The Peninsular Wars

Question 1

Battle of Corunna 16th January 1809

Answer 1

Commander of the British army- Sir John Moore
Commander of the French army- Martial Soult
Reason for battle: French tried to finish off the British- Similar to Dunkirk
Outcome of the battle: French victory, Britain rescued by navy, 900 casualties, Sir John Moore died, Wellesley now in power

Question 2

Battle of Talavera 27-28 July 1809

Answer 2

Commander of the British army- Arthur Wellesley
Commander of the French army- Martial Victor
Reason for the battle- Defend Portugal and use as a springboard to get French attack/seize Madrid
Outcome of the battle: 7500 casualties in extreme weather, Victory for British= pleased, Narrow victory for Wellesley, tactical retreat, Brits realized Spanish untrustworthy and also retreated back to Portugal, captured French guns

Question 3

Lines of Torres Vedras 1809-1810

Answer 3

Lines provided protection for British army, Portuguese civilians and Spanish living on border
Took a year to build
Wellesley implemented ‘Scorched Earth’ policy and promised protection and livign for civilians implementing this, getting rid of all crops to starve French army
Kept secret for a long time even though huge mission
French camped outside lines, couldn’t get in- ended up starving, freezing, low on supply, low morale
Lines had 3 lines going back to sea
Policy of attrition- waiting/starving the enemy out

Question 4

Battle of Fuentes De Onoro 3-5 May 1811

Answer 4

Commander of the British army- Wellesley- 40,000 army , 48 guns, 2000 cavalry, high morale, well fed, Torres Vedras
Commander of the French army- Martial Massena- 40,000, 0 guns, 5000 cavalry, Low morale, starving, no guns
Reason for battle: Wellington on the attack
Outcome of battle- British victory, Britain had to tactical withdrawal- preserving what had left- square formation
REQUESTED SIEGE GUNS AFTER THIS BATTLE

Question 5

Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo 7-20 January 1812

Answer 5

Commander of the British Army: Wellington- 10,000 men
Commander of the French Army: Barrie- 2000 men
Reason for Battle: Gateway to Spain, Wellington on the offensive
Outcome of Battle: Won in a day, 500 casualties dies, 250 French casualties, Easy Victory, Bad masonry for castle

Question 6

Siege of Badajoz 6 April 1812

Answer 6

Commander of the British Army: Wellington- paternal general- 60,000 men, 52 siege guns
Commander of the French army: 5000 men
Reason for battle: Defeat Napoleon
Outcome of Battle: 3 attempts to capture, 5000 casualties, Wept after battle, Best/worst victory

REMEMBER FORLORN HOPE AND THE AFTERMATH OF PILAGING AND RAPING AFTER BADAJOZ- ‘scum of the earth.’

Question 7

Battle of Salamanca 22 July 1812

Answer 7

Commander of the British army: Earl Wellington, Able to exploit French, 50,000 men
Commander of the French Army: Marmont, 50,000 men, Leaves flank easy to be exploited
Reason for Battle: To defeat Napoleon
Outcome of Battle: 14,000 French casualties-5000 for the British

Question 8

Battle of Vitoria 21 June 1813

Answer 8

Commander of the British Army: Wellington, 57,000 men either side- 81,000 including French/Portuguese
Commander of the French Army: Joseph Bonaparte, 57,000 men either side
Reason for Battle: To defeat Napoleon
Outcome of Battle: 8000 casualties French, 3675 British, End of Peninsular Wars, Great British success

Question 9

Aftermath of the end of Peninsular Wars:

Answer 9

Iberian peninsular broke the back of Napoleon , Battle of Borodino heavy losses for Napoleon against Prussians- ‘The fatal march from Moscow.’