Battle First attacks After intense artillery fire, returned in kind by the Spaniards, Jean François Leval with Polish and German-Dutch divisions attacked the Spanish left wing. The Bailén and Jaén battalions of the 3rd Division twice repelled the Poles, but received no reinforcement from the reserve. With the Polish division encouraged by the Germans coming up to their left, the French army was able to storm the vital position of the Cerrojones, even though at great cost (the three Polish regiments making up the division lost 47 officers). The French right was supported by a large body of troops advancing over the level ground at the foot of that hill, carrying out an envelopment on the extreme left, not stopped by a cavalry charge by the horsemen of Fernando VII and Granada, led by Colonel Antonio Zea and Commander Nicolás Chacón (Captain Francisco Soto died in this charge). The 1st division, in order to confront the Germans, had to withdraw somewhat and to reposition itself diagonally to the rearguard. However, as the centre and right were now retreating as well, under attack by the remaining enemy forces supported by the reserve which had just arrived under Dessolles and Joseph Bonaparte, this division was itself forced to take refuge on the Castillo hill.
Battle First attacks After intense artillery fire returned in kind by the Spaniards Jean François Leval with Polish and German-Dutch divisions attacked the Spanish left wing The Bailén and Jaén battalions of the 3rd Division twice repelled the Poles but received no reinforcement from the reserve With the Polish division encouraged by the Germans coming up to their left the French army was able to storm the vital position of the Cerrojones even though at great cost (the three Polish regiments making up the division lost 47 officers) The French right was supported by a large body of troops advancing over the level ground at the foot of that hill carrying out an envelopment on the extreme left not stopped by a cavalry charge by the horsemen of Fernando VII and Granada led by Colonel Antonio Zea and Commander Nicolás Chacón (Captain Francisco Soto died in this charge) The 1st division in order to confront the Germans had to withdraw somewhat and to reposition itself diagonally to the rearguard However as the centre and right were now retreating as well under attack by the remaining enemy forces supported by the reserve which had just arrived under Dessolles and Joseph Bonaparte this division was itself forced to take refuge on the Castillo hill