Portugal 1808: Wellington's First Peninsular Campaign

Tim Saunders

• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Year: 2025
• Edition: 0
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036104405
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

When Napoleon overreached himself by usurping the Burbon throne of Spain in early 1808, the resulting Spanish resentment and the brutal suppression of the Dos di Mayo Rebellion in Madrid turned Spain, a long-term enemy of Britain, into an ally. Sir Arthur Wellesley's expedition to South America was promptly cancelled and redirected to the Peninsular. Eventually landing in Portugal at the mouth of the Rio Mondego, the army found itself with little transport, but by keeping close to the coast and with logistical support from the Royal Navy, Wellesley set off south to confront Marshal Junot and liberate Lisbon. The first clash of arms was at Obidos and, days later, at the Combat of Roliça, Wellesley achieved his first victory in battle against the willey General Delaborde. With word that reinforcements were expected to arrive at Maceira Bay, the army was deployed at Vimiero to protect their landing. Meanwhile, Junot had assembled his army and decided to attack at Vimiero. In a short but hard-fought battle, Wellesley was victorious, however an opportunity for total defeat of the French was squandered in succession by generals Burrard and Dalrymple, who instead accepted an armistice. This eventually became the notorious Convention of Cintra.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1. The Peninsula 1807 and Early 1808
• 2. The 1808 Campaign Begins
• 3. The Affair at Óbidos
• 4. The Combat of Roliça
• 5. Piquets and Preparations for Battle
• 6. Junot’s Attacks on Vimeiro Hill
• 7. The Attack on East Ridge and the Aftermath of Battle
• 8. The Convention of Cintra and the French Evacuation
• 9. Portugal between the 1808 and 1809 Campaigns
• Appendices
• II. Lieutenant General Wellesley’s Roliça Dispatch
• III. Lieutenant General Wellesley’s Campaign Plan
• IV. Lieutenant General Wellesley’s Vimeiro Dispatch
• V. The Convention of Cintra
• VI. On the March
• VII. French and British Order of Battle at Vimeiro
• VIII. Modern Maps of the 1808 Battlefields
• Notes