History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France, vol. 3

16 May 1811

Battle of Albuera

CHAPTER VI.

Lord Wellington quits the army of Beira — Marshal Beresford's opera- tions— Colonel Colborne beats up the French quarters in Estremadura, and intercepts their convoys — First English siege of Badajos — Captain Squire breaks ground before San Christoval — His works overwhelmed by the French fire — Soult advances to relieve the place — Beresford raises the siege — Holds a conference with the Spanish generals, and resolves to fight — Colonel Colborne rejoins the army, which takes a position at Albuera — Allied cavalry driven in by the French — General Blake joins Beresford — General Cole arrives on the frontier — Battle of Albuera . 158

CHAPTER VII.

Continuation of the battle of Albuera — Dreadful state of both armies — Soult retreats to Solano — General Hamilton resumes the investment of Badajos — Lord Wellington reaches the field of battle — Third and seventh divisions arrive — Beresford follows Soult — The latter abandons the castle of Villalba and retreats to Lerena — Cavalry action at Usagre — Beresford quits the army — General Hill re-assumes the com- mand of the second division, and lord Wellington renews the siege of Badaios— Observations 171

VOL. III. M

In a conference with the Spanish generals, held the 1 3th at Valverde, it was agreed to receive battle at Albuera. Balles- teros' and Blake's corps being then united at Baracotta, were falling back upon Almendral, and Blake engaged to have them at Albuera before twelve o'clock on the 15th. Badajos was the centre of an arc, sweeping through Valverde, Albuera, and Talavera Keal, and Blake undertook to watch the roads on the right, while Beresford and Mendizabel watched those in the centre, and Madden those on the left. The British being chiefly in the woods near Valverde could reach Albuera by a half march, and no part of the arc was more than four leagues from Badajos. Soult on the 14th was at Los Santos eight leagues distant, and Beresford, thinking he could not be fore- stalled on any point, kept the fourth division in the trenches. On the 14th Colborne came in, Madden retired to Talavera Eeal, Blake reached Almendral, and the Anglo- Portuguese cavalry under general Long fell back to Santa Marta, where they were joined by Blake's dragoons.

OPERATIONS IN VALENCIA AND MURCIA.

In the south of Grenada and Andalusia little passed worth notice, for during Blake's absence in Estremadura the war was principally confined to the Honda, where the Serranos, aided at times by the troops from Algesiras, and by succours from Gibraltar, were always in arms; yet even there, the extreme arrogance of the Spanish generals so vexed the Serranos they were hardly prevented from capitulating in form with the French: and while Soult continued at Lierena, after the battle of Albuera, the escopeteros and civic guards sufficed to keep the partidas in check. Thus the blockade of the Isla remained undisturbed from without, and Cadiz itself, the seat