Fuentes de Onoro
3 and 5 May, 1811
Spanish
Battle Tour Guides
Desperate
to relieve the besieged fortress of Almeida,
Marshal Massena moved
with almost 50,000 men towards his target, but found himself
up against some 36,000 troops under the Duke
of Wellington.
The first clash came on the 3rd, when five French battalions
were sent against just over 2000 British light infantrymen.
After
heavy fighting the defenders were ejected from the village,
but a counterattack by three regiments retook it.
The British suffered 259 casualties to more than 650 by
the French. Skirmishing on the 4th was replaced by a serious
attempt by Massena to gain the village.
An early assault by infantry and cavalry routed Spanish
cavalry units and the British horsemen, under General
Sir Stapleton Cotton.
The
push against the right was only just held off by Wellington's
men, but they managed to conduct a textbook withdrawal in
the face of the enemy.
Halting at prepared defensive lines, the British kept the
attackers at bay on the right while the village of Fuentes
was bitterly defended.
A
steady stream of reinforcements allowed Wellington to hold
the position against up to 28 enemy battalions thrown at
it.
Massena
withdrew leaving 2192 men behind as opposed to Wellington's
1500.
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