Combatants: French versus British/Spanish

Date: 27 Sep 1810 - British/Portuguese Win

Refought: 26 Sep 2010 - French Win

Sunday 26th September 2010

This is always a difficult one for the British assuming the French have a sensible plan (unlike Massena). The sensible plan was forthcoming and the French commander decided to attack simultaneously in the centre and on the left flank with Ney on the right advancing without attacking in the hope of pinning all the good troops on the British right flank in place. The idea presumably was to give the British little room for reinforcement. Some very quick redeployment was necessary from the British; unfortunately orders to take troops from the rather over strong left flank came too late and they were too few. By the time reinforcements arrived in the centre to support an under pressure and outnumbered Picton the French had driven a wedge between the British centre and right flanks. With the latter being very close to collapse as Hill's division arrived and frantically started deploying. When the umpires called time it was clear that although the British were still strong enough to withdraw without too much trouble the army would divided. Leaving the French in command of the battlefield and the option to mount a rigorous pursuit of either part of the British Army.