In the Battle of Castalla on 13 April 1813, an Anglo-Spanish-Sicilian force commanded by Lieutenant General Sir John Murray fought Marshal Louis Gabriel Suchet's French Army of Valencia and Aragon.

Murray's troops successfully repelled a series of French attacks on their hilltop position, causing Suchet to retreat.

General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington wanted to prevent Suchet from reinforcing the other French armies in Spain.

One of the British brigadiers, Frederick Adam conducted a rear guard action on 12 April, allowing Murray to draw up his army in a formidable defensive position near Castalla.

[2] However, he avoided cooperating with his fellow French commanders and acted as though the provinces of Aragon and Valencia were his private kingdom.

Even so, General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess Wellington knew that if Suchet's forces intervened in the battles in central and northern Spain, things might go badly for the British army.

So Wellington requested that amphibious operations be directed against the east coast of Spain in order to keep Suchet's men occupied.

[3] Since the summer of 1812, an 8,000-strong Anglo-Sicilian force, joined by about 6,000 Spanish troops from Menorca, occupied the port of Alicante on the east coast of Spain.

[3] In early April, after making some indecisive maneuvers, Murray posted his small army at Villena, northwest of Alicante.

In a surprise attack led by the 4th Hussar and 24th Dragoon Regiments, the Spanish troops were routed, losing 400 killed and 1,000 prisoners.

He immediately beat a retreat toward Alicante, dropping off a 2,200-man all-arms brigade under Colonel Frederick Adam at the pass of Biar to cover his withdrawal.

On the morning of 12 April, Suchet captured a Spanish battalion at Villena and set out in pursuit of Murray.

At Biar, the French came up with Adam's rearguard but were unable to overrun the well-handled force, which consisted of British, King's German Legion, Italian and Spanish elements.

In a brilliant five-hour action, Adam successfully fended off his French pursuers, allowing Murray to concentrate his army at Castalla.

But this attempt to turn a retreat into a rout failed when the French troopers charged into a neatly executed ambush by three companies of the 2/27th Foot.

Part of General Roche's division was placed in front of Clinton, supporting a cavalry screen.

[8] Habert's advance was blocked by Mackenzie and Boussart's cavalrymen were unable to cross the flooded stream.

Suchet's rearguard ably defended the pass of Biar and allowed the French to get away with little additional loss.