The Opening of the Peninsular War

(reprint of an article by Shane Nichols)

  The 5th Battalion of the 60th Rifles embarked at Cork for the Peninsular on July 12th 1808, landed at Mondego Bay on August 1st, the 5th Battalion being the first unit ashore. Major Davy (later Sir William Gabriel Davy) in command, having taken over from command from Lt. Col. Francis Baron De Rottenburg just before embarking.

  Mondego Bay is one hundred miles north of Lisbon. As the battalion marched south towards the Portuguese capitol it was joined by four companies of the 95th to form a Light Brigade. The Brigade was charged with supplying the advance guard on the march and skirmishers on the flanks in battle.

   Near Rolica the 5th/60th were deeply involved in the attack on the French, working on the right flank, advancing up the steep hills under heavy fire and driving the French off.

  Wellesley (later Lord Wellington) halted the advance at Vimiero to await his newly appointed superior, Sir Harry Burrard. It was here Wellesley ordered the 5th/60th to supply at least one company and sometimes more to each Brigade to act as advance guard and skirmishers. This reorganization meant that there were no battalion actions fought by the 5th/60th, but men of the 5th/60th were present at almost every fight.

  On August 21st 1808 the 5th/60th was the first to feel the attack by the outnumbered French on Vimiero, ordered by General Junot the commander of Lisbon. It was here Wellesley’s tactics were established, positioning his line of troops on the reverse of the slopes. The French advance being engaged by skirmishers of the 5th/60th and 95th picking off the officers, sergeants and drummers, disrupting the advance. Wellesley’s line troops advanced over the ridge to the forward slopes and poured volley after volley into the disorganized enemy. Decisively beaten, the French remnants of Junot’s attack streamed back to Lisbon. After the victory at Vimiero, Wellesley had an open road to Lisbon, but Burrard was cautious and in a matter of days a new commander arrived, Sir Hew Dalrymple. This led to a deterioration in the command structure and a remarkable battlefield agreement. The French were permitted to evacuate Lisbon under arms and were returned to France in British ships.

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More to follow.