French and Napoleonic War 1793 - 1815

21st Aug. 1808

On the 10th Wellesley set off for Lisbon, whilst Junot had 15 000 French troops to oppose Wellesley due to the rest being spread out protecting other areas.

On the 17th Wellesley won at Rolica driving 5000 French from a strong position.

Upon reaching Vimeiro he was joined by 4000 troops landing at Maceira.

On 20th Burrard arrived to take over from Wellesley but remained on the boat over night.

Wellesley heard of Junot advancing with 14 000 men so he prepared for battle positioning his troops on high ground.

As Junot attacked the light infantry kept them as bay and protected the british line on the reverse slope of Vimeiro (meaning the french couldn't see their target).

French columns were shot apart and retreated as British advanced with bayonets.

In 3 hours the battle was won and the French had been prevented from gaining any ground in and around Vimeiro.

Jan. 1809

Moore took over the British army of 35 000 in Portugal with orders to expel the French from Spain.

In Oct 1808 he marched most of his army into Spain planning to meet Baird's 10 000 men in Salamanca.

By Nov this had failed and Napoleon had crossed in to Spain with 200 000 troops defeating all Spanish opposition.

Moore was unsure whether to aid the Spanish or retreat to Portugal and Napoleon advanced south so Moore decided to strike at Burgos to prevent the French going south to protect his communication lines.

On 20th Dec Moore and Baird joined forces at Mayorga.

On 23rd Dec Moore had to retrea through the Galacian mountains to Corunna as Napoleon left Soult to deal with Moore.

On 11th Jan Moore reached Corunna to meet troop transports on 15th Jan.

Moore had to fight the French and 15 000 held their position allowing 26 000 to be evcuated. 

April 1809

Wellesley given control of command of British army and Portuguese forces (deligated to Beresford).

Leaving 12 000 men to defend Lisbon he took 18 400 north.

To get to Soult he barged men over the River Douro and although Soult escaped he lost men, equipment and arms.

27 - 28 July 1809

Wellesley wanted to defeat Victor whilst French at war with Austria so they wouldn't have reinforcements and the 280 000 french troops were spread across Spain.

British and Spanish forces combined and fortified Talavera.

Victor attacked at night but was pushed back by Gen. Rowland Hill.

On 28th July Victor launced a massive attack but had to retreat suffering 2300 casualties to the British's 5400.

The French retreated as did Wellesley to the Spanish/Portuguese border to protect communications.

The retreat to Portugal allowed time to train Portuguese troops to British standard and the 25 000 new troops double the size of the land army.

Nov 1809 - Sept 1810

Network of defences north of Lisbon 

3 defensive rings to protect the British if forced back to Lisbon to escape by sea.

Behind lay 500m^2 if safe territory for 200 000 Portuguese refugees.

Allowed flag communication (semphere)

3 - 5 May 1811

Massena re-equipt and advanced to Almeida with 48 000 men but was repelled by allied troops on 3 May.

2 days later he tried again but the ally's held the village.

Massena retreated and French forces escaped.

Massena replaced by Marmont.

7 - 20 Jan. 1812

Wellington wanted to capture Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz so in Jan he besieged the fortress making 2 breaches.

19 -20 men stormed the town captruing it in 2 hours losing 500 men and capturing 2000 French.

60 000 men then went for Badajoz in March and breched the town in April losing 5000 men but succeeding.

22nd July 1812

French forces in Spain weakened by war on 2 fronts (Russia)

In mid-june Wellington advanced with 48 500 men and Marmont's army fell back.

22 July Wellington struck marmont with British cavlavry with success.

The French army fled = victory

21st June 1813

Wellington in charge of Spanish, Portuguese and British armies wanted the Pyrenees and adnvanced 300 miles in less than 30 days.

21st June he attacked Joseph Bonaparte's army of 66 000 and won causing 8000 French to be lost along with 3000 convot wagons and 151 guns.

25 July 1813

The 3 remaining pockets of french were: Vera, San Sebastian and Pamplona

Soult moved against Wellington with 80 000 men in the hopes he was weak after beseiging 2 fortresses.

the British 18 000 stood strong against 30 000 in Pamplona.

The battle in Sorauren was a British victory on the 30 July.

On 31 August ally's stormed San Sebastian.

1813 - 1814

7 Oct allies crossed the Bidasoa river breaking th French defence.

At the Battle of Nations (Leipzig) Napoleon was defeated and forced to retreat to the River Rhine.

10 Nov British took strong positions in France and crossed the River Nivelle.

9 Dec allied troops forced across the River Nive.

Feb 1914 Wellington pressed north as Soult retreated and in April fought in Toulouse.

31 March Prussian and Russian and Austrian forces entered Paris 

Napoleon abdicated.

In 1812 war broke out between the US and Britian (with help from Canadian militia)

It lasted 2 years.

After Napoleon abdicated more British troops were sent to North America.

The British captured and burnt Washington DC

The Treaty of Ghent (peace treaty to restore the borders of 1812) signed in Oct 1814 ended the war.

Feb 1815

He had been exiled to the Italian island of Elba but escaped.

Landing in Fracne he gathered recruits on the way to Paris.

Louis the XVIII (new king) fled

Napoleon entered Paris in March

Opposed by Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria he wanted his victory to brek their morale.

The bulk of the allies wer in east of france so he headed north towards Britain and Prussia hoping to annilate them.

1st June 1794

Navy blockaded french ports on the Atlantic.

Lord Howe (commander of blockade) heard of a French grain convoy from the US.

The 2 fleets met 4000 miles into the Atlantic on the 1st June.

French had 26 ships and British had 25.

Howe's fleet captured/sank 7 ships and killed/captured 7000

British had 1200 casualities

Grain ships still reached France.

14th Feb 1797

Jervis (British commander) was just off frm Cadiz facing the Spanish fleet.

On 14th  they encountered the Spanish and attacked cutting throught the enemy line

Nelson played a major role by boarding and capturing the San Josef

April 1797

16 April Ad. Bridport ordered Spithead fleet to sea but the crew refused.

Discontent over pay, food and officier brutality.

Many officiers sympathised making it more of a civilised strike

Petition sent to the Admiralty and government agreed to raise wages and make concessions over other issues.

7 May new mutiny broke out led by petty officiers

Howe dealt with this at a banquet and visiting each ship to reestablish trust and guarantee demands were met. 

12th May 1797

Ships at Nore (in the Thames) mutinied.

Wanted power of veto over officiers, longer leave and pardons for deserters.

Nore joined by North sea fleet (responsible for blocking the Dutch navy)

The crews attempted to blockade the Thames and refused entry to merchant ships.

Pitt's government (making no more concessions) took steps to isolate them and starve them.

Mutiny ended in mid-june when they gave up and the leader Richard Parker was hung with 28 other ringleaders.

11th Oct 1797

Ad. Duncan's North sea fleet of 16 ships encountered a smilar number of Dutch ships.

Duncan smashed the enemy line in 2 uneven sized divisions capturing 11 ships and 3 frigates.

Provided boost for national morale.

May 1798

In May Napoleon left Toulon with 13 battleships, 50 000 men and 280 transports for Egypt.

Nelson had just gained 11 ships and guessed Napoleon's intentions so he sailed to Alexandria on 29th June.

No sign of French, Nelson went to look elsewhere, the next day Napoleon arrived.

A month later, Nelson attaked Napoleon at Aboukir Bay at the river Nile

Superior British gunnery devastated the french, but fighting continued through the night by morning only 2/13 French ships had escaped.

Royal navy regained the Mediterranean and trapped Napoleon in Egypt.

Austria, Russia, Naples and Turkey joined the UK in a new colalition.

1801

The British blockade of the French/Spanish ports deprived the Batlics of markets.

Russia pressured Denmark, Sweden and Prussian to join the League of Armed Neutrality to challenge Britsh naval dominance.

Ad. Parker went to force the Danes into concessions or destroy their fleet and then to attack the Russian navy.

Nelson was tasked with attacking Copenhagen.

His ships anchored opposite Danish to destroy the defence then bomb the city ( 2 April)

Parker sent order to stop, Nelson refused and by 2pm most Danes had surrendered.

Nelson contacted the Crown Prince to reach a truce.

21st Oct 1805

Nelson given command of fleet off Cadiz staying 50 miles away to lure Villeneuve out of port.

19 Oct Villeneuve sailed to Italy Nelson gave chase with 17 000 men and 27 battleships Vs the French 33 battleships and 30 000 men.

21 Oct ships sighted each other and Nelson split his fleet into 2 divisions one lead by him in the VICTORY and the other by Collingwood in ROYAL SOVEREIGN.

Heavy fire from the enemy for 40 minutes had little impact due to their poor aimbut lost 50 men.

Victory's attack = 400 men and 20 guns out of action, encountered BUCENTAURE then NEPTUNE and REDOUBTABLE.

As more British ships arrived Villeneuve took a pounding, Nelson shot by snipper (died @ 4:30).

At 1:45pm the Bucentaure surrendered and fleet took 18 of Villeneuve's ships.

No British ships lost only 459 men died and 1208 wounded.