At the City of Ciudad Real, after news of the Edict of May 2, by the Mayor of Móstoles, in May 5 1808, the Council of the Municipality has called to citizens on the square of the city, to proclaim the accession of Ciudad Real to the King of Spain Fernando VII. At the end of it a proclamation they were hung from the balcony of City Hall an image of the Virgen del Prado, the patron of Ciudad Real and a portrait of King Fernando VII.
On 19 July 1808 the Provincial Regiment of Militia of Ciudad Real, , figth in the important victory of the Spanish Army in front of the French Army in the Battle of Bailen, defending the high in the first line in 2 ª Division of the Marquis de Coupigny, suffering 25 casualties. Upon his return in August the population of Ciudad Real has paid tribute to his regiment in the church of La Merced.
THE BATTLE OF THE GUADIANA BRIDGES
On 26 March 1809 are in full preparations for troop concentration around Ciudad Real, a approcheté the news that the French troops approached, they came from the north in an offensive against pursuing since the battle of the Yébenes 24 this month, the remains of the Spanish army defeated.
It opposed the one hand, the French Imperial Army combined multinational force, with the best shock troops of Europe, and especially its great cavalry Polish lancers of the Vistula, under the leadership of General Sebastiani and the other hand, the remains of the Spanish Army, fought in the Battles of Consuegra and Uclés trained and demoralized by troops and weapons old and insufficient, the line regiments and the militia.
OPPOSING FORCES:
France: The Fourth Army Corps of General Horace Sebastiani:
General Milhaud: 2 ª Division Dragons of the Reserve Cavalry: 24 squads 1 º, 2 º, 4 º, 9 º, 4 º and 26 º Dragons.
Total: 2,500 troops.
The IV Cavalry Corps: 4 squadrons, to the 3rd Hussars and Lancers Dutch Polish Legion of the Vistula. Total: 1,000 men.
Total: 3,500 troops.
- Spain: The Army of La Mancha of General José de Urbina, Count of Cartaojal.
The Cavalry Regiment of Voluntarios de Madrid, Provincial Regiment of Militia of Ciudad Real. 1 Artillery Brigade Campaign.
Up to 10 hours of the morning of 26 March, in rain and cold Cavalry Division of General Milhaud french approached until Peralbillo, although it was rejected in his attempt to cross the bridge towards the Guadiana Ciudad Real, after passing the bridge, Nonbêche with 1000 riders and 4 cannons (pipes), the attack against the Spanish cavalry made the switch back to the Bridge Nolaya in the direction of the village of Peralbillo .
And yet, as the Dragons came, the reinforcement of other units of the IV Corps French Army has enabled them to feed the deck of the Moulin de l’Emperador on the Guadiana, in the Mill which was completely surprised in Spanish and this device throughout the day the Spanish army and provincial militias, like that of Ciudad Real, they have resisted the thrust of the very best of a French army in the Pont Nolaya in the Guadiana River and succeeded in expelling the French brigge ”Molino del Emperador”, after that the French troops went Peralbillo and the Spaniards, after leaving a guard at the 4 guns assigned to the bridges of the Guadiana is removed a Ciudad Real.
At the dawn of the `morning after the journalist on 27 March 1809 there took place the decisive battle between Spanish troops and the troops in Napoleonic Guadiana to the height of Nolaya Bridge, after the French infantry advanced and after pushing again by the canons in bridges, the Polish Cavalry Division of General Milhaud that the night had crossed the bridge over the Guadiana River near the castle of Calatrava was able to wrap up by surprise by appearing at the back of the Regiment Militia Ciudad Real that he wants neither was in a battle to repel the attack which soon saw its flanks and they caught without an escape route that back in training and
At the same time, the French infantry advanced in haste since Peralbillo and its numerical superiority to arroyo Spanish troops defending the bridge Nonnature, fell after the infantry which had folded up the hillside near La Atalaya The Cavalry Regiment of Volunteers in Madrid protected withdrawn Spanish troops to the village of Almagro.
At noon the French arrived to Ciudad Real. After that, Cartaojal ordered removed to the village of Viso del Marqués to 60 Kilometers.
In this battle the Regiment of Militia of Ciudad Real, has lost its flag.
In a Spanish searched among the dead, wounded and prisoners following decreases: 47 fatalities gunners. Prisoners: 6 oficiais and 2,000 troops, 5 guns, shells 1 and 3 flags.
As part of the Napoleonic Declines were among 100 dead and wounded.
