Albuera 16 May 1811

Marshal Soult's moved his forces to relieve the first allied siege of Badajoz. General Beresford lifted the siege and moved to intercept the approaching french forces. This brought about the bloody battle of Albuera.


The allied forces consisted of some 32,000 men (including only 7,000 British). First we will look at the opening positions on the morning of 16 May 1811. Here we are roughly in the centre of the allied line facing east and we have to our front the shallow valley of the Albuera river and the village itself. The day commenced with a minor french attack (by light infantry) on the village from the opposite side.


The same location but looking left (north) along the line of the British 2nd Division.


The same location but looking slightly right (south east) the direction from which the main french assault was anticipated.


The same location but looking right (south) along the line of Blakes Spanish division. These forces stretched to the line of trees in the distance. When Beresford realised french forces to the south were moving west to turn the allied flank he ordered Blake to wheel his forces and face south. It was not appreciated by Blake that the flanking forces actually consisted of the bulk of the french army (19 batalions of infantry with cavalry support), so his wheeling manoeuver of only four of his spanish batalions was somewhat inadequate.

Albuera 16 May 1811 (continued 1)

We will now move south 2km to the trees visible in the previous photo, and we will change our facing to the south to face the oncoming french forces.

The french assault developed slowly and the spanish were somehow able to hold onto their positions until reinforced by the rest of Blakes spanish division and then by the slightly more distant British 2nd Division. Here we are at the left of the allied line (and the left of Abercrombies brigade) and looking to our front (south).

The same position but looking to our right (west) along the allied line.


The centre of the allied line, we are with Houghton's brigade, facing south and facing the main french assault.

For orientation, we are now looking to the rear from Houghton's brigade towards the north. The village of Albuera is visible 1.5km away.


We are now further to the right side of the allied line. Colburne's brigade moved forward considerably to take the opportunity to provide flanking fire on the advancing french columns. This photo is taken from behind the Colburne brigade position and looking left (east) along the allied line. The middle ground in this photo was the scene of a long and bloody musketry battle between the advancing (and halted) french infantry (Girard) and the sturdy but desperate allied defence (Houghton & Abercrombie).

Albuera 16 May 1811 (continued 2)

Colburne's brigade were inflicting damage on the french infantry but they were exposed. Disaster struck when they were caught by surprise by a polish lancer cavalry charge. We are behind Colburne's brigade looking south east from where the attack came. The slaughter took place on the ground in this photo. From 1600 men of the 1/3rd, 2/31st, 2/48th and 2/66th batalions some 1300 were casualties.


The 4th Division in reserve (Cole) advanced without orders in a long line and managed to drive off the polish lancers. These forces linked up with the survivors and further enveloped the french infantry columns still engaged in a heavy firefight with the centre and left of the allied line.

This photo is taken from the same position as the previous but we are now looking south. The french had managed to position artillery on the low hill in the middle ground. The 1/7th, 2/7th and 1/23rd fusiler batalions charged across the foreground (of this photo) at the shaken french infantry columns. They were however hit heavily by canister fire from the afore mentioned artillery.


A view from the left side of the french infantry assault but looking to the rear (south). The attack came up this gentle slope. It was the largest infantry attack of the peninsula war (some 8,400 men). Eventually, in heavy rain, the french turned and routed.


A small monument to the bravery shown on that day at the left side of the allied line (Abercrombie).


Back in Albuera a poem "Oh Albuera, glorious field of grief" by Lord Byron.
"In rows, just like
they fought, they lay
like the hay in the
open countryside when
the night falls and the
mower falls silent, that
is how they were slain."

Badajoz 06 April 1812

In 1812 Wellington attempted to take the strongly fortified city of Badajoz. It was defended by a determined French and Hessian garrison of some 5,000 men and led by Armand Phillipon - a brave and resourceful adversary.

Its fortifications formed an enclosure of nine bastions connected by walls of between 20 to 46 feet high with a castle that acted as citadel.

Wellington decided to attack Badajoz by breaching its walls on the southern side at the Santa Maria and Trinidad bastions and on March 16th 1812 the siege works began.

With two French armies marching to relieve Badajoz, time became a critical problem for Wellington. He knew that it would take a while for satisfactory breaches to be made but to wait too long might force him into fighting a covering action similar to that fought by Beresford the year before at Albuera.

Throughout the rest of March and early April the British guns blasted away at to breach the Santa Maria and Trinidad bastions. The assault was ordered for the night 06 April 1812.

This photo shows the view from the jump off point for the 4th and Light Divisions just before 10pm.



The Light Division assault with 100m to run, the Santa Maria bastion breach is to the left side of the photo. (The 4th Division attack is to our right and parallel with the Light Division). At this point of the approach the soldiers were confronted by a large ditch.


The Light Division assault point, the breach in the Santa Maria bastion.


This wall between the Santa Maria bastion and the Trinidad bastion was breached only the day before the assault to improve the attackers options. The delay however may well have just allowed the French to further ready themselves for the assault.


Just to the right of the Light Division, the 4th Division (Colville) were designated to assault the breach in this section of the Trinidad bastion.

Badajoz 06 April 1812 (continued)

The "Forlorn Hope" went first, followed by storming parties who all entered the large ditch in front of the fortifications. When it was full the French exploded the mines beneath. Heavy grape and musketry fire poured into the ditch from the ramparts. The Light and 4th Divisions became hopelessly mixed together in the confusion.

Not a single British soldier had entered the town even though over forty rushes were made at the breaches. The situation was critical. As the frustrated and despairing troops were driven back the desperate British attacks began to fade, leaving behind nearly 2,000 of Wellington's best men smashed upon the defences.

This photo shows the killing zone from in front of the Trinidad bastion looking towards the Santa Maria bastion.



A diversionary attack on the castle by Picton's 3rd Division had been raging with equal ferocity. The British troops finally got to the castle walls and placed ladders against them. They were met by determined resistance and time after time the ladder assaults made no impression.




Colonel Ridge, of the 5th Regiment, seized one of the ladders and placed it against the castle where the wall was lower where an embrasure afforded the men some protection. He managed to reach the ramparts, the troops rushed furiously up their ladders to support him and at last the tide seemed to turn in their favour.

This photo shows the view from a defenders perspective, the lowest part of the wall is in the foreground.



Now, that hope had gone and with it went all hope of holding the town. Simultaneously on the western side of the town the 5th Division had also escaladed the high walls in the face of stiff opposition. The photo shows the assault point by the 5th Division on the Vicente bastion.

Inside the town all hell was let loose as the victorious British troops embarked on the now infamous orgy of debauchery and destruction. The capture of Badajoz cost Wellington some 5,000 men and Wellington was moved to say afterwards, "The capture of Badajoz affords as strong an instance of the gallantry of our troops as has ever been displayed. But I anxiously hope that I shall never again be the instrument of putting them to such a test as that to which they were put last night."