Albacete Campaign – Day 9

Campaign Map on 16 September 1813

Suchet orders a retreat to reopen and secure his lines of supply

This requires his army to separate so that they can support all six depots

By moving he is unable to resupply, and by nightfall all three corps are out of supply

7^th corps has been out of supply all day and has lost 400 casualties to attrition

The Spanish army is already out of supply and losing attrition casualties

However they are all within supply range of their three depots and can resupply

Once resupplied they will be able to rally, regroup and reorganise

All guerrilla attacks have ceased and the brigades are moving to nearby villages

Campaign Notes

The French army disperse and retreat to support their depots and open supply

In doing so they are unable to resupply and use the last of their supplies

7^th corps starts to lose attrition casualties because it is already out of supply

The Spanish army have also run out of supplies

However they are within range of all of their depots

All three corps resupply and avoid further attrition casualties

Out of supply means that a corps has no supplies at the start and end of the day

The consequences of allowing this to happen are very serious

They lose 400 casualties (one wargame casualty) to attrition each day

They are not allowed to attack, but can defend themselves

They are not allowed to rally routed or shaken brigades

They are not allowed to reorganise (move casualties to one brigade)

They are not allowed to receive battle casualty replacements

Giron is fortunate that the French had to retreat

Had they attacked him again today his army would have been destroyed