1808 juin 20 - Gerona

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Battle at Gerona, June 20th 1808 -- Spanish victory
French General Duhesme at the end of June in 1808 was attempting to end the rising and unrest of Spanish in Catalonia. He left Barcelona with 6,000 troops up the coastal highway toward Gerona. He met a large number of somatenes (local militia, named after the somaten, or village alarm-bell) at Mataro who reformed at his rear as he passed cutting his communication.

Upon reaching Gerona and demanding surrender, which was refused, he attacked. He had no guns, nor the support for a siege so an assault was his only real option for taking the city. When he was beaten back from his assault, he retreated to Barcelona, leaving a brigade under General Chabran to hold Mataro.