SECOND BRITISH SIEGE OF BADAJOZ

The second British siege of Badajoz of 19 May-17 June 1811 was little more successful than the first siege, which had only lasted for one week before Marshal Beresford had been forced to lift the siege

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_badajoz_2nd.html

 

CAMPAIGN OF FUENTOS DE ONORO

The campaign that ended in the battle of Fuentos de Onoro was the aftermath of Marshal Masséna’s retreat from Portugal early in 1811.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_fuentos_de_onoro.html

 

The siege of Almeida of April-10 May 1811 saw Wellington’s army capture the last French stronghold left in Portugal after Marshal Masséna’s retreat from the Lines of Torres Vedras.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_almeida_1811.html

 

BERESFORD IN ESTREMADURA, SPRING 1811

Marshal William Beresford was one of the most important British commanders of the Peninsular War, but he only held one important independent command, in Estremadura in the spring of 1811.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_beresford_estremadura.html

 

The siege of Campo Mayor (14-21 March 1811) was a time-consuming French victory that came between the departure of Marshal Soult from Estremadura and the arrival of an Anglo-Portuguese force under General Beresford.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_campo_mayor.html

 

The combat of Campo Mayor of 25 March 1811 was the first Allied victory during Beresford’s campaign in Estremadura in the spring of 1811.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_campo_mayor.html

 

The siege of Olivenza of 9-15 April 1811 saw the town liberated by an Anglo-Portuguese force only three months after it had been captured by the French.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_olivenza_1811_2nd.html

 

The recapture of the Spanish border fortress of Badajoz was the main purpose of Marshal Beresford’s campaign in Estremadura in the spring of 1811, but would prove to be beyond his powers (first siege of Badajoz, 6-12 May 1811).

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_badajoz_1st.html

 

The battle of Abluera of 16 May 1811 was one of the bloodiest battles of the Peninsular War, fought to prevent Marshal Soult from coming to the aid of the garrison of Badajoz.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_albuera.html

 

Army lists for the battle of Albuera of 16 May 1811

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/armies_albuera.html

 

The combat of Usagre (25 May 1811) was a minor cavalry battle during Marshal Soult’s retreat after the battle of Albuera.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_usagre.html

 

SOULT’S INVASION OF ESTREMADURA, JANUARY-MARCH 1811

Marshal Soult’s invasion of Estremadura in January-March 1811 was a delayed response to the failure of Masséna’s invasion of Portugal in 1810.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_soult_estremadura.html

 

The combat of Castillejos of 25 January 1809 was a minor engagement in the far south west of Spain that badly disrupted Marshal Soult’s invasion of Estremadura.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_castillejos.html

 

The siege of Olivenza of 11-22 January 1811 was an early success for the French during Marshal Soult’s invasion of Estremadura.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_olivenza_1811_1st.html

 

The French siege and capture of Badajoz of 27 January-10 March 1811 was the main achievement of Marshal Soult’s invasion of Estremadura of 1811.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_badajoz_french.html

 

The battle of the Gebora of 19 February 1811 was a disastrous Spanish defeat that ended an attempt to break the French siege of Badajoz of 27 January-10 March 1811.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_gebora.html

 

CAMPAIGNS

 

The Peninsular War was one of Napoleon’s greatest blunders, leading to seven years of warfare and ending with an invasion of France, but it began with a an almost effortless invasion of Spain, which saw the occupation of Madrid, Old Castile and the fortresses on the Pyrenees, and was followed by a cynical but well managed abduction of the Spanish royal family.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_french_invasion_spain_1808.html

 

The French invasion of Portugal of November 1807 was the first campaign of what would become the Peninsular War.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_junot_portugal.html

 

BIOGRAPHIES

 

Eugéne de Beauharnais (1781-1824) was Napoleon’s step-son and an able soldier who spent much of his career as Viceroy of Italy.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_beauharnais_eugene.html

 

Sir Ralph Abercromby (1734-1801) was the most successful British general of the French Revolutionary Wars, admittedly not a period that saw the British army at its best.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_abercromby_ralph.html

 

We look at the structure of the French army in Spain and Portugal during the spring and summer of 1808

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/armies_peninsular_french_1st.html

 

TALAVERA CAMPAIGN, JUNE-AUGUST 1809

 

The Talavera Campaign of June-August 1809 marked a number of important 'firsts' in the Peninsular War. It was the first time that Sir Arthur Wellesley campaigned in Spain; it saw the first great Anglo-Spain victory of the war and the first really large French defeat in Spain since Baylen, and ended with the first of Wellesley’s retreats back towards Portugal.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_talavera.html

 

The battle of Talavera of 27-28 July 1809 was the first of Sir Arthur Wellesley’s great victories in Spain during the Peninsular War.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_talavera.html

 

We also provide an article that outlines the structure of the British, French and Spanish armies that fought at Talavera, 27-28 July 1809

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/armies_talavera.html

 

The combat of Alcantara of 14 May 1809 was a minor clash between part of Marshal Victor’s corps and a small Portuguese force that had been stationed just across the Spanish frontier to watch the French army in Estremadura.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_alcantara.html

 

The combat of Torrijos of 26 July 1809 was a clash between the Spanish rearguard and advancing French cavalry, fought two days before the battle of Talavera.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_torrijos.html

 

The combat of Cassa de Salinas of 27 July 1809 was a preliminary action fought on the day before the main fighting at the battle of Talavera.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_casa_de_salinas.html

 

WELLESLEY’S CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL, APRIL-MAY 1809

 

Sir Arthur Wellesley’s campaign in northern Portugal in April-May 1809 was the first success during Britain’s second intervention in Portugal, and saw the invading army of Marshal Soult expelled from the country.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_wellesley_portugal.html

 

The combat of Albergaria Nova of 10 May 1809 was the result of an unsuccessful British attempt to trap the advance guard of Marshal Soult’s army at Oporto at the start of Sir Arthur Wellesley’s campaign in Northern Portugal of 1809.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_albergaria_nova.html

 

The combat of Grijon of 11 May 1809 was the second action during Sir Arthur Wellesley’s campaign in northern Portugal of 1809 and saw the French advance guard south of Oporto fight a short rearguard action before retreating into the city.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_grijon.html

 

The combat of Peso de Regoa of 10 May 1809 was a relatively minor Portuguese victory over a French column under General Loison that very nearly resulted in the capture of Marshal Soult’s entire army.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_peso_de_regoa.html

 

The passage of the Ponte Nova of 15/16 May 1809 was one of the most daring exploits during Marshal Soult’s retreat from Oporto of May 1809.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/passage_of_ponte_nova.html

 

The combat of Salamonde of 17 May 1809 was the only serious fighting during Marshal Soult’s retreat after his defeat at Oporto on 12 May.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_salamonde.html

 

The passage of the Misarella River of 17 May 1809 saw Marshal Soult’s army get past the last major barrier between them and relative safety during their retreat from Oporto in May 1809.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/passage_of_misarella.html

 

SOULT’S INVASION OF PORTUGAL, SPRING 1809

 

Marshal Soult’s invasion of Portugal in the spring of 1809 was to have been the first step in Napoleon’s ambitious plan to end the Peninsular War after his departure from Spain in January 1809.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_soult_portugal.html

 

The combat of Chaves (10-11 March 1809) was an early French victory during Marshal Soult’s invasion of Portugal of March 1809.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_chaves.html

 

The battle of Braga (or of Lanhozo) of 20 March 1809 was a French victory during Marshal Soult’s invasion of Portugal, won against a large force of Portuguese Ordenanza

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_braga.html

 

Soult's Passage of the Ave of 25-26 March 1809 saw him pass the last barrier between his army and Oporto, the first target on his invasion of Portugal.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/passage_of_ave.html

 

The battle of Oporto of 29 March 1809 was the final significant success during Marshal Soult’s invasion of Portugal.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_oporto_1809_1.html

 

The siege of Chaves of 20-25 March 1809 saw the Portuguese recapture this border town only two weeks after it had fallen to the French.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_chaves_1809.html

 

The long defence of the bridge at Amarante was the first significant Portuguese success during Marshal Soult’s 1809 invasion of the country.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/defence_of_amarante.html

 

MARSHAL VICTOR'S INVASION OF ESTREMADURA

 

Marshal Victor's invasion of Estremadura (or the Medellin Campaign) of March 1809 was part of Napoleon's plan to complete the conquest of Spain in 1809

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_medellin.html

 

The combat of Meza de Ibor of 17 March 1809 was a French victory early in the Medellin campaign that forced the Spanish to abandon their positions on the River Tagus and retreat south towards the Guadiana.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_meza_de_ibor.html

 

The combat of Berrocal of 20 March 1809 was a minor Spanish victory during the Medellin Campaign.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_berrocal.html

 

The combat of Miajadas of 21 March 1809 was the second of two minor Spanish victories during their retreat from the Tagus during the Medellin campaign.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/combat_miajadas.html

 

The battle of Medellin of 28 March 1809 was the final battle during Marshal Victor’s invasion of Estremadura of March 1809 and was one of the most costly Spanish defeats of the Peninsular War.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_medellin.html