History And Campaigns Of The Rifle Brigade Vol. II (1800-1809) by Colonel Willoughby Verner

Author:Colonel Willoughby Verner [Verner, Colonel Willoughby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, Napoleonic Wars, Europe, France, Spain & Portugal, Great Britain, General
ISBN: 9781786256843
Google: b9FvCwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2015-11-06T05:07:03+00:00

COMBAT OF FUENTES DE OÑORO—3 MAY, 1811.

Fuentes de Oñoro was held by the light companies of the 1st and 3rd Divisions.{267} Sometime after 2 p.m. Masséna ordered Férey’s Division of the VIth Corps (Loison’s) to attack the village whilst the IInd Corps (Reynier’s) made a feint movement against the British left near Fort Concepçion. Férey’s first attack on the village was made with one of his brigades with great vigour, and the British were driven back from the outskirts of the village to the church and the walls about it. The British now made a counter-attack and regained their former position. Férey renewed the attack and once again the British had to fall back. Wellington now sent the 71st supported by the 79th and 24th to reinforce the hard-pressed light companies. The 71st made a fine charge and drove back the enemy and the British once again cleared the village and pushed across the river to the plain beyond until held up by the French horsemen. Four battalions from Marchand’s Division of Loison’s Corps now attacked and succeeded in occupying some buildings on the east of the stream but could not cross it. Fighting continued after dark but about 10 o’clock it died down and both sides proceeded to remove their dead and wounded. The remainder of the night passed quietly. The losses had been considerable on both sides, the British casualties being 259 and the French 652, over 160 being taken prisoners.

The Company of the 3rd Battalion which was attached to Howard’s Brigade was engaged all this day in resisting the furious attacks of the French on the village. Lieutenant Uniacke and nine of our Riflemen were wounded. The Light Division was not engaged on this day. In consequence of Reynier’s threatened attack, it was sent towards evening in great haste to reinforce the left flank, and it was halted when about four miles north of Fuentes. At nightfall it was drawn in over a mile nearer to that village and bivouacked.

Early next morning, the 4th, there was a sharp interchange of fire between the British troops holding the village and the French ensconced in the buildings and broken ground across the stream, but no attempt was made to renew the attack and the fire died down in a few hours. Masséna had no doubt become aware that Fuentes was too strong a place to be taken by direct attack and so ordered a reconnaissance southward to find out what prospect there was of turning Wellington’s right; he evidently had come to the conclusion that the British left, behind the ravine near Fort Concepçion, was too strong to be meddled with. Montbrun in consequence was sent southward with a considerable force of cavalry and soon reported that Wellington’s extreme right rested on Nave d’Haver which was only held by a small Spanish force; also that although the country was marshy and wooded in places, it was generally favourable for the employment of cavalry. Masséna thereupon decided to attack on the following day.

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