Another representative, Claude Dominique Côme Fabre imported 100 Jacobins from Paris as political agents into the army where they spread indiscipline and disorder.

Consequently, the soldiers were badly fed and clothed, the horses were starving, and many of the men's muskets were in poor working order.

[3] On 17 April, Antonio Ricardos' Spanish army invaded France and captured Céret in the Tech River valley.

Despite this, the representatives-on-mission sacked Flers on 7 August and selected Hilarion Paul Puget de Barbantane to replace him.

In the Battle of Peyrestortes on 17 September 1793, Eustache Charles d'Aoust leading troops from Perpignan and Jacques Gilles Henri Goguet directing the division at Salses-le-Château managed to execute a converging attack, driving the Spanish from their camp.

Though victorious, Ricardos retreated to the Tech valley where his soldiers built a fortified camp at Le Boulou.

Since the French government neglected to send the formal announcement of his appointment, Turreau decided to simply observe events.

[10] There Dagobert complained to the Committee of Public Safety, "Are the plans of Fabre and Gaston like the Ark of the Lord which one cannot touch with one's finger without being struck dead?

[6] On 26 November 1793, Ricardos, reinforced by 6,000 Portuguese soldiers led by John Forbes, attacked the French fieldworks at Saint-Ferréol north of Céret.

[14] At 6:00 am, Courten's force, split into four columns, overran the French outposts and rushed the Villelongue position in a bayonet charge.

Hearing the sound of fighting, Doppet sent out a column to distract his foes but only later did he find the fugitives from the morning action.

In order to cover the rearward movement of his heavy artillery, Doppet decided to mount an attack on the Portuguese garrison of Villelongue.

Though his wounded arm was still in a sling, his superior, Anne Charles Basset Montaigu asked Lannes to lead the elite troops and he agreed.

The initial rush of both main columns was stopped, but Pierre Banel and Jean Joseph Guieu led their troops through the gorge of the redoubt, and it was captured.

[6] Meanwhile, on 20 December, the Spanish won a victory at the Battle of Collioure, wiping out 4,000 of the 5,000 men in Delattre's division and capturing 100 guns at the cost of only 300 casualties.

Gregorio García de la Cuesta took command of the division and successfully seized Fort Saint-Elme, Port-Vendres, and Collioure.

[21] Ricardos' army nearly trapped their fleeing adversaries, but Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon's brigade held off the Portuguese pursuit long enough for most of the French to reach Perpignan.