BATTLE OF BARROSA. 5th. March, 1811.
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Wellington’s generals, like those under the illustrious Marlborough, did not often have the opportunity of fighting independent battles. What Wynendale was to Webb in Queen Anne’s reign, Almaraz was to Lord Hill, Albuhera to Lord Beresford, and Barrosa to Lieutenant-General Thomas Graham, (afterwards Lord Lynedoch,) who commanded the British forces in Cadiz at the above period. In consequence of Marshal Soult having proceeded into Estremadura, Marshal Victor was left to carry on the siege of Cadiz, and a combined attack on the rear of the blockading army at Chiclana was determined upon. Accordingly a British force of about three thousand men, under Lieutenant-General Graham, and a body of seven thousand troops, commanded by General Le Pena, were selected for this expedition. The forces having first proceeded to Gibraltar, afterwards disembarked at Algesiras, on the 23rd. of February, and being all united at Tarifa, marched thence on the 28th. of that month.
General Zayas pushed a strong body of Spanish troops across the river Santi Petri near the coast on the 1st. of March, threw a bridge over, and formed a tête-de-pont. This post was attacked by the enemy on the nights of the 3rd. and 4th. of March, who was repulsed, though the Spaniards sustained considerable loss. On the 5th. of March, 1811, Lieutenant-General Graham, and the army under his command, arrived on the low ridge of Barrosa, and gained a decisive victory over the French army, under Marshal Victor, composed of the two divisions of Generals Rufin and Laval.
The circumstances under which Lieutenant-General Graham found himself placed were such as compelled him to attack the very superior force, in point of numbers, of his opponents. The allied army, after a night march of sixteen hours from the camp near Veger, arrived on the morning of the 5th. at the low ridge of Barrosa, about four miles to the southward of the mouth of the Santi Petri river. This height extends inland about a mile and a half, continuing on the north the 113extensive heathy plain of Chiclana. A great pine-forest skirts the plain, and circles round the height at some distance, terminating down to Santi Petri, the intermediate space between the north side of the height and the forest being uneven and broken. A well-conducted and successful attack on the rear of the enemy’s lines near Santi Petri, by the vanguard of the Spaniards, under Brigadier-General Ladrizabel, opened the communication with the Isla de Leon, and Lieutenant-General Graham received General La Pena’s directions to move down from the position of Barrosa to that of the Torre de Bermeja, about half-way to the Santi Petri river, in order to secure the communication across the river, over which a bridge had been recently constructed. This latter position occupied a narrow woody ridge, the right on the sea cliff, the left falling down to the Almanza creek on the edge of the marsh. An easy communication between the western points of these two positions were kept up by a hard sandy beach. Lieutenant-General Graham, while on the march through the wood towards the Bermeja, received intelligence that the enemy had appeared in force on the plain of Chiclana, about fifty miles from Tarifa, and was advancing towards the heights of Barrosa.
This position being considered by the British general as the key to that of Santi Petri, he immediately countermarched in order to support the troops left for its defence, and the alacrity with which this manœuvre was executed, served as a favourable omen. It was, however, impossible in such intricate and difficult ground to preserve order in the columns, and time was never afforded to restore it entirely. Before the British could get quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the Barrosa hill were seen returning from it, while the enemy’s left wing was rapidly ascending. His right wing at the same time stood on the plain, on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in the face of such a foe, already within reach of the easy communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving nearly at the same time on the narrow ridge of the Bermeja.
Lieutenant-General Graham relying on the heroism of British 114troops, and regardless of the number and position of the enemy, determined on an immediate attack. Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the centre. Brigadier-General Dilkes with the brigade of Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Browne’s (of the 28th.) flank battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Norcott’s two companies of the second Rifle corps, and Major Acheson with a part of the 67th. Foot, (separated from the regiment in the wood,) formed on the right. Colonel Wheatley’s brigade, with three companies of the Coldstream Guards, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson, (separated likewise from his battalion in the wood,) and Lieutenant-Colonel Barnard’s flank battalion, formed on the left.
As soon as the infantry was thus hastily got together, the guns advanced to a more favourable position, and kept up a most destructive fire. The right wing proceeded to the attack of General Rufin’s division on the hill, while Lieutenant-Colonel Barnard’s battalion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Bushe’s detachment of the 20th. Portuguese, were warmly engaged with the enemy’s tirailleurs on the left.
General Laval’s division, notwithstanding the havoc made by Major Duncan’s battery, continued to advance in very imposing masses, opened his fire of musketry, and was only checked by that of the left wing. The left wing now advanced firing; a most determined charge by three companies of the Guards and the 87th. regiment, supported by all the remainder of the wing, decided the defeat of General Laval’s division. The eagle of the 8th. regiment of light infantry, which suffered immensely, and a howitzer, rewarded this charge, and remained in possession of Major Gough, (afterwards General Viscount Gough), of the 87th. regiment.[40] These attacks were zealously supported by Colonel Belson, with the 28th. foot, and Lieutenant-Colonel Prevost with a part of the 67th. regiment.
A reserve formed beyond the narrow valley, across which 115the enemy was closely pursued, next shared a similar fate, and was routed by the same means. Meanwhile the right wing was not less successful; the French, confident of success, met Brigadier-General Dilkes on the ascent of the hill, and the contest was sanguinary: but the undaunted perseverance of the brigade of Guards, of Lieutenant-Colonel Browne’s battalion, and Lieutenant-Colonel Norcott’s and Major Acheson’s detachment, overcame every obstacle, and General Rufin’s division was driven from the heights in confusion, leaving two pieces of cannon in the hands of the victors.
In less than an hour and a half from the commencement of the action, the enemy was in full retreat. The retiring division met, halted, and seemed inclined to form; but a new and more advanced position of the British artillery quickly dispersed it. The exhausted state of the troops rendered pursuit impossible, and a position was occupied on the eastern side of the hill. When the conflict had ceased, Lieutenant-General Graham remained on the field of battle; but the Spanish general, La Pena, who had looked on while this obstinate battle was fought, did not seize the favourable opportunity which the valour of the British troops had put into his hands, of striking a severe blow at the remains of the French army retreating in disorder. The inactivity of the Spaniards continuing, the British proceeded on the following day to Cadiz.
Among the prisoners were the General of Division Rufin, the General of Brigade Rousseau,[41] the latter being mortally wounded; the Chief of the Staff, General Bellegarde; an aidede-camp of Marshal Victor; the Colonel of the 8th. regiment and several other officers. The prisoners amounted to two general officers, one field officer, nine captains, eight subalterns, and four hundred and twenty rank and file. The enemy lost about three thousand men in killed, wounded, and prisoners, and six pieces of cannon were captured.
Both Houses of Parliament unanimously voted their thanks to Lieutenant-General Graham, and the officers and men under his command, for his victory.
The following corps were engaged in this battle:—2nd. Hussars, King’s German Legion; Loyal Artillery; Royal Engineers; 1st. Foot Guards, 2nd. battalion; Coldstream Guards, 2nd. battalion; 3rd. Foot Guards, 2nd. battalion; 9th. Foot, 1st. battalion, (flank companies;) 28th. Foot, 1st. battalion; 47th. Foot, 2nd battalion, (flank companies;) 67th. Foot, 2nd battalion; 82nd. Foot, 2nd. battalion, (flank companies;) 87th. Foot, 2nd. battalion; Rifle Brigade, 2nd. and 3rd. battalions; 20th. Portuguese Regiment; and one company of the Royal Staff Corps.
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Medal for Barrosa.
The medal for this battle was similar to that granted for the victories commencing with Roleia, and the following Memorandum, dated Horse Guards, November, 1811, was published in the “London Gazette”:—
“The Prince Regent having been graciously pleased, in the name and on behalf of His Majesty, to command that, in commemoration of the brilliant victory obtained over the enemy by a division of His Majesty’s army, under the command of Lieutenant-General Graham, at Barrosa, on the 5th. of March, 1811, the undermentioned officers of the army, present upon that occasion, should enjoy the privilege of bearing a Medal, and His Royal Highness having approved of the medal which has been struck, is pleased to command, that it should be worn by the General Officers, suspended by a ribbon, of the colour of the sash, with a blue edge, round the neck, and by the Commanding Officers of corps and detachments, and the Chiefs of Military Departments, attached by a ribbon of the same colour to the button-hole of their uniform:—
Lieutenant-General Thomas Graham; Major-General William Thomas Dilkes; Colonel William Wheatley, 1st. Foot Guards; Lieutenant-Colonels Charles P. Belson, 28th. Foot, William Augustus Prevost, 67th. regiment, The Hon. T. Cranley Onslow, 3rd. Foot Guards, Andrew F. Barnard, 95th. Rifle regiment, John Macdonald, Deputy Adjutant-General, Edward Sebright, 1st. Foot Guards, John Frederick Brown, 28th. regiment, Amos Godsill Norcott, 95th. Rifle regiment, The Hon. Charles M. Cathcart, Deputy Quartermaster-General, Richard Bushe, 20th. Portuguese regiment, Alexander Duncan, Royal Artillery, and Hugh Gough, 87th. regiment; and Major A. F. Baron Bussche, 2nd. Light Dragoons, King’s German Legion.
By the command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty.
Frederick, Commander-in-Chief.
Henry Torrens, Lieutenant-Colonel and Military Secretary.”
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