Albuera Wellington's Fourth Peninsular Campaign, 1811

by Edwards, Peter

• ISBN13: 9781861269461
• ISBN10: 1861269463
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-01
• Publisher: The Crowood Press UK

Summary

Wellington's 1811 campaign, largely devoted to securing the vital fortresses of Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz on the Portuguese/Spanish frontier as safe anchors for an advance into Spain, saw three major battles: Barrosa, Fuentes d'Onoro and Albuera. These were all allied victories, of a sort, which made and lost the reputations of French and allied generals; they all spilled rivers of blood - indeed, the dreadful carnage at Albuera, mishandled by Wellington's subordinate William Beresford, became legendary in the British Army as a battle retrieved solely by the bravery and resilience of the redcoats in the ranks and their regimental officers - but at the end of the year the French still held Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz, though not for long. At a terrible cost 'the Peer' and his Peninsular Field Army had learned important lessons, and before 1812 was three weeks old the balance would begin to tip decisively in their favour.

Author Biography

Peter Edwards was commissioned into the Northamptonshire Regiment (previously the 48th Foot).  Subsequently he commanded the Officer Training Corps at Bristol University. He is the author of Talavera [Crowood 2005]. 



 



 

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 6
Barrosa, 5 March 1811	p. 11
Soult draws troops from Victor's 1st Corps
Opportunity for Graham and La Pena outside Cadiz
The troops of both sides: availability, fitness, experience
The expedition lands
La Pena mishandles the approach march
Victor's plan
Lardizabal vs. Villatte
Barrosa Hill abandoned
Graham's rearguard turns to confront Ruffin and Leval
Barnard's Flank Battalion buys time
Wheatley engages
The 87th's charge
The Eagle of the 8e Ligne
Casualties
Browne's Flank Battalion returns to the hill
Dilkes' assault
The 1st Foot Guards' charge
The shortage of energetic cavalry
Graham's and Wellington's reactions to La Pena's passivity
Strategic repercussions
Campo Mayor, 25 March	p. 36
Beresford's corps
Wellington's instructions regarding the cavalry
The approach
Long's movements
Colborne and the advanced guard
The charge of the 13th Light Dragoons
Head's pursuit to Badajoz
His return
The lack of support
The escape of the French convoy
The controversy: the role of the Heavy Brigade
Of the infantry
Of the guns
Assessment of Beresford's conduct
Following Massena to Sabugal, 5 March-3 April	p. 53
French atrocities
Massena crosses the Coa
His dispositions at Sabugal
Wellington's plan
Erskine in the fog
Beckwith overreaches
The 1st Light Brigade's fight
Hopkins of the 43rd saves the flank
Arrival of Drummond
Puzzling absence of 3rd and 5th Divisions
Assessment
Villa Real, Olivenza and Los Santos, 26 March-16 April	p. 69
Elvas
Crossing the Guadiana
The advanced guard
Morres' squadron taken
Latour-Maubourg heads south
The capture of Olivenza
The Spanish
Los Santos
Charge of the 13th Light Dragoons
Criticism of Long
The pursuit
Beresford turns for Badajoz
Fuentes d'Onoro, 3-5 May	p. 82
Massena returns
Almeida and its approaches
Wellington's dilemma
The Fuentes position
Wellington's plan
3 May: Ferey enters the village
Charge and counter-charge
4 May: review
Montbrun reconnoitres
Massena's new plan
Wellington's reaction
5 May: cavalry action around Poco Velho
Marchand's infantry advance
The dangerous hour
Retreat of the 7th Division and Light Division
Ramsey's Troop
The Foot Guards picket line overrun
The artillery
Street-fighting with Ferey's infantry
French breakthrough imminent
Counter-attack by the 88th, 45th and 74th
Assessment: Wellington's risk, and the ineffectiveness of Montbrun, Marchand and Mermet
Casualties
Aftermath
Brennier at Almeida
Massena withdraws
The First Siege of Badajoz, 8-12 May	p. 113
The ancient guns of Elvas
Wellington and Beresford reconnoitre
The plan
Colborne clears the south
Digging commences
Successful French counterfire and sortie
Soult's movement
Beresford marches for Albuera
The Roads to Albuera, 8-16 May	p. 121
Soult's intentions
His force
Beresford confers with the Spanish
Concentration at Albuera
Long withdraws from Santa Marta
Beresford's absence
The Albuera position
Soult's plan
Delayed arrival of the Spanish, and 4th Division
Foraging
Report of French movement, 8am
Beresford's deployment
Albuera, 16 May: the Early Phases - Zayas, Stewart and Colborne	p. 134
Godinot attacks the village
Soult's bluff
The Fusilier Brigade arrive
Girard and Gazan approach the Allied right
Beresford's reactions
Lumley replaces Long
Blake's obstinacy
Approach of the French grand column
Latour-Mauburg's cavalry
Zayas' battalions stand their ground
The 2nd Division arrives in belated support
Beresford absent once again
Colborne's piecemeal deployment of the 3rd, 48th and 66th
The infantry firefight and charge
The rainstorm
The charge of the Vistula Lancers
The fate of Colborne's brigade: the 1/3rd, 2/48th, 2/66th
The Colours lost
The lucky 31st
Cleeve's Troop
Stewart's staff retire
Lumley's counter-attack
Confusion
Spanish resilience
Hoghton's and Abercrombie's brigades
The Spanish ordered to withdraw
The French grand column redeploys. A note on Colours, saved and captured, and on lancers
Albuera, 16 May: 11am-2pm - Hoghton, Hardinge and Cole	p. 155
Seven English battalions in line
The artillery
Soult's missed chance
The attrition of the 29th, 1/48th and 1/57th
The 29th's Colours
Inglis and Hoghton
The 1/57th's Colours
The 1/48th
Casualties
Command devolves
The crisis
D'Espana's battalions flinch
Beresford's orders to Hamilton
Dickson and Alten ordered to prepare for retreat
Henry Hardinge's initiative
Cole's plan
The Fusiliers advance
Werle brought forward
Latour-Mauburg's charges
Fourteen Allied battalions in line
The firefight
The Fusiliers' casualties
The French collapse
Limited pursuit
The undamaged battalions
Arrival of Kemmis
Soult's withdrawal
Beresford's Despatch
Wellington's reactions
'A Heavy Nauseous Smell' - the Cost of Victory	p. 177
Eyewitness accounts of the field
The accounts by prisoners
The casualties: French
Spanish
Portuguese
German
The cavalry
Colborne's brigade
Hoghton's brigade
Abercrombie's brigade
Myers' brigade
Reflections	p. 186
Criticism of Beresford in the army
Assessment of Soult
Failure of the ordre mixte
Consequences of Long's retreat
Of Blake's obstinacy
Of William Stewart's haste
Assessment of Beresford: his lack of urgency
Allowing the cavalry to forage
Leaving Cole at Badajoz
His reaction to the French southern hook
His choice of vital ground
His reluctance to commit Cole
His preparation to retreat
His disinclination to face risk, or to accept new intelligence. The nature and strength of British regimental spirit
Back to Badajoz, 29 May-5 June	p. 197
Beresford's health
Hill's return
Soult, Massena and Brent Spencer
Lumley's cavalry action at Usagre
Wellington at Badajoz
Limitations of time and resources
Dickson and Fletcher
The plan
Trenches opened
The castle
Fort San Cristobal
Drooping muzzles, failing carriages, counterfire and thirst
The Assaults on Fort San Cristobal, 6 & 9 June	p. 209
6 June: the plan of attack
Allocation of troops
The French garrison
Dyas' Forlorn Hope
The ditch cleared
Inadequate ladders
Casualties
The causes of failure
9 June: the plan
The rubble cleared once again
The Chasseurs Britanniques throw down the ladders
Failure
Casualties
News of Soult and Massena
The siege adandoned
Reflections
The effect of Albuera on French morale
El Bodon, 25 September, and the Final Manoeuvres	p. 219
Wellington concentrates
The two marshals
Badajoz provisioned
Dickson and the battering train
Headquarters established at Fuenteguinaldo
The blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo
Marmont breaks the blockade
Picton at El Bodon: Montbrun's attack
The 5th and 77th form square
Cavalry charges and counter-charges
Retreat in marching squares
Wellington moves behind the Coa
Marmont goes into winter quarters
Wellington closes on Ciudad Rodrigo
The battering train is brought up
Napoleon milks Marmont's army for other fronts. Final assessments of the 1811 campaign
Summary
A new French circumspection
Allied cavalry successes
Beresford
Wellington's moments of danger
His talents for logistics and intelligence
The British soldier
Appendices
The 29th at Albuera	p. 232
British casualty return, Fuentes d'Onoro, 3 May 1811	p. 237
British casualty return, Fuentes d'Onoro, 5 May 1811	p. 238
British casualty return, Albuera, 16 May 1811	p. 239
Names of officer casualties, Albuera, 16 May 1811	p. 240
Sources and Further Reading	p. 243
Index	p. 248
Maps
The Portuguese/Spanish frontier	p. 12
Barrosa	p. 13
Sabugal	p. 52
Fuentes d'Onoro, 3 May	p. 94
Fuentes d'Onoro, 5 May	p. 95
Albuera, early attacks	p. 136
Albuera, later attacks	p. 156
Second siege of Badajoz	p. 196
El Bodon	p. 220
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.