|
Chapter 29
The Battle of Busaco
September 27th 1810
See
Busaco Battle Plan
Pack’s Portuguese
Brigade was positioned in front of the eastern wall of
the convent at Busaco and to the
right of the Moura – Coimbra road. Most of Crauford’s
Light Division blocked the highway itself and the remainder
were positioned on the steep slope above the village of
Sula which was halfway down the hill. There is a windmill
on a promontory above the village of Moura where Crauford
stood watching Marshal Ney’s advance. Out
of sight behind him were a couple of thousand of his light
troops. At the last moment on Crauford’s signal
and his cry “ Now 52nd revenge the death of
Sir John |
 |
Moore”,
his troops rose up and fired a volley at 10 paces into
the French column, followed by a bayonet charge which
routed the enemy.
The final part of the battle took place when Ney sent
Marchand’s Division up the main road and were met
by Pack’s skirmishers, eventually they emerged onto
the smooth slope below the Busaco
Convent wall and got into a desperate
musketry duel with Pack’s four infantry battalions
who stood in front of it. There is a memorial to the battle,
on the very spot where Wellington stood and watched the
attack. Despite making several efforts to storm the hillside,
they were repeatedly beaten back by Pack’s battalions.
Andrew Rawson in his book “The Peninsular War –
A battlefield Guide” gives a detailed description:-
“…the French columns advanced towards
Pack’s Portuguese brigade. Wellington reached the
brigade as Marchand’s men closed in for the kill
and Auguste Schaumann of the British Commissariat looked
on as he gave out his orders: ‘His orders were communicated
in a loud voice, and were short and precise…’.
The four Portuguese battalions, two from Lieutenant
|
|
Colonel de Regoa’s 1st Regiment and two
from Major Armstrong’s 16th Regiment were outnumbered
three to one but they stood their ground bravely and opened
a devastating volley fire at close range. Despite heavy
casualties the French continued to advance and their weight
of numbers threatened to overwhelm Pack’s brigade.
Although the Portuguese fell back, they quickly rallied
in front of the Busaco Convent and delivered another burst
of volley fire. This was the final straw for Marchand’s
men and they withdrew down the slopes. It was a defining
moment for the Portuguese soldiers: they had stood their
ground and fought the French columns to a standstill.” |
Overall
the French at Busaco lost over 4,400 men whereas Wellington
lost 1,250. The battle that took place
on 27th September 1810 was a great success for Wellington
who had suffered much criticism up to then from both Parliament
in England and the Portuguese, for not going to the aid
of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. The battle gave huge confidence
to his army and especially the untried Portuguese regiments
who had proved their worth in action. On the 30th September,
3 days after the battle the following statement was
issued from Wellington’s Headquarters:
“…every
friend to this country and to the liberties of the world
and the whole British Army, must have observed with the
greatest satisfaction the gallantry and steadfastness
of the Portuguese troops during these days and that they
equally with their brother soldiers in His Majesty’s
Service have deserved and obtained the approbation of
Marshal Beresford and of the Commander of the Forces.” |
|
Wellington
spent the night after the battle, at the Convent
itself and it was through the convent
grounds that the army silently withdrew on the night
of the 28th. Crauford’s Light Division and Pack’s
Portuguese Brigade bringing up the rear, were the last
to leave as the General orders of that day described: |
 |
“The
army will retire from its present position this night.
The Light Division including Brigadier General Pack’s
brigade will march off at 2 O’clock tomorrow morning.
It will enter the Convent Gate near the Chapel except
Brigadier General Pack’s Corps which will enter
the gate above that, at the opening
at the top of the hill and pass out of the gate that heads
towards Paule. The pickets of the Division are to be called
in at 4 in the morning also after assembling at the Chapel,
they will follow and form the rear guard of the Division.”
Today the Convent is a
luxury hotel surrounded by the same Convent wall. There
is a military museum just outside
the wall and an obelisk memorial to the battle close to
the spot where Pack’s Brigade made their stand.
|
Maps
Photos
| Back |
Busaco |
|
| Back |
Busaco Museum |
 |
| Back |
Busaco Windmill |
 |
| Back |
Busaco Convent |
 |
| Back |
Busaco Convent Wall Gate |
 |
| Back |
The view from Pack's Position |
 |
| Back |
The road through the Convent
grounds |
 |
|
