Siege of Astorga The Siege of Astorga was an attempt by French forces to capture Astorga , Spain in a campaign of the Peninsular War . Astorga was located on the flank of the French invasion of Spain and Portugal , and was meant to be used as a headquarters during the campaign . For several weeks no attack took place , as neither side had artillery enough to fight well . Shortly after the French guns arrived , however , a hole was made in the wall and the city fell shortly thereafter . The French overpowered the Spanish garrison inside and took the city on April 20 , 1810 ; with a loss of 160 men . Location . Astorga is located in the province of León , in northwest Spain . Because of its location , it sat on the flank of the French army as they advanced into Spain , and then invaded Portugal . The city was built into a hill , part of the Manzanal mountains ; and therefore was provided with natural defenses . The French had already been defeated once trying to take the city , in September 1809 , after which General La Romana repaired the walls of the city and built up its defenses . Forces . The French forces , part of André Masséna ' s army , were led by Jean - Andoche Junot . Junot arrived at Astorga on March 21 with Napoleon ' s 8th corps , consisting of 12 , 000 men , including 1 , 200 cavalry forces . Junot ' s forces included the Irish Legion ; they had joined earlier that month . Astorga would be the first action for the Second Battalion of the Legion . Junot placed Bertrand Clausel ' s division in the position Loison had held , with Solignac in support , and St . Croix to watch the rear . Campaign . General Loison attempted to take the city in February 1810 , as it was meant to be his headquarters during the invasion of Portugal ; but was unprepared to attack the defenses he found there , and was forced to retreat . Junot ' s troops came to assist Loison , but brought no siege guns with them ; It took Junot weeks to gather enough artillery to assault the town . In the mean time , the French forces dug trenches to besiege the town . Incidentally , the English and Spanish troops under Wellington had the same troubles when they recaptured the city in 1812 . The garrison in Astorga had no siege guns , either : for several weeks there was a standoff . During these weeks , Santocildes emptied the town of 3 , 000 of its residents and stocked up on supplies for the siege , which began on March 21 of 1810 . The Spanish could expect no hope from Wellington ' s forces , which remained in Portugal . Until the siege guns arrived , there was no action except nuisance fire from what little artillery Junot had , and skirmish parties sent out from Astorga . Junot ' s 18 siege guns arrived on April 15 from Valladolid , and by the 20th , the wall of the city was breached . The French stormed the city the next evening ; however , their first attack was repulsed at the cost of 300 men . Those of the storming company who were not killed holed up just inside the wall and held the position for the night . The next morning , Santocildes surrendered as the French were preparing for another attack . Aftermath . Santocildes was almost out of ammunition when he surrendered : he had fewer than 30 rounds of ammunition left per man , and only 8 rounds of artillery . He gave the French 2 , 500 prisoners and the city , but cost the French 160 men , with 400 wounded . His garrison lost only 51 dead and 109 wounded . Most of the French casualties came in the assault on the breach . The Irish Legion led the charge over the wall , and suffered heavy losses : Captain John Allen ' s company ' s drummer boy continued to beat the charge after having lost both legs , for which he was given the French Legion of Honor .