the British Army (1793-1815) Flashcards
1
Q
where did the BA fight until 1802?
A
in the Caribbean
2
Q
why did the BA target French Caribbean territories?
A
they were hubs of piracy against British merchant ships
they had plantations
3
Q
when did the BA capture Cape Colony?
A
1795
4
Q
when did the BA defeat the French in Egypt?
A
1801 at the Battle of Alexandria
5
Q
who was the East India Company at war with in India?
A
the Kingdom of Mysore supported by France
6
Q
who captured Seringapatam in 1793?
A
Lord Cornwallis
7
Q
when did W arrive in India?
A
1797
8
Q
when and where did W defeat Doondia?
A
Conagul in September 1800
9
Q
what were W’s major victories in India?
A
at Assaye and Argaum
10
Q
Battle of Assaye
A
British victory despite being outnumbered
7000 vs 40,000
11
Q
Battle of Argaum
A
British victory despite being outnumbered
11000 vs 30000
12
Q
what battle proved that British lines were superior to French columns?
A
Battle of Maida 1806
13
Q
how many BA troops sent to Flushing to create a distraction in 1809?
A
44,000
14
Q
when was Cape Colony recaptured?
A
1806
15
Q
which country was still trading with Britain despite the Continental System being in place?
A
Portugal
16
Q
who does Napoleon send to invade Portugal?
A
Junot
17
Q
when did Charles and Ferdinand abdicate in Spain?
A
April 1808
18
Q
who became the new Spanish King?
A
Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother
19
Q
why was Junot cut off from the Spain in 1808?
A
in June 1808, Spanish got angry by the abdication and began to resist the French in Spain
20
Q
why was Junot pushed back to Lisbon?
A
the Portugese see the Spanish rebellion and also rebel against Junot to push him back to Lisbon
21
Q
why did the British govt decide to attack the French in Portugal?
A
they saw the rebellions as the perfect time to push the French out of the Peninsula
22
Q
where was W stationed before the Peninsular War?
A
Cork
23
Q
when did W leave Cork?
A
12 July 1808
24
Q
where do the BA troops land in Portugal?
A
Mondego Bay
25
why did the Duke of York replace W?
he believed that he was too inexperienced
26
who did the DofY replace W with?
Dalrymple, Burrard and Moore
27
when was the Battle of Rolica?
17 August 1808
28
when was the Battle of Vimeiro?
21 August 1808
29
what tactic did W use at Vimeiro?
reverse slope tactic
surprised the French which forced them to retreat back to Lisbon
30
what was the Convention of Cintra?
an Anglo-French armistice which allowed 24000 French to return to France
31
what happened to Burrard and Dalrymple after the Convention of Cintra?
they were never given command again
32
how many men did Moore command when he invaded Spain?
35,000
33
when did Moore march into Spain?
October 1808
34
how many troops did Napoleon send to Spain to retake it?
200,000
35
why did Moore retreat to Corunna?
he was notified that Napoleon was marching his troops north
36
when did Moore reach Corunna?
11 January 1809
37
when was the Battle of Corunna?
16 January 1809
38
result of the Battle of Corunna?
French victory
Moore dead
39
how many BA troops returned to England after Corunna?
26,000
40
why can Corunna be seen as a positive?
prevented French troops from attacking Portugal and South Spain
41
who did Napoleon put in charge to chase Moore to Corunna?
Soult
42
when was W put in charge of the BA in Portugal?
April 1809
43
who was put in charge of the Portugese Army?
Beresford
44
how many men did Soult hold Porto with?
20,000
45
when was the Battle of Porto?
12 May 1809
46
how did W get his troops into Porto?
he ferried 600 across the River Duoro in wine barrels provided by Portugese
47
how many men did Soult lose at Porto?
4,000
48
why were there no more French reinforcements in Spain in 1809?
Austria declared war on France so all French troops were occupied
49
when did W march into Spain?
July 1809
50
who led the Spanish troops in Spain?
General Cuesta
51
when was the Battle of Talavera?
21 July 1809
52
how were the Spanish troops at Talavera?
they were rubbish
2,000 fled at the sound of gunfire
the rest hid behind walls in fear
53
who was Roland Hill?
popular general who supported the men
known as daddy
drove back a French night attack at Talavera
54
result of the Battle of Talavera?
W retreated to Portugal in the winter
W became Viscount Wellington
55
how many French died at Talavera?
7300
56
why was the British victory at Talavera also a loss?
they lost 5400 men
57
why did W retreat to Portugal after Talavera?
gave time for Beresford to train the Portugese troops to British standards
58
by 1810 how many Portugese troops were ready to fight?
25,000
59
who did Napoleon appoint to invade Portugal in 1810?
Massena
60
how strong was Massena's Portugese Army?
138,000
61
when did Cuidad Rodrigo surrender to Massena?
10 July 1810
62
when did Almeida surrender to Massena?
28 August 1810
63
what policy did W use when retreating from Massena?
scorched earth policy
64
what was the Portugese home guard?
the Ordenanza
65
when was W forced to retreat to Lisbon?
28 September 1810
66
what were the Lines of Torres Vedras?
3 rings of walls enclosing Lisbon which ran for 30 miles
67
who constructed the Lines of Torres Vedras?
the Royal Engineers in 1809
68
who led the Royal Engineers?
Colonel Richard Fletcher
69
how many BA men defended Torres Vedras?
60,000
70
when did Massena give up trying to attack the walls?
mid November 1810
71
why did W not attack the retreating Massena?
he knew that starvation and disease would hurt the French more than the British
72
when did Massena retreat to Spain?
March 1811
73
how many men had Massena lost in his campaign in Portugal?
30,000 men
74
when was the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro?
3 May 1811
75
who replaced Massena?
Marshal Mormont
76
how many men did Beresford besiege Badajoz with?
20,000
77
when was the Battle of Albuera?
16 May 1811
78
why did the allies abandon Badajoz
French reinforcements arrived
79
when did Wellington take Cuidad Rodrigo?
January 1812
80
how did Wellington take Cuidad Rodrigo?
he made 2 breaches in the wall and attacked
81
when did Wellington take Badajoz back?
6 April 1812
82
how did Wellington retake Badajoz?
he made 3 breaches in the walls
83
how many Brits were lost in the Siege of Badajoz?
5,000
84
when was the Battle of Salamanca?
22 July 1812
85
why were the French weaker in 1812?
they were having a terrible time in their invasion of Russia
86
how many French were lost at the Battle of Salamanca?
14,000
87
when did W march into Madrid?
12 August 1812
88
why did W abandon his siege of Burgos?
he was threatened at his rear by French armies
89
where did W retreat after Burgos?
to Portugal
90
why did morale amongst the British troops increase?
they received new clothes and equipment
more reinforcements
news of French struggles in Russia
91
how many miles did W march in 30 days?
300 miles
92
how did the Spanish help W at the Battle of Vittoria?
Spanish guerrillas would scout ahead and inform W about the positions of French troops
93
when was the Battle of Vittoria?
21 June 1813
94
who led the French at the Battle of Vittoria?
Joseph Bonaparte
95
which 3 French strongholds remained in Spain after the Battle of Vittoria?
Pamplona
Vera
San Sebastian
96
how long did it take for W to take Pamplona?
9 days
97
when did W take San Sebastian?
31 August 1813
98
why was W reluctant to invade France after pushing the French out of Spain?
he wanted to be certain that Napoleon would lose against the allies in the rest of Europe
99
which river did the allies cross to enter France?
Bidasoa
100
when was the Battle of Leipzig and what was its outcome?
19 October 1813
Napoleon forced to retreat to the Rhine and fall back to France
101
when did the British cross the River Nivelle?
10 November 1813
102
why did W send his Spanish troops back to Spain?
he knew that they would likely seek retribution for French atrocities in Spain by plundering
W wanted the French civilians on his side
103
when did Napoleon abdicate?
6 April 1814
104
throughout the Peninsular Wars, how many enemy troops did W's forces kill?
200,000
105
throughout the Peninsular Wars, how many troops did W lose?
36,000
106
when was the Treaty of Ghent signed?
October 1814
107
when did Napoleon escape exile?
February 1815
108
who became King of France after Napoleon abdicated?
Louis XVIII
109
what did Napoleon do once he retook power?
he marched his troops north and looked to defeat the British and Prussian armies in one sweep
110
when was the Battle of Waterloo?
18 June 1815
111
who was in charge of the Prussian army at Waterloo?
Marshal Blucher
112
how large was Napoleon's army at Waterloo?
75,000
113
when was the Battle of Ligny?
16 June 1815
114
what was the outcome of the Battle of Ligny?
Napoleon had defeated the Prussians
115
what was the outcome of the Battle of Quatre Bras?
the British had managed to hold of the French
116
who did Napoleon send to attack the Prussians?
Grouchy
117
why was the French attack at Waterloo delayed?
heavy rainfall made artillery difficult to move
118
to what time did Napoleon delay the French attack at Waterloo?
11:30 am
119
how large was W's army at Waterloo?
68,000
120
what were the 3 main points at Waterloo?
Hougemont
La Haye Sainte
Papelotte
121
when did Blucher's Prussians arrive?
1:30 pm
122
what failures did Ney lead at Waterloo?
he led many stupid cavalry charges which were destroyed by British squares
123
what was the last French attack?
the Imperial Guard led one final attack which was repelled by British forces
124
how many British died at Waterloo?
15,000
125
how many French died at Waterloo?
25,000
126
when did Napoleon surrender?
15 July 1815
