources referred to in this post:

http://www.eborense.es/batalla_talavera1809_ejercito_espanol.html

The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-14 - G.F.Nafziger & M Gilbert

Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808 - Rene Chartrand & Bill Younghusband

Talavera 208 - Bassecourts Spanish 5th Division, 3rd Battalion, Africa Regiment

5th Division: Major-General Bassecourt - Source Oman (Battalions)
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 1st Battalion
1st Real Marina (Royal Marines), 2nd Battalion
Africa Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Murcia Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion
Reyna Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion
Provincial de Siguenza (Militia)

The Africa Regiment was raised in 1559 appears as sixth in the listing of Spanish regular line regiments that were the core of the Spanish Bourbon army at the start of the Peninsular War.

The Spanish army had been in a prolonged period of decline since the end of the War of Spanish Succession, with only two Cazadore, three line and four foreign regiments raised in the time leading up to the French Revolution.

Manpower for the Spanish army had originally relied on volunteers and when this proved insufficient, foreign battalions were added to the lists, but by 1770 even this provision could not meet the demands for more men and the first drafts of 12,000 men were raised from the Provisional Militia to fill the ranks, later extending to the general population with limited exceptions.

Africa Regiment No.6

Eventually even conscription proved unworkable as young men fled to the mountains to avoid service and the state reverted to the 'Leva' where marriages of young men within 15 days of conscription were annulled and magistrates were empowered to sweep the streets of beggars, criminals and the unemployed for instant enrolment into the army, with the balance required relied on from popular enlistment.

Needless to say this incoherent and haphazard system left many Spanish infantry regiments understrength and populated with an indifferent kind of soldier that characterised the regular army at the start of the Napoleonic wars.

The regulations for the organisation of infantry regiments from 1802 to 1808 laid down that each regiment should have three battalions, with the first battalion composed of two grenadier and two fusilier companies whilst the second and third battalions were to have four companies of fusiliers.

Each Company was supposed to have 191 men all ranks  and each battalion a theoretical strength of just over 760 men.

The first record I have for the Africa Regiment is this listing of the standing army in May 1808 right at the start of hostilities with France showing a very weak three battalions of average strength 320 men.

Effective Forces Standing Spanish Army and Provincial Militias May 1808
Number of Battalions/Strength (officers/troops/horses)
Africa 3/70/898/0

Source - Seccion de Historia Militar, Estados de la Organizacion y Fuerza de los Ejércitos Españoles Beligerantes en la Peninsula, durante la Guerre de España contra Bonaparte, 1822, Barcelona.

Trying to get a handle of Spanish troop movements and strengths at any particular time is always challenging, but this second source of a similar date seems to corroborate how weak the Africa were at the start of the war.

Spanish Army of Andalusia 20 May l808
Gibraltar Camp:
3/Guardias Wallonas (30/800)
Valencia Infantry Regiment (l/2)(7/3l8)
Corona Infantry Regiment (39/675)
l/,3/Africa Infantry Regiment (36/455)
Barbastro Light Infantry Regiment (l/2)(6/246)
Campo Mayor Infantry Regiment 33/l034
3/Murcia Infantry Regiment (l0/l2l)
l/,2/Jaen Infantry Regiment (34/795)
Grenadieros provinciales de Andalucia (2)(50/l,400)
Provinciales de Cuenca (l2/487)
Provinciales de Jaen (l4/496)
Provinciales de Lorca (l2/434)
Provinciales de Guadix (l3/503)
Provinciales de Siguenza (l4/543)
Provinciales de Chinchilla (l3/408)
Provinciales de Malaga (l2/3l3)
Artillery (20/575)
Sappers (9 l3l)
Santiago Cavalry Regiment (2)(l6/l30)
Alcantara Cavalry Regiment (2)(l5/ll6)
Source - Clerc, Capitulation de Baylen, Causes et Consequences, Paris, l903

The Africa were involved right from the start with their second battalion listed as part of the reserve division at Baylen on the 19th July 1808 with a strength of 525 men.

A ragged veteran from Ucles on the field of Talavera - Dionisio Alvarez Cueto

The success of Baylen and repatriation of French troops from Portugal found the rejuvenated Spanish army moved up to the River Ebro prior to its rapid re-education as the Emperor led the French Imperial forces back into Spain. The Africa are recorded showing two battalions attached to Castanos' Army of the Centre in La Pena's 4th Division.

The Africa would be with the Army of the Centre under its various commanders until being ordered to join General Cuesta's Army of Estremadura in the spring of 1809.

Army of the Centre, Commanding General: General Castanos, October-November l808
Source Oman
4th Division: General La Pena (7,500)
Africa Infantry Regiment (2)
Burgos Infantry Regiment (2)
Saragosa Infantry Regiment (l)
Murica Infantry Regiment (2)
Provincial Grenadiers of Andalusia (2) (militia)
Signenza Militia Infantry Regiment (l)
Navas de Tolosa Infantry Regiment (l)(new levee)
Baylen Infantry Regiment (l)(new levee)
5th de Sevilla (l) (new levee)

With the fast moving invasion led by Napoleon, Spanish troops reeled back as the French spearhead headed for Madrid whilst secondary forces moved along the south and north coastal areas, forcing Spanish troops to rapidly garrison their fortified cities in an attempt to slow the advance into the interior of the country.  A detachment of the Africa Regiment are recorded in December 1808 at the second siege of Saragossa.

With French troops forcing their way through the Somosierra Pass into Madrid the Spanish forces were given some respite as Napoleon's attention was drawn towards Sir John Moore's rapidly retreating British Expeditionary Force, now falling back to the Galician mountains.

The remains of the Army of the Centre now hovered to the south east and close to Madrid at Cuenca, threatening the French garrison under Marshal Victor.

Spanish Army of Cuenca 11 January l809
lst Division:
Reyna Infantry Regiment (3/l3/27/8/459)
l/,3/Africa Infantry Regiment (5/38/24/ll/736)
l/,3/Burgos Infantry Regiment (5/l2/34/l4/47l)
l/Sevilla Infantry Regiment (l/l4/25/-/l67)
3/Sevilla Infantry Regiment (l/8/8/4/94)
Provincial de granada (0/7/l2/l/l63)
Provincial de Bujalance (l/3/5/4/92)
Provincial de Cuenca (-/l2/l6/8/602)
Provincial de Diudad Real (2/3/8/2/258)
Provincial de Plasencia (l/3/5/2/l73)
Volontarios de Valancia (lt inf)(2/l7/l5/9/303)
Cazadores de las Navas de Tolosa (3/3l/4l/9/492)
Tiradores de Cadiz (l/l6/27/4/787)

* Figures are Chiefs, Officiers, Sergeants, Drummers & Soldiers
Numbers are men present, not effective strength.
Source - Gomez de Arteche y Du Casse, Guerra de la Independencia

In January 1809, Marshal Victor determined to stamp out the threat posed by the Spanish at Cuenca now commanded by the Duke of Infantado, who now appreciating the Emperor's departure to the north was becoming more emboldened to action.

The French Marshal managed to catch the Vanguard of Infantado's army at Ucles and demonstrating the French abilities to manoeuvre pinned the Spanish to their front whilst turning and enveloping their flanks.

The resulting rout was a disaster for the Spanish resulting in 6,800 casualties and losses from a force of nearly 12,000 men, with the French barely losing 200 men in return.

With the threat to Madrid neutralised Napoleon's brother, King Joseph, entered his capital on the 22nd January for the second time.

Spanish Army of the Centre, Battle of Ucles, l3 January l809
Commanding Officer: D. Francisco Javier Venegas
Left:
Cantabria Infantry Regiment (20/3l5)
Africa Infantry Regiment (43/77l)
Ordenes militaires Infantry Regiment (42/848)(500 in battle)
Barbastro Light Infantry Regiment (ll/22l)
4th Seville Infantry Regiment (20/224)
Cuenca Infantry Regiment (l2/626)
Source - Gomez de Arteche Y Moro, La Guerra de la Independencia, Madrid, l883

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Uclés_(1809)

Between the 21st March and the 4th of April the Africa Regiment was ordered to join the Army of Estremadura forming under General Cuesta in and around Badajoz, and this source shows a good strength battalion, recorded as the first, despite the disaster of Ucles only two months previously.

The Africa under Mariscal de Campo de Echevarri are accompanied by several of the units that would line up alongside them in the 5th Division at Talavera.

It would seem that this move meant that they at least missed being involved in another disastrous Spanish battle as Marshal Victor dealt a lesson in battle to General Cuesta at the Battle of Medellin on the 28th March 1809. The Africa and their comrades from the Army of the Centre are notable absentees.

Forces Passed to the Army of Estramadura from the Army of the Centre by order of the Supreme Central Junta between 21st March and 4th April 1809.
Division: Mariscal de campo de Echevarri
l/Reyna Infantry Regiment (l)(795)
l/Africa Infantry Regiment (l)(838)
lst Real Marina Infantry Regiment (2)(6l5)
l/,2/Murcia Infantry Regiment (2)(l,229)
2/Cazadores de Barbastro (l)(85l)
Cazadores Voluntarios de Valencia y Albuquerque (l)(83l)
Provincial de Siguenza (l)(l,08l)

My 3rd Africa are composed of figures from the AB range supplied by Fighting 15's with their Sencilla supplied by GMB Flags.

Sources referred to in this post:

http://www.eborense.es/batalla_talavera1809_ejercito_espanol.html

The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-14 - G.F.Nafziger & M Gilbert

Spanish Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1) 1793-1808 - Rene Chartrand & Bill Younghusband

Next up the first battalion, Reyna (Reina) Regiment.