Vitoria Final Part

We eventually completed our epic re-fight of Vitoria and whether the French would break went down to the wire...

Play resumes with Wellington seizing the initiative in the West, and the French take heavy casualties all along the line here as, as having pushed enough forces past the annoying Knoll of Arinez, he can launch a coordinated attack. On the Puebla Heights, Morillo finally catches the outnumbered French securing the Anglo-Allied flank and threatening the French one

Further back Joseph finds the Road to Bayonne has become blocked by the fight for Durana and he laboriously turns his convoy around to head for the badly rutted tracks towards Pampelona

Back with Wellington the French cavalry are goaded into a series of impetuous charges against British squares, some of which come surprisingly close to success

As night begins to fall the Brunswicks, led by Dalhousie and Picton in person, storm into Crispijana, but in a desperate last throw the French retake the village before dark

On the Araca Heights, Reille makes a staged withdrawal back to Gamarra Mayor having successfully left Graham in disarray

The Anglo-Portuguese 5th Division make a last attempt to take Durana and briefly succeed...

... before another desperate counter-attack, this time by Casapalicios Spaniards, sends Spry's Portuguese reeling back across the Zadorra

Chaos in the French rear as Joseph attempts to organise a retreat over bad roads and some of the French start to melt away to start looting, a reward for their hard fighting.

Graham urges on his forces across the Araca heights under heavy fire from the French Grand Battery

The KGL absorb withering fire from the French artillery

British and KGL Light Dragoons look on impotently from their sheltered position behind Abechuco, unable to cross the Zadorra under the heavy French bombardment

Another view of the increasingly impatient Light Dragoons in the shelter of  Abechucho

Pierre Soult leads another resolute charge against the Anglo-Allied squares to buy time for the Great French Escape

The French are closely pressed by Wellington in the twilight

Pierre Soult regroups behind Zuazo under cover of darkness

As dusk closes in Dickson sends a last salvo from his Grand Battery to speed the French on their way.

The situation as the sun sets

The following morning sees certain enterprising riflemen setting up an art stall outside Vitoria.

By nightfall the French counter attacks that saw them retake Crispijana and Durana mean they avoid losing half their army resolve, and a shattering defeat, by just two and a half points. The road to Bayonne is under skirmisher fire and Joseph has rerouted his retreat via the poor tracks leading to Pampelona. his efforts to bring his baggage off have ended up with chaos on the roads in the French rear. There is likely to be much looting in the night, not least by the battered French.

On Wellington's side their have been some heavy losses, he has lost only just less than a quarter of his army in casualties. There will be some sad, empty chairs at his table amongst those reserved for some of his best generals, and amongst the beau sabres of the Guards Brigade, as he dines tonight. He won't be enjoying a saddle of mutton at Lowry-Cole's table as he had hoped, and Hill won't be joining them. But he still has most of his cavalry fresh for the pursuit, assuming he can keep them away from looting, largely because they spent the battle ineffectually in the rear....