Editing Second Battle of Boulou (section)

===1793===
The year 1793 was a difficult time for the poorly trained French forces defending [[Roussillon]] against the Spanish army of [[Captain General]] [[Antonio Ricardos]]. The [[Siege of Bellegarde (1793)|Siege of Bellegarde]] concluded in June with the French surrender of the [[Fort de Bellegarde]], which dominated the key Pass of Le Perthus through the Pyrenees. However, Ricardos was repelled in the [[Battle of Perpignan (1793)|Battle of Perpignan]] on 17 July. The French army revived again under GD [[Eustache Charles d'Aoust]] to deal their enemies a sharp reverse at the [[Battle of Peyrestortes]] on 17 September. Five days later, Ricardos defeated the French at the [[Battle of Truillas]].{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=57}}

Subsequently, the Spanish general fell back to the valley of the Tech River where he repulsed a series of French attempts to drive him back into Spain. D'Aoust tried and failed to oust the Spanish from Le Boulou on 3 October.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=57}} In the [[First Battle of Boulou]] (or Pla del Rey) from 13 to 15 October, Ricardos bloodily repulsed the attacks of GD [[Louis Marie Turreau]].{{sfn|Prats|2007a}} D'Aoust was defeated again on 7 December at the [[Battle of Villelongue]].{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=63}} The Spanish seized [[Fort Saint-Elme (France)|Fort Saint-Elme]] through the treason of its commander{{sfn|Phipps|2011|p=166}} and, in the [[Battle of Collioure]], captured the port of [[Collioure]] on 20 December, wiping out 4,000 of its garrison of 5,000 men.{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=64}} Soon afterward, D'Aoust was arrested and eventually executed.{{sfn|Phipps|2011|p=167}}