Napoleonic wars

Question 1

Battle of Corunna? Stats

Answer 1

16th January 1809,
British Commander - John Moore.
French Commander - Marshal Soult.
British Strength - 15000 infantry, 9-12 guns.
French Strength - 12000 infantry, 3200 Cavalry, 20 guns.
British losses - 900 dead or wounded, 300 missing, 300 left, John Moore, 6 Transports.
French Losses - 700 dead or wounded, 300 prisoners.

Question 2

Battle of Corunna? Battle and aftermath.

Answer 2

Britain retreating from Iberia, need to save as many soldiers as possible, French aim to capture entire British Army.
The overall British Commander John Moore dies leaving a vacancy in command, Wellington fills it.

Question 3

Battle of Talavera? Stats

Answer 3

27th June - 8th July 1809,
British Commander - Arthur Wellesley.
French Commander - Marshal Viktor.
British Strength - 55000 (30000) Spanish, 60 guns.
French Strength - 46000, 80 guns.
British Losses - 6000 killed wounded or captured, 1800 Spanish killed wounded or captured.
French Losses - 7300 killed wounded or captured.

Question 4

Battle of Talavera? Battle and Aftermath

Answer 4

Wellesley had landed in Lisbon and aimed to push for Madrid as quickly as possible. The French had advanced to stop him and they ultimately met him at Talavera. Many Spanish fled the Battlefield in the Early stages of the battle, Wellesley given the peerage. The British carry out a strategic withdrawal after the victory.

Question 5

Battle of Fuentes de Onoro? Stats

Answer 5

3-5th May 1811,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington.
French Commander - Marshal Massena.
British Strength - 35000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 48 guns.
French Strength - 40000 infantry, 5000 cavalry.
British losses - 1600 Killed wounded or Captured.
French Losses - 2400 killed wounded or captured.

Question 6

Battle of Fuentes de Onoro? Battle and aftermath

Answer 6

Wellington wanted to establish a Northern command base to prepare for the sieges, Massena’s army was depleted after the disaster at Torres Vedras - no guns, 500 men dying of starvation per day,
Wellington was able to successfully withdraw his army. This served as a test on the offensive capabilities of the army after Torres Vedras.

Question 7

Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo? Stats

Answer 7

7-20th January 1812,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington.
French Commander - Jean Leonard Barrie.
British Strength - 20000 men, 36 guns.
French Strength - 2000 men, 153 guns.
British Losses - 300 killed, 1200 wounded.
French Losses - 700 killed or wounded, 1200 captured.

Question 8

Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo? Battle and Aftermath

Answer 8

Wellington wanted to secure a strong foothold in Spain with the fortress towns, He carried out a night attack.

Question 9

Siege of Badajoz? Stats

Answer 9

16th March - 6th April 1812,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington.
French Commander - Armand Philippon.
British Strength - 27000 Men, 52 guns.
French Strength - 5000 men.
British Losses - 4800 Killed or wounded.
French Losses - 1400 killed or wounded, 3600 captured.

Question 10

Siege of Badajoz? Battle and aftermath

Answer 10

It took 3 attempts to capture Badajoz, Wellington Demanded Siege artillery from the British government which he was able to get due to British Naval supremacy after Trafalgar. British Soldiers went on a rampage after the battle , rape, looting, murdering.
2000 Spanish Civilians lost their lives.

Question 11

Battle of Salamanca? Stats

Answer 11

22nd July 1812,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington,
French Commander - Marmont.
British/Portuguese/Spanish Strength - 48000.
French Strength - 46000
British Losses - 5000 killed wounded or captured.
French Losses - 14000 killed wounded or captured.

Question 12

Battle of Salamanca? battle and aftermath

Answer 12

Wellington decides to go on the offensive after capturing the gateways to spain, the French forces are depleted due to the invasion of Russia.
French Commander wounded by shrapnel, Wellington uses the reverse slope, Wellington hits the French with his cavalry.

Question 13

Battle of Vitoria? Stats

Answer 13

23rd June 1813,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington.
French Commander - Joseph 1st, Marshal Jourdan.
British Strength - 57000, Portugal - 16000, Spain - 8000, 96 guns.
French Strength - 60000 soldiers, 156 guns.
British Losses - 5000 casualties.
French Losses - 8000 Casualties.

Question 14

Battle of Vitoria? Battle and aftermath

Answer 14

The French army is in full retreat as most of their forces have been defeated in Spain. Over £1 million stolen from the caravans as a number of soldiers resorted to looting.

Question 15

French Invasion of Russia? Stats

Answer 15

June - December 1812,
Russian Commander - Mikhail Kutuzov.
French Commander - Napoleon.
Russian Strength - 620000
French Strength - 550000
Russian Losses - 410000
French Losses - 380000

Question 16

French Invasion of Russia? Battles and aftermath

Answer 16

Napoleon after conquering most of Europe decided to turn his attention to Russia, Using an army made of up French soldiers as well as people from across his empire Napoleon Launched an invasion in which 3 major battles occurred. Eventually French forces reached Moscow however, Russia had sacked the city, Long retreat back to France with most soldiers dying.

Question 17

Battle of Leipzig? Stats

Answer 17

16th - 19th October 1913.
Coalition Commanders - Schwarzenburg, Alexander the 1st, Blucher, Karl Johan.
French Commander - Napoleon.
Coalition Strength - 145000 Russians, 115000 Austrians, 90000 Prussians, 25000 Swedes, 6000 other Germans, 1500 guns.
French Strength - 160000, 65000 allies, 700 guns.
Coalition Losses - 68000 casualties.
French Losses - 70000, 325 guns.

Question 18

Battle of Leipzig? Battle and Aftermath

Answer 18

Napoleon was now on the retreat after his failure in Russia, Austria, Prussia and Sweden then turned on the French, Napoleon decided to try and hold onto Leipzig however Coalition forces surrounded him, he ultimately lost and left most of his army.

Question 19

Battle of Ligny? Stats

Answer 19

16th June 1815,
French Commander - Napoleon.
Prussian Commander - Blucher.
French Strength - 68000, 210 cannons.
Prussian Strength - 85000, 224 cannons.
French Losses - 10’000 killed wounded or captured.
Prussian Losses - 24’000 killed wounded or Captured, 21 guns.

Question 20

Battle of Ligny? Battle and Aftermath

Answer 20

Napoleon had returned to France after his exile to Elba, He was aiming to advance on the Prussians before they could join up with the British forces, Prussian defeat and Grouchy is sent after them.

Question 21

Battle of Quatre Bras? Stats

Answer 21

16th June 1815,
British Commander - William of Orange.
French Commander - Marshal Ney.
British Strength - 34000
French Strength - 21000
British losses - 5200 killed wounded or captured.
French Losses - 4200 killed wounded or captured,

Question 22

Battle of Quatre Bras? Battle and Aftermath

Answer 22

The French were able to defeat the British as they moved back towards Waterloo, the same silly billy developed there.

Question 23

Battle of Waterloo? Stats

Answer 23

18th June 1815,
British Commander - Duke of Wellington, Blucher
French Commander - Napoleon.
British Strength - 68’000 soldiers, 156 guns. 50’000 Prussians
French Strength - 72’000 soldiers, 252 guns.
British/Prussian Losses - 15’000 Wellington’s army, 6’600 Prussians.
French Losses - 33’000 killed wounded or captured.

Question 24

Battle of Waterloo? Prelude

Answer 24

Napoleon was exiled onto Elba in April 1814 after the Russian army marched into Paris, Napoleon began to advance towards Wellington, Wellington aimed to draw Napoleon towards Waterloo hence why only a small force was deployed to Quatre Bras. Prussian forces defeated at Ligny and retreat for a time, grouchy deployed to prevent them from reaching Waterloo. Rain delayed the battle.

Question 25

Battle of Waterloo? Hougoumont

Answer 25

The French first attacked the farm on the flank of Wellington’s forces, gates are closed at 12:30. “Success of the battle of Waterloo depended on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont”.

Question 26

When did the Prussians arrive?

Answer 26

They arrived at the town of Plancenoit at 4pm but were unable to defeat the French forces there for a time.

Question 27

What happened once Napoleon retired due to sickness?

Answer 27

Ney captured La Haye Sainte with a significant infantry assault, Ney believed that the British were now in full retreat and moved a majority of the cavalry up the ridge, At 4pm they were over the ridge and found the British were actually in Square formation, leading to high losses.

Question 28

What were the key factors behind the allied victory over Napoleon?

Answer 28

Wellington Clearly chose his battlefield well making sure that there was a ridge.
The weather was poor the night before therefore preventing Napoleon from attacking early which gave Blucher the chance to arrive.
Wellingtons use of Volleys at 1:30 and Square Formation at 4:00 showed clear tactical genius.
Napoleons Illness followed by Ney’s cavalry charge.
Marshal Grouchy failing to stop the Prussians.
Soldiers in Wellingtons army were in high morale.
Napoleons army was very low on morale at the time.