Jump to content

Manuel Lapeña: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m DABlinks standardisation + general fixes using AWB (7778)
No edit summary
 
(46 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{About|the Spanish military officer|the Mexican politician|Manuel de la Peña y Peña}}
{{Short description|Spanish Army officer}}
{{About|the Spanish military officer|the Mexican politician|Manuel de la Peña y Peña|the Spanish footballer|Manuel Olivares Lapeña}}
{{family name hatnote|Lapeña|Ruiz del Sotillo|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Manuel Lapeña
| image = Francisco de Goya y Lucientes - Don Manuel Lapeña, later Marquis of Bondad Real - A99 - Hispanic Society of America.jpg
| caption = Portrait of Lapeña (1799) by [[Francisco Goya|Goya]]<br>([[Hispanic Society of America]] Museum, New York)
| birth_date = 11 April 1762
| birth_place = [[Valtierra]], [[Navarre]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1820|10|14|1762|04|11|df=y}}
| death_place = Madrid
| allegiance = {{flag|Spain|1785}}
| branch =
| serviceyears =
| rank =
| commands =
| battles = {{Tree list}}
* '''[[American Revolutionary War]]'''
* '''[[War of the Pyrenees]]'''
** [[Battle of Mas Deu]]
** [[Battle of Perpignan]]
** [[Battle of Truillas]]
** [[Second Battle of Boulou]]
** [[Great Siege of Gibraltar]]
* '''[[Peninsular War]]'''
** [[Battle of Bailén]]
** [[Battle of Tudela]]
** [[Battle of Barrosa]]
** [[Siege of Cádiz]]
{{Tree list/end}}
}}


'''Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo'''<ref group=note>Some authors, such as [[Charles Oman|Oman]] (1902), write the surname '''La Peña'''.</ref> (11 April 1762 – 14 October 1820) was a [[Spanish Army]] officer.
'''Manuel la Peña''' ([[floruit|''fl.'']] 1808–1811), sometimes referred to as '''Lapeña''', was a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[officer (armed forces)|military officer]] who served during the [[Peninsular War]] (''Guerra de la Independencia Española'' – the Spanish War of Independence).<ref name="Fort40">{{harvtxt|Fortescue|1917|p=40}} is an example of the use of Lapeña.</ref> Although widely regarded as incompetent, he rose through the Spanish army's ranks to become Captain General of [[Andalusia]]. He is primarily known for commanding an Anglo–Spanish expedition from [[Cádiz]], with the intention of raising the [[Siege of Cádiz|siege]] on that city, which led to the [[Battle of Barrosa]].


Having a reputation for incompetence—he had the [[nickname]] ''Doña Manuela'' (Lady Manuela).<ref name="Fort62">{{harvnb|Fortescue|1917|p=62}}</ref><ref group=note>"La Peña had kept his place, despite his Tudela fiasco, through family and ''salon'' intrigues—he is said to have been the 'tame cat' of certain great ladies of the patriotic party".{{harvnb|Oman|1911|loc=footnote 135}}</ref>— Lapeña has been harshly criticised by most British historians ([[William Francis Patrick Napier|Napier]], [[Charles Oman|Oman]], among others) for his conduct at the battles of [[Battle of Tudela|Tudela]] and [[Battle of Barrosa|Barrosa (Chiclana)]],<ref group=note>"... the cowardly behaviour of La Peña in 1811, when he refused to aid Graham at the bloody little battle of Barossa". (Oman, 1902: p. 101.)</ref> considering him both pusilanimous and lacking initiative, opinions shared by 19th century Spanish historians such as the [[José María Queipo de Llano, 7th Count of Toreno|Count of Toreno]] and [[José Gómez de Arteche|Gómez Arteche]].<ref name=martin>{{in lang|es}}. Martín-Lanuza, Alberto. [https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/45634/manuel-de-lapena-y-ruiz-del-sotillo "Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo".] ''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico''. [[Real Academia de la Historia]]. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref> Although Lapeña was an ambitious man, he had a talent for diplomacy.<ref name="Oman95">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=95}}.</ref>
== Military career ==
As a result of having a reputation for incompetence—he had the [[nickname]] ''Doña Manuela'' (the Lady Manuel)<ref name="Fort62">{{harvnb|Fortescue|1917|p=62}}.</ref>—la Peña was an ambitious man with a talent for diplomacy.<ref name="Oman95">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=95}}.</ref> Therefore, by 1808, la Peña commanded a large part of the [[Spain|Spanish]] Army of the Centre, stationed at [[Cascante]].


The full-length portrait of Lapeña, painted in 1799 by [[Francisco Goya|Goya]], was commissioned by the [[María Josefa Pimentel, Duchess of Osuna|Duchess of Osuna]] for the palace at her recreational property, [[El Capricho Park|La Alameda]], Madrid.<ref>{{in lang|es}}. [https://fundaciongoyaenaragon.es/obra/manuel-lapena-rodriguez-y-ruiz-de-sotillo/406#notes "Manuel Lapeña Rodríguez y Ruiz de Sotillo".] Fundación Goya en Aragón. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref>
=== Battle of Tudela ===

==Military career==

Lapeña started his military career in 1777 as a captain in the America Infantry Regiment, then commanded by the future [[Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna|Duke of Osuna]].<ref name=martin/>

He then spent 22 months at the [[Great Siege of Gibraltar]] before participating in the [[Invasion of Minorca (1781)]].<ref name=martin/> He then saw further action at the siege at Gibraltar, following which he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1792.<ref name=martin/>

At the start of the [[War of the Pyrenees]], Lapeña joined the Army of Rosellón as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Osuna, seeing action at [[Battle of Mas Deu|Mas Deu]], at [[Battle of Perpignan|Perpignan]], at [[Battle of Truillas|Truillas]] and at [[Second Battle of Boulou|Boulou]].<ref name=martin/>

He was promoted to brigadier in 1793,<ref name=martin/> and marched with his commanding officer to Army of Navarra, where Lapeña was given command of the seven battalions of volunteers that had been raised for the war. Shortly before the end of the war, he was promoted to field marshal (1795).<ref name=martin/>

In 1797 he spent a year in Galicia as second-in-command of the army stationed there in preparation for a war against Portugal. In 1801, he led an infantry brigade in the [[War of the Oranges]], seeing action at [[Arronches]].<ref name=martin/>

In October 1802, Lapeña was promoted to lieutenant general in the same promotion as other notable Spanish military commanders of the Spanish armies during the Peninsular War, including the [[Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado|Duke of the Infantado]], [[Juan Pignatelli]], [[Juan Carrafa]], [[Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén|Francisco Castaños]], [[Francisco Taranco y Llano|Francisco Taranco]], [[Francisco de Eguía|Francisco Eguía]], and [[Arturo O'Neill]].<ref>{{in lang|es}}. [https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/es/viewer?id=c82050d1-5088-45a8-83fb-138f5cb451a3&page=14 ''Gaceta de Barcelona'', no. 1750. 6 October 1802.] ''Hemeroteca Digital''. [[Biblioteca Nacional de España]]. Retrieved 30 April 2023.</ref>

In 1806 Lapeña was given command of the 2nd Battalion of the Guardias Españolas and, in 1807 he was appointed interim captain general of Andalusia and governor of Cádiz while the [[Francisco Solano (soldier)|Marquis del Socorro]] was [[Invasion of Portugal (1807)|invading Portugal]] as part of Spain's agreement with France. Laeña held the post until 20 May 1808.<ref name=martin/>

==Peninsular War==
{{main|Peninsular War}}

===Battle of Bailén (16–19 July 1808)===
{{main|Battle of Bailén}}

Lapeña was given command of the 4th Division (Reserve) of [[Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén|Castaños]]'s 33,000–34,000-strong field army.<ref name=oman1>[[Charles Oman|Oman, Charles]] (1902). [https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/53264/pg53264-images.html#Footnote_155 ''A History of the Peninsular War'', Vol. I, pp. 177, 179, 346–347, 442–443, 619.] ''Project Gutenberg''. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref><ref group=note>The commanders of the other three divisions were Generals [[Theodor von Reding|Reding]], [[Marquis of Coupigny|Coupigny]], and [[Felix Jones (soldier)|Felix Jones]]. (Oman, 1902: p. 177.)</ref>

Lapeña's Cavalry unit was the Pavia Regiment commanded by Colonel [[Pedro de Alcántara Téllez Girón]], a very well-equipped unit with 440 splendid horses.<ref name=gutierrez>{{in lang|es}}. Gutiérrez Núñez, Francisco Javier. [https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/8572/pedro-de-alcantara-tellez-giron-y-alfonso-pimentel "Pedro de Alcántara Téllez Girón y Alfonso-Pimentel". ''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico'' (''DB~e'').] [[Real Academia de la Historia]]. Retrieved 1 May 2023.</ref><ref group=note>Oman (1902: p. 619.) puts this number at 541 in the order of battle.</ref> The 4th Division also had a 3,000-strong flying brigade, under [[Juan de la Cruz Mourgeón|Cruz-Murgeon]], who was given the task harassing Dupont's northern flank and cutting French communications with [[Bailén]] and [[La Carolina]].<ref name=oman1/>

Following their victory at Bailén, Lapeña's division accompanied Castaños to Madrid, arriving there on 23 August.<ref name=oman1/>

===Battle of Tudela (23 November 1808)===
{{main|Battle of Tudela}}
{{main|Battle of Tudela}}
On 23 November 1808, the Spanish Army of the Centre, under the command of [[General Officer|General]] [[Francisco Javier Castaños, 1st Duke of Bailén|Castaños]], came under attack from the French III&nbsp;[[Corps]] commanded by Marshal [[Jean Lannes|Lannes]] at [[Tudela, Navarre|Tudela]].<ref name="Gates101">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=101}}.</ref> In what became known as the [[Battle of Tudela]], the attacking French forces sought to take advantage of a gap between the Spanish army's wings. Seeking to close the gap, Castaños sent orders to la Peña at Cascante to move to fill the void. La Peña, however, simply ignored his commander's directive. At the time la Peña, along with General Grimarest, could field some 20,000 men against the 9,000 French troops in that area of the field of battle. Rather than march to support the rest of the Spanish army, however, la Peña limited his activities to small-scale [[skirmisher|skirmishes]] with the few French troops close by. Having lost 200 men in these skirmishes, and witnessing the defeat of the rest of the Army of the Centre, la Peña finally retreated towards [[House of Borgia|Borja]], bringing the battle to a close.<ref name="Gates103">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=103}}.</ref>
Castaños's Army of the Centre came under attack from the French III&nbsp;[[Corps]] commanded by Marshal [[Jean Lannes|Lannes]] at [[Tudela, Navarre|Tudela]].<ref name="Gates101">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=101}}.</ref> The attacking French forces sought to take advantage of a gap between the Spanish army's wings. Seeking to close the gap, Castaños sent orders to Lapeña at Cascante to move to fill the void. However, Lapeña's division, numbering 8,000–9,000 infantry and 1,500 horse, simply stayed for four hours facing the French cavalry; just two French [[Alexandre, vicomte Digeon|Digeon]]'s and [[Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais|Colbert]]'s brigades of dragoons, some three thousand horse.<ref name=oman1/>
At the time Lapeña, along with General [[Pedro Grimarest|Grimarest]], could field some 20,000{{cn|date=May 2023}} men against the 9,000 French troops in that area of the field of battle. Rather than march to support the rest of the Spanish army, Lapeña limited his activities to small-scale [[skirmisher|skirmishes]] with the few French troops close by. Having lost 200 men in these skirmishes, and witnessing the defeat of the rest of the Army of the Centre, Lapeña finally retreated towards Borja, bringing the battle to a close.<ref name="Gates103">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=103}}.</ref>

===Army of the Centre===
After Tudela, Castaños was ordered to [[Aranjuez]] to take up the presidency of the [[Junta (Peninsular War)|''Junta Central'']]'s military advisory committee. As a result, Lapeña assumed overall command of the Spanish Army of the Centre which had reformed at [[Guadalajara, Spain|Guadalajara]].<ref name="Esdaile137">{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=137}}.</ref> With this command, Lapeña attempted to intervene against [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]]'s assault on [[Madrid]]; this attempt was, however, intercepted by [[Michel Ney|Marshal Ney]]'s I&nbsp;Corps and Lapeña was forced to withdraw to [[Cuenca, Spain|Cuenca]].<ref name="Gates105">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=105}}.</ref> Once there, he was replaced as the commander of the Army of the Centre by the [[Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado|Duque de Infantado]],<ref name="Esdaile137" /> on 9 December.<ref name=martin/>

===Army of La Mancha===
In January 1809 he was given command of the 4,000-strong<ref name=oman2>[[Charles Oman|Oman, Charles]] (1903). [https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/54279/pg54279-images.html#FNanchor_306 ''A History of the Peninsular War'', Vol. II, p. 145.] ''Project Gutenberg''. Retrieved 2 May 2023.</ref> Reserve of [[José de Urbina y Urbina, 3rd Conde de Cartaojal|Cartaojal]]'s Army of La Mancha, and following its defeat at [[Battle of Ciudad Real|Ciudad Real]] covered the retreat to Despeñaperros.<ref name=martin/>


In April he went to Sevilla, where the Junta Central commissioned him with a secret mission to Catalonia, where he stayed unitl the following April, to report on the flight of the Spanish troops at [[Battle of Belchite (1809)|Belchite]].<ref name=martin/>
=== Army of the Centre ===
After Tudela, Castaños was ordered to [[Aranjuez]] to take up the presidency of the [[Junta (Peninsular War)|''Junta Central'']]'s military advisory committee. As a result, la Peña assumed overall command of the Spanish Army of the Centre which had reformed at [[Guadalajara, Spain|Guadalajara]].<ref name="Esdaile137">{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=137}}.</ref> With this command, la Peña attempted to intervene against [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]]'s assault on [[Madrid]]; this attempt was, however, intercepted by [[Michel Ney|Marshal Ney]]'s I&nbsp;Corps and la Peña was forced to retire to [[Cuenca, Spain|Cuenca]].<ref name="Gates105">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=105}}.</ref> Once there, la Peña was replaced by the Duque de Infantado as the commander of the Army of the Centre.<ref name="Esdaile137" />


=== Cádiz ===
===Cádiz===
In December 1810, la Peña succeeded [[Joaquín Blake y Joyes|Blake]] as the Captain General of [[Andalusia]].<ref name="Napier271">{{harvnb|Napier|1842|p=271}}.</ref> He had been, however, a supporter of the [[Cortes Generales#Cádiz Cortes|Cortes]]; therefore, the new Regency removed him from this position and ordered him to [[Cádiz]], along with his troops.<ref name="Napier419">{{harvnb|Napier|1840|p=419}}.</ref> La Peña was then the senior Spanish officer in Cádiz, and took command of the Spanish forces on the Isla de Léon.<ref name="Oman95" />
In December 1810, Lapeña succeeded [[Joaquín Blake y Joyes|Blake]] as the Captain General of [[Andalusia]].<ref name="Napier271">{{harvnb|Napier|1842|p=271}}.</ref> However, as he had been a supporter of the [[Cortes Generales#Cádiz Cortes (1808–14) the new Regency removed him from this position and ordered him to [[Cádiz]], along with his troops.<ref name="Napier419">{{harvnb|Napier|1840|p=419}}.</ref> Lapeña then became the senior Spanish officer at Cádiz, and took command of the Spanish forces on the [[Isla de León]].<ref name="Oman95" />


=== Battle of Barrosa ===
===Battle of Barrosa===
{{main|Battle of Barrosa}}
{{main|Battle of Barrosa}}
In January 1811, a reduction of the French forces besieging Cádiz caused the British and Spanish allies garrisoning the city to launch an expedition in an attempt to raise the [[siege of Cádiz|siege]]. Despite having authority, from the British government, to refuse to take part in a joint expedition of which he was not given command, [[Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch|Sir Thomas Graham]]—the British commander—agreed to cede command of the force to la Peña.<ref name="Oman95-96">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=95–96}}.</ref>
In January 1811, a reduction of the French forces besieging Cádiz led to the British and Spanish allies garrisoning the city to launch an expedition in an attempt to raise the [[siege of Cádiz|siege]]. Despite having authority, from the British government, to refuse to take part in a joint expedition of which he was not given command, [[Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch|Sir Thomas Graham]]—the British commander—agreed to cede command of the force to Lapeña, on condition that the Spanish contribute the larger body of troops.<ref name=oman4>{{cite book |author-link=Charles Oman |last=Oman |first=Charles |date=1911 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56812/pg56812-images.html#Footnote_616 |title=A History of the Peninsular War |volume=IV |pages=95–96, 130 |via=Project Gutenberg |access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref>


Sailing from Cádiz between 21–24 February 1811, the Anglo–Spanish expedition regrouped at [[Tarifa]] on 27 February 1811 and marched towards the besieging French force's rear at [[Chiclana de la Frontera|Chiclana]]. A series of night marches, instigated by la Peña, however, resulted in a change of plan and the allied army ended up marching back towards Cádiz. The French commander, [[Claude Victor-Perrin, duc de Belluno|Marshal Victor]], marched to meet the allied force with 10,000 men from his besieging army. On 5 March, la Peña's vanguard division met a French division straddling the main road to Cádiz and drove them off the road.<ref name="Gates249-252">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|pp=249–252}}.</ref>
Sailing from Cádiz between 21–24 February 1811, the Anglo-Spanish expedition regrouped at [[Tarifa]] on 27 February 1811 and marched towards the besieging French force's rear at [[Chiclana de la Frontera|Chiclana]]. A series of night marches, instigated by Lapeña, however, resulted in a change of plan and the allied army ended up marching back towards Cádiz. The French commander, [[Claude Victor-Perrin, duc de Belluno|Marshal Victor]], marched to meet the allied force with 10,000 men from his besieging army. On 5 March, Lapeña's vanguard division met a French division straddling the main road to Cádiz and drove them off the road.<ref name="Gates249-252">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|pp=249–252}}.</ref>


Graham's rearguard division, meanwhile, was attacked by two of Victor's divisions. Graham split his force into two brigades; one to face each of the approaching French divisions. In the ensuing [[Battle of Barrosa|battle]], Graham's forces beat off the French attacks despite la Peña entrenching his larger force on the [[isthmus]] to Cádiz and refusing to aid his British allies.<ref name="Gates249-252" /> La Peña further refused to pursue the retreating French troops, allowing them to resume the siege on Cádiz. The siege was not lifted until 24 August 1812.
Graham's rearguard division, meanwhile, was attacked by two of Victor's divisions. Graham split his force into two brigades; one to face each of the approaching French divisions. In the ensuing [[Battle of Barrosa|battle]], Graham's forces beat off the French attacks despite Lapeña entrenching his larger force on the [[isthmus]] to Cádiz and refusing to aid his British allies.<ref name="Gates249-252" /> Lapeña further refused to pursue the retreating French troops, allowing them to resume the siege on Cádiz, a siege that was not lifted until 24 August 1812.


La Peña's actions in this engagement led to his [[court-martial]] where he was acquitted but relieved of command.<ref name="Paget124-125">{{harvnb|Paget|1990|pp=124–125}}.</ref>
Lapeña's actions in this engagement led to his [[court-martial]], where he was acquitted but relieved of command,<ref name="Paget124-125">{{harvnb|Paget|1990|pp=124–125}}.</ref> which was given to [[Marquis of Coupigny|Marquis de Coupigny]].<ref name=oman4/>


== References ==
==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|group=note}}


== Bibliography ==
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{citation
*{{citation
| last = Esdaile
| last = Esdaile
Line 37: Line 106:
| title = The Peninsular War
| title = The Peninsular War
| publisher = Penguin Books
| publisher = Penguin Books
| isbn = 0-140-27370-0
| isbn = 0-14-027370-0
}};
}};


*{{citation
*{{citation
| unused_data = John William Fortescue
| last = Fortescue
| last = Fortescue
| first = Sir John
| first = John William
| author-link = John Fortescue (military historian)
| author-link = John Fortescue (military historian)
| publication-date = 1917
| publication-date = 1917
Line 50: Line 118:
| volume = VIII
| volume = VIII
| publisher = Macmillan
| publisher = Macmillan
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/historyofbritish08fortuoft
| url = https://archive.org/details/historyofbritish08fortuoft
| accessdate = 2007-09-13
| access-date = 2007-09-13
}};
}};


Line 66: Line 134:
*{{citation
*{{citation
| last = Napier
| last = Napier
| first = Sir William
| first = William
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| publication-date = 1842
| publication-date = 1842
Line 74: Line 142:
| volume = II
| volume = II
| publisher = Carey and Hart
| publisher = Carey and Hart
| url = http://books.google.com/?id=gCIaAAAAMAAJ
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gCIaAAAAMAAJ
| accessdate = 2007-09-30
| access-date = 2007-09-30
}};
}};


*{{citation
*{{citation
| last = Napier
| last = Napier
| first = Sir William
| first = William
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| publication-date = 1840
| publication-date = 1840
Line 88: Line 156:
| volume = III
| volume = III
| publisher = Thomas and William Boone
| publisher = Thomas and William Boone
| url = http://books.google.com/?id=jlgBAAAAQAAJ
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jlgBAAAAQAAJ
| accessdate = 2007-09-30
| access-date = 2007-09-30
}};

*{{citation
| last = Oman
| first = Sir Charles
| author-link = Charles Oman
| publication-date = 2004
| year = 1911
| title = A History of the Peninsular War: Volume IV, December 1810 to December 1811
| publisher = Greenhill Books
| isbn = 1-85367-618-7
}};
}};


Line 114: Line 171:
}}.
}}.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Lapena, Manuel}}
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME = la Peña ,Manuel
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES = la Peña ,Miguel; Lapeña ,Manuel; Lapeña ,Miguel
|SHORT DESCRIPTION =
|DATE OF BIRTH =
|PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Spain]]
|DATE OF DEATH =
|PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:La Pena, Manuel}}
[[Category:Spanish generals]]
[[Category:Spanish generals]]
[[Category:Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:People who were court-martialed]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:1762 births]]
[[Category:1820 deaths]]

[[fr:Manuel la Peña]]

Latest revision as of 10:26, 25 August 2024

This article is about the Spanish military officer. For the Mexican politician, see Manuel de la Peña y Peña. For the Spanish footballer, see Manuel Olivares Lapeña.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Lapeña and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz del Sotillo.
Manuel Lapeña
Portrait of Lapeña (1799) by Goya
(Hispanic Society of America Museum, New York)
Born11 April 1762
Valtierra, Navarre
Died14 October 1820(1820-10-14) (aged 58)
Madrid
Allegiance Spain
Battles / wars

Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo[note 1] (11 April 1762 – 14 October 1820) was a Spanish Army officer.

Having a reputation for incompetence—he had the nickname Doña Manuela (Lady Manuela).[1][note 2]— Lapeña has been harshly criticised by most British historians (Napier, Oman, among others) for his conduct at the battles of Tudela and Barrosa (Chiclana),[note 3] considering him both pusilanimous and lacking initiative, opinions shared by 19th century Spanish historians such as the Count of Toreno and Gómez Arteche.[2] Although Lapeña was an ambitious man, he had a talent for diplomacy.[3]

The full-length portrait of Lapeña, painted in 1799 by Goya, was commissioned by the Duchess of Osuna for the palace at her recreational property, La Alameda, Madrid.[4]

Military career

[edit]

Lapeña started his military career in 1777 as a captain in the America Infantry Regiment, then commanded by the future Duke of Osuna.[2]

He then spent 22 months at the Great Siege of Gibraltar before participating in the Invasion of Minorca (1781).[2] He then saw further action at the siege at Gibraltar, following which he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1792.[2]

At the start of the War of the Pyrenees, Lapeña joined the Army of Rosellón as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Osuna, seeing action at Mas Deu, at Perpignan, at Truillas and at Boulou.[2]

He was promoted to brigadier in 1793,[2] and marched with his commanding officer to Army of Navarra, where Lapeña was given command of the seven battalions of volunteers that had been raised for the war. Shortly before the end of the war, he was promoted to field marshal (1795).[2]

In 1797 he spent a year in Galicia as second-in-command of the army stationed there in preparation for a war against Portugal. In 1801, he led an infantry brigade in the War of the Oranges, seeing action at Arronches.[2]

In October 1802, Lapeña was promoted to lieutenant general in the same promotion as other notable Spanish military commanders of the Spanish armies during the Peninsular War, including the Duke of the Infantado, Juan Pignatelli, Juan Carrafa, Francisco Castaños, Francisco Taranco, Francisco Eguía, and Arturo O'Neill.[5]

In 1806 Lapeña was given command of the 2nd Battalion of the Guardias Españolas and, in 1807 he was appointed interim captain general of Andalusia and governor of Cádiz while the Marquis del Socorro was invading Portugal as part of Spain's agreement with France. Laeña held the post until 20 May 1808.[2]

Peninsular War

[edit]
Main article: Peninsular War

Battle of Bailén (16–19 July 1808)

[edit]
Main article: Battle of Bailén

Lapeña was given command of the 4th Division (Reserve) of Castaños's 33,000–34,000-strong field army.[6][note 4]

Lapeña's Cavalry unit was the Pavia Regiment commanded by Colonel Pedro de Alcántara Téllez Girón, a very well-equipped unit with 440 splendid horses.[7][note 5] The 4th Division also had a 3,000-strong flying brigade, under Cruz-Murgeon, who was given the task harassing Dupont's northern flank and cutting French communications with Bailén and La Carolina.[6]

Following their victory at Bailén, Lapeña's division accompanied Castaños to Madrid, arriving there on 23 August.[6]

Battle of Tudela (23 November 1808)

[edit]
Main article: Battle of Tudela

Castaños's Army of the Centre came under attack from the French III Corps commanded by Marshal Lannes at Tudela.[8] The attacking French forces sought to take advantage of a gap between the Spanish army's wings. Seeking to close the gap, Castaños sent orders to Lapeña at Cascante to move to fill the void. However, Lapeña's division, numbering 8,000–9,000 infantry and 1,500 horse, simply stayed for four hours facing the French cavalry; just two French Digeon's and Colbert's brigades of dragoons, some three thousand horse.[6]

At the time Lapeña, along with General Grimarest, could field some 20,000[citation needed] men against the 9,000 French troops in that area of the field of battle. Rather than march to support the rest of the Spanish army, Lapeña limited his activities to small-scale skirmishes with the few French troops close by. Having lost 200 men in these skirmishes, and witnessing the defeat of the rest of the Army of the Centre, Lapeña finally retreated towards Borja, bringing the battle to a close.[9]

Army of the Centre

[edit]

After Tudela, Castaños was ordered to Aranjuez to take up the presidency of the Junta Central's military advisory committee. As a result, Lapeña assumed overall command of the Spanish Army of the Centre which had reformed at Guadalajara.[10] With this command, Lapeña attempted to intervene against Napoleon's assault on Madrid; this attempt was, however, intercepted by Marshal Ney's I Corps and Lapeña was forced to withdraw to Cuenca.[11] Once there, he was replaced as the commander of the Army of the Centre by the Duque de Infantado,[10] on 9 December.[2]

Army of La Mancha

[edit]

In January 1809 he was given command of the 4,000-strong[12] Reserve of Cartaojal's Army of La Mancha, and following its defeat at Ciudad Real covered the retreat to Despeñaperros.[2]

In April he went to Sevilla, where the Junta Central commissioned him with a secret mission to Catalonia, where he stayed unitl the following April, to report on the flight of the Spanish troops at Belchite.[2]

Cádiz

[edit]

In December 1810, Lapeña succeeded Blake as the Captain General of Andalusia.[13] However, as he had been a supporter of the [[Cortes Generales#Cádiz Cortes (1808–14) the new Regency removed him from this position and ordered him to Cádiz, along with his troops.[14] Lapeña then became the senior Spanish officer at Cádiz, and took command of the Spanish forces on the Isla de León.[3]

Battle of Barrosa

[edit]
Main article: Battle of Barrosa

In January 1811, a reduction of the French forces besieging Cádiz led to the British and Spanish allies garrisoning the city to launch an expedition in an attempt to raise the siege. Despite having authority, from the British government, to refuse to take part in a joint expedition of which he was not given command, Sir Thomas Graham—the British commander—agreed to cede command of the force to Lapeña, on condition that the Spanish contribute the larger body of troops.[15]

Sailing from Cádiz between 21–24 February 1811, the Anglo-Spanish expedition regrouped at Tarifa on 27 February 1811 and marched towards the besieging French force's rear at Chiclana. A series of night marches, instigated by Lapeña, however, resulted in a change of plan and the allied army ended up marching back towards Cádiz. The French commander, Marshal Victor, marched to meet the allied force with 10,000 men from his besieging army. On 5 March, Lapeña's vanguard division met a French division straddling the main road to Cádiz and drove them off the road.[16]

Graham's rearguard division, meanwhile, was attacked by two of Victor's divisions. Graham split his force into two brigades; one to face each of the approaching French divisions. In the ensuing battle, Graham's forces beat off the French attacks despite Lapeña entrenching his larger force on the isthmus to Cádiz and refusing to aid his British allies.[16] Lapeña further refused to pursue the retreating French troops, allowing them to resume the siege on Cádiz, a siege that was not lifted until 24 August 1812.

Lapeña's actions in this engagement led to his court-martial, where he was acquitted but relieved of command,[17] which was given to Marquis de Coupigny.[15]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Some authors, such as Oman (1902), write the surname La Peña.
  2. ^ "La Peña had kept his place, despite his Tudela fiasco, through family and salon intrigues—he is said to have been the 'tame cat' of certain great ladies of the patriotic party".Oman 1911, footnote 135
  3. ^ "... the cowardly behaviour of La Peña in 1811, when he refused to aid Graham at the bloody little battle of Barossa". (Oman, 1902: p. 101.)
  4. ^ The commanders of the other three divisions were Generals Reding, Coupigny, and Felix Jones. (Oman, 1902: p. 177.)
  5. ^ Oman (1902: p. 619.) puts this number at 541 in the order of battle.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Fortescue 1917, p. 62
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l (in Spanish). Martín-Lanuza, Alberto. "Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo". Diccionario Biográfico electrónico. Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b Oman 1911, p. 95.
  4. ^ (in Spanish). "Manuel Lapeña Rodríguez y Ruiz de Sotillo". Fundación Goya en Aragón. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  5. ^ (in Spanish). Gaceta de Barcelona, no. 1750. 6 October 1802. Hemeroteca Digital. Biblioteca Nacional de España. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Oman, Charles (1902). A History of the Peninsular War, Vol. I, pp. 177, 179, 346–347, 442–443, 619. Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  7. ^ (in Spanish). Gutiérrez Núñez, Francisco Javier. "Pedro de Alcántara Téllez Girón y Alfonso-Pimentel". Diccionario Biográfico electrónico (DB~e). Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  8. ^ Gates 1986, p. 101.
  9. ^ Gates 1986, p. 103.
  10. ^ a b Esdaile 2002, p. 137.
  11. ^ Gates 1986, p. 105.
  12. ^ Oman, Charles (1903). A History of the Peninsular War, Vol. II, p. 145. Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  13. ^ Napier 1842, p. 271.
  14. ^ Napier 1840, p. 419.
  15. ^ a b Oman, Charles (1911). A History of the Peninsular War. Vol. IV. pp. 95–96, 130. Retrieved 2 May 2023 – via Project Gutenberg.
  16. ^ a b Gates 1986, pp. 249–252.
  17. ^ Paget 1990, pp. 124–125.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Esdaile, Charles (2002), The Peninsular War, Penguin Books (published 2003), ISBN 0-14-027370-0;
  • Gates, David (1986), The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War, Pimlico (published 2002), ISBN 0-7126-9730-6;
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Manuel_Lapeña&oldid=1242165932"