The Battle of Vimeiro (21st August 1808) Part two

Things are hotting up around Ventosa with the Connaught Ranger attempting unsuccessfully to evict the French interlopers. It remains to be seen whether General Solignae's haste to take the village, leaving two battalions to follow on behind will prove wise.

Fire from the French troops ensconced in the town pushed the British back while the French light troops moved forward to support their embattled brothers. There was some debate on the French side on whether it would have been wiser to bring the guns forward, but in the end the Light infantry carried the day.

But they were not enough, as the combined fire of the Connaught Rangers and the Royal Horse Artillery drove the French troops from the town.

With their right falling back, the French decide to up the pressure in the centre. Playing the "Elan" card - they send two battalions of the Legione Irlandaise forwards, one on the left and one in the centre. Risky, but in their present staits - nothing will be gained by caution.

And with that in mind, the push on the right recommences with the Hussars of Conflans moving forward to support the infantry.

The Legione Irlandaise manage to cause some casualties amongst the Royal Artillery on the ridge line, but nothing more.

And are promptly wiped out by return fire. Things are looking grim for Junot and his staff. It may be time to commit the grenadiers who are in reserve. These are very beautiful Schilling figures bought from John Cunningham and painted by Krisztian Takacs.

The Fourth Foot and the Portuguese cavalry move forward to meet the advancing grenadiers, but neither side can gain a decisive advantage.

Meanwhile, the battle still rages around Ventosa. The Connaught Rangers managed to retake the village, but were badly cut up doing so. Could the French eject them with one last push?

With the score 5-3 to the British, General Creanor orders a cavalry charges in the centre, risking a costly reverse to break the French quickly. He throws two regiments of cavalry down into the valley between the two armies and between them they claim the French battery watched over Junot himself. 

General Du Gourmand typically jolly in defeat, while Polish emigre General Siskey shakes his hand. General Savage is phlegmatic, while General Creanor somehow manages to get out of shot.

This was a good game, though I feel the French handcapped themselves by being too aggressive at the outset and not properly preparing their attack.

The Battle of Vimeiro (21st August 1808) Part one

This battle was played some weeks ago, before I was overcome by a blogging lethargy that has left me bizarrely unenthused with the whole project. However, nothing overcomes a lack of writing like applying the seat of the pants to a chair and waiting until inspiration strikes.

The battle of Vimeiro as you all very well know, took place in 1808 during Wellington's first outing to the Iberian peninsula. Wellington or Wellsley as he was known at the time, arrived in Portugal and beat the French at the battles of Rolica and Vimeiro. He was then superceded by Generals Dalrymple and Burrard, who concluded a peace which while it cleared the French out of Portugal, was so politically disasterous that of the three British commanders that signed it, only Wellsley ever held high command again.

But enough of that.

The strategic situation was as follows, the British forces had recently arrived in Portugal at Mondego Bay near Lisbon. Wellington had had been tasked with kicking the French out of Portugal and was had been eying the seat of the pants of Jean-Andoche Junot as a likely spot for a boot.

Wellington had fought a battle with the French under Delaborde four days previously at Rolica in one of those strange engagements that neither side could be said to have lost. The British took the French position, but the French had retired in good order. Not bad for a Sepoy General who had not commanded an army against the French in battle before, but one does not break the aura of Gallic invincibility by pushing half your number of Frenchmen off a hill. The positions were now reversed, Wellington was on the defensive awaiting reinforcements (and supercession by a more senior officer) and Junot was eager to shatter his force before it could consolidate. 

This wasn't the first time we'd played this battle, but it was the first time Krisztian had joined us, though he mysteriously appears to have dodged all the photographs.

The French opened the ball with characteristic ferocity, a full throated bayonet charge straight into the heart of the British line.

Which was promptly shot down after some muttering from the British staff.
"What the hell does he think he's playing at?"

Meanwhile on the French right, the Line infantry begin to advance

...and the cavalry in the centre charge! But fail to make much of an impression.

While the "thin red streak tipped with steel" drives the Chasseurs back in disorder.

General Solignae moves up to join the front line.

Meanwhile in the French centre, all is not well. The 13ieme Cuirassiers have been driven back and the 60th American have skirmished forward, picking off a few of the 22ieme Ligne. There was back slapping all around from the British.

But they spoke too soon, a powerful cavalry charge backed up by the weakened 22ieme Ligne wiped out the over confident riflemen and swept the 4th Foot who unwisely tried to take the charge in line from the ridge. Though the Frenchmen were 2-1 down, the 4th were barely hanging on and even if they managed to form square on the following turn, there was a better than even chance that they would be ridden down.

But it was not to be, a counter attack by British Light Dragoons supported by their Portuguese brethren, put paid to the over extended French cavalry. "Good Lord," muttered the British IC, "I do believe they've been stealing our tactical manuals."

On the French left, General Solignae spurred his men to great efforts, taking the village of Ventosa despite tough British opposition.