The Waterloo Association: Members Area

Bailén (Battle of)

Having lost some 2,000 men on the battlefield, together with some 800 Swiss troops that had gone over to Reding‘s Swiss regiment, Dupont called for a truce, formally surrendered his remaining 17,600 men on 23 July. Under the terms of surrender, Dupont, Vedel and their troops were to be repatriated to France. However, with the exception of the most senior officers, most of the French rank and file were confined on hulks in Cádiz, before being transported to the uninhabited island of Cabrera, where half of the 7,000 men starved to death.[9]