The Battle of Vimero

Refight won by the French

 

Battle Reports

French CinC

British COS

Gen Delaborde

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Refight won by the French pretty conclusively although they did not by any means wipe the English out, who could have got substantial forces away in good order to fight another day. It is also worth pointing out that the scenario allowed for the French to abandon Lisbon which gave them an extra division at this battle.

Not surprisingly the plan for the English was one of static defence along the ridge line North and South of the town of Vimero (see below).

Map of British Positions

Conventional stuff; although they did choose to concentrate their Light infantry including all the Rifles in front of Vimero which somewhat denuded the rest of the army of skirmisher support and was to leave it vulnerable to French skirmishers. This proved a major factor in the French victory.

The French decided to attack with 2 divisions; one to the South/West of Vimero and another from the East to attack Vimero itself. A division was held in reserve and the bulk of the French Cavalry was sent to the North to pin down the forces on the English left flank in and around Ventosa. Both attacks started at 10am local time and progressed very slowly due to the nature of the terrain and the English waited patiently for the onslaught.

The English 1st and 8th Brigades in the South soon discovered that having no light infantry was going to be a problem in the face of 3/4 French Legere Bns and although it took some time they were comprehensively shot to pieces by the French and forced to withdraw in some confusion. To a certain extent the opposite was true for the second French attack on Vimero which had to struggle through difficult terrain against the 95th and 60th Rifle Bns who beat off the French skirmishers and absorbed the fire from the significant French artillery deployed to support the attack. Having made this sacrifice they retired (in the case of the 95th routed!) and fire from the remaining two conventional light Bns then proceeded to take a toll on the French line Bns who routed taking the Artillery with them.

It may look like the English had the honours so far; but unfortunately for them the French Commander was keeping an eye on things and during the events described above ordered his reserve Division to attack British 5th Bde to the North of Vimero, whilst skirmishers kept the Portuguese Bde busy. Under this attack the 5th Bde collapsed and the English Army was effectively cut in half and more to the point the victorious Light and 6th Bdes in Vimero were now cut off from the rest of the army.

With the collapse of the English right flank and centre the umpires called a halt to the proceedings and awarded victory to the French. The three brigades on the English left flank were virtually untouched and would live to fight another day as would the scattered units of the centre and right; but the now cut off Light and 6th Bdes in Vimero would probably find it necessary to surrender.