Battle of Valls
Bailen - Saragossa ( 1808) - Vimeiro - Saragossa (1809 ) - La Coruna - Torres Vedras - Valls - Oporto - Talavera - Ocaña - Ciudad Rodrigo (1810 ) - Buçaco - Gévora - Fuentes de Oñoro - La Albuera - Tarragona (1811 ) - Ciudad Rodrigo (1812 ) - Badajoz (1812 ) - Salamanca - García Hernández - Venta del Pozo - Vitoria
The Battle of Valls took place on February 25, 1809 during the Spanish War of Independence against Napoleon at the Pont de Goi, a bridge over the Francolí near the Catalan town of Valls, instead.
The Franco- Italian forces under Marshal Gouvion de Saint -Cyr and the Spanish troops were standing opposite under the Swiss General Theodor von Reding. The Spanish troops were defeated by Saint- Cyr. This General Reding suffered a severe injury, in consequence of which he died on 23 April 1809.
Course
On the night of February 24 Reding crossed with his vanguard to Francolí over the bridge from Goi. After he had the 25 collided in the early morning with parts of Soulhams Division, Reding was uncertain, pulled back over the bridge on the right riverbank back and built a defensive line of battle on. This allowed the first Frenchman surprised to prepare. Saint- Cyr had the Italian division Pinos come, which was ten kilometers away in Pla de Santa Maria, and was now ready to go with superior forces on the offensive.
With a skirmish across the river Saint- Cyr employed the Spaniards until around 15:00 clock the French forces had united. Saint- Cyr had his troops to advance in three columns, two of the Pinos Division and one of the Soulham Division. Despite tenacious resistance, the French forced in a well-coordinated action with cavalry and heavy artillery fire the transition.
The Spanish forces were defeated, scattered and fled in the direction of Tarragona. The French captured the entire Spanish artillery and moved into Reus. They besieged Tarragona until March 20. In the city, the plague broke out, and loss of life among the garrison and the inhabitants.
General Reding had been wounded in battle by five saber cuts. He died on April 23, 1809 in Tarragona at wound fever as a result of the injury suffered.
Gallery
Theodor von Reding