Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
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| Peninsular War |
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| Bailén – Roliça – Vimeiro – Corunna – Talavera – Buçaco – Fuengirola – Torres Vedras – Barrosa – Fuentes de Onoro – Albuera – Badajoz – Salamanca – Vitoria - Sorauren |
Massena had driven the British back to Lisbon the previous year, before coming up against the massive Lines of Torres Vedras, a huge double line of fortifications that he decided against storming. After sitting outside Lisbon through a miserable winter, food grew sparse and the French were forced to withdraw, the British following closely on their heels.
Having secured Portugal, Wellesley then set about securing the frontier, taking the fortified cities of Almeida, Badajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo. Whilst laying siege to Almeida, Massena had reformed his battered army and marched to relieve the French garrison in the city. Wellesley, with his usual caution, chose to check the relief column at the small village of Fuentes De Onoro. The British, Portuguese and Spanish army had 35,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and 48 guns. The French had 43,000 infantry, 4,500 cavalry and 46 guns.
On the 3rd of May, Massena launched a frontal assault against the British regiments holding the barricaded village, while subjecting the British on the heights east of the village to a heavy artillery bombardment. The village proved to be the centre of the fighting for the whole day, with French Grenadiers and elite Guardsmen clashing with the British redcoats and the Riflemen of Craufurd's Light Division. Though the French drove the British back under immense pressure, a charge by men of the 51st Light Infantry reclaimed the streets and buildings lost earlier in the day. As the sun sank, the French withdrew and the village remained in British hands, though at a terrible price in manpower.
The 4th brought little in combat, with both sides recovering from the ferocity of the previous day of fighting and reconsidering their options and battle plans. Action began again at dawn on the 5th of May. Wellington had, by oversight or error, left an infantry division exposed on his right flank. Massena launched an attack on the British right flank, led by General Junot's Corps and supported by most of Massena's Chasseurs and lancers. This compelled Wellington to send reinforcements to save the division from annihilation, which was only narrowly achieved by the efforts of the Light Division and cavalry of the King's German Legion. Massena, however, was still principally aiming at securing the actual village, sending forward massed columns of infantry. The village, filled with low stone walls, provided excellent cover for the British line infantry and skirmishers and the French cavalry were severely restricted in the little streets, unable to charge down on the British soldiers. Facing endless musket volleys and unable to press home their impetus, the cavalry and infantry became jammed and were shot down in their hundreds. Worse still, the French began to run out of ammunition and began to resort to the bayonet in a futile attempt to drive the British back. Facing murderous volleys, the French halted and turned, being shot at as they withdrew, leaving thousands of casualties behind.
Meanwhile, equally devastating volleys from the redcoats on the right, helped along with attacks by British and Portuguese Hussars had Junot's columns reeling and they also suffered appalling casualties. By sunset, French morale had plummeted and many companies were down to 40% strength. Sensing defeat, many of the French garrison in Almeida slipped through the British lines during the night to join the battered Army of Portugal in it's retreat. Massena withdrew from the area and, on reaching Ciudad Rodrigo, was recalled to Paris by a furious Napoleon to explain his actions (although Napoleon had issued the order to return prior to the battle). He was replaced by Marshal Marmont and set off for France with a vast sum off gold, stolen from Portugal and Spain.
With the relief column routed, Wellesley had finished off the Army of Portugal inflicting 4,500 casualties for the loss of just 1,500, and was able to resume his siege of Almeida. Wellington however acknowledged how dangerous the situation had been, saying later, "If Boney had been there, I would have lost."
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