8. ANDALUSIAN RESERVES.
| Men. | |
| *España (three batts.), 1,039; †Jerez, 574; †Malaga, 401; †Ronda, 574; †Ecija, 589 | |
| Total | 3,177 |
| ‡2nd of Seville, 500; ‡4th ditto, 433; ‡Cazadores of Malaga (one batt.), 1,200; ‡Velez Malaga (three batts.), 2,400; ‡2nd of Antequera (one batt.), 1,200; ‡Osuna (two batts.), 1,061 | |
| Total | 6,794 |
In addition, the following regular regiments had each, as it would seem, left the cadre of one battalion behind in Andalusia to recruit, before marching to the Ebro to join Castaños:—Africa, Burgos, Cantabria, Ceuta, Corona, Cordova, Murcia. What the total of their numbers may have been in November and December, it is impossible to say—perhaps 400 each may be allowed, giving a total of 2,800. Of cavalry regiments there must have been in existence in Andalusia the nucleus of the following new regiments:—‡Tejas; ‡Montañas de Cordova; ‡Granada. Their force was trifling—a single squadron, or at most two. If we give them 600 men in all, we shall probably be not far wrong. Several regular cavalry regiments had left the cadre of one or two squadrons behind.
The existence of all these regiments in November—December can be proved. The 2nd and 4th of Seville reached Madrid in time to join in its defence against Napoleon, and then fled to join the Army of the Centre. The figures given are their January strengths, when they had already suffered severely. The Malaga regiment’s figure is from Madrid Gazette of Nov. 29, recording its march out to Granada. The militia battalions Jerez, Malaga, Ronda, Ecija were all in existence in June, they did not march to the Ebro, and are found in the Army of the Centre in the spring of 1809. España was apparently in garrison at Ceuta, and only brought up to the front early in 1809. Velez Malaga, 2nd of Antequera, and Osuna are first heard of under Del Palacio in January, 1809. They must have been raised by December at the latest.
The total of the Andalusian reserves accounted for in this table is 13,371, but no such number could have been sent forward in December, as many of the battalions were not properly armed, much less uniformed. But some of the volunteers, all the militia, and the regular regiment España—perhaps 6,000 or 7,000 in all—should have been at Madrid by Dec. 1. Only 1,000 bayonets actually reached it before Napoleon’s arrival.
It would seem then that the second line of the Spanish Army consisted of something like the following numbers:—
| Men. | |
| Army of Reserve of Madrid | 12,118 |
| Reding’s Granadan Divisions | 15,000 |
| Galician Reserves | 3,610 |
| Asturian Reserves | 5,285 |
| Estremaduran Reserves | 4,608 |
| Balearic Isles Reserves | 3,360 |
| Murcian and Valencian Reserves | 5,774 |
| Andalusian Reserves | 13,371 |
| Cavalry from Denmark, in march for Estremadura | 2,252 |
| Total | 65,378 |
Some of the battalions (e.g. the Valencians and Murcians who went to Saragossa) must have been much stronger in December; on the other hand, others (e.g. the Estremadurans) are probably over-estimated: they showed no such figures as those given above, when they took the field early in 1809.
N.B.—In several armies, notably in those of Aragon and the Centre, there are doubtful points. It is impossible to speak with certainty of the number of battalions which some corps took to the front. It will be noted that all the numbers given are much larger than those attributed by Napier (i. 504) to the Spanish armies. I have worked from detailed official figures, the greater part of which seem perfectly trustworthy.