Fuentos Onoro May 5th 1811. Historical
art prints of the Battle of Fuentos Onoro during the Peninsula War showing
the Royal Horse Artillery of Wellingtons Army during the Battle of Fuentos
Onoro.
The blockade of Almeida formed no part of Wellington's plan for driving
the French out of the Peninsula. Yet, having invested the town, his
warlike spirit could not resist the temptation to oppose Massena when he
marched to its relief with a force greatly superior in number and
equipment. Fuentes D'Onoro, a village on the banks of the river Duas Casa,
was the key to the position, and the French made two attempts to seize it.
In the first assault five battalions were driven from the streets and took
refuge on the higher ground. But the French did not remain long in
possession. A furious charge sent them headlong over the river. On the
following day Massena renewed the attack with 40,000 infantry and 5,000
cavalry. His design was to hold in check the left of the extended line of
the British and Portuguese and to turn right. At the first shock the
enemy's cavalry drove in our outguards and cut off Ramsay's battery of
horse artillery. The crisis seemed desperate when there suddenly occurred
one of those incidents that make war glorious. Napier describes it
"The multitude became violently agitated; and English shout pealed
high and clear; the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsey burst forth
sword in hand at the head of his battery; his horses breathing fire
stretched like greyhounds along the plain; the guns bounded behind them
like things of no weight, and the mounted gunners followed close, with
heads bent low and pointed weapons, in desperate career." Many
gallant deads were wrought by friend and foe alike. Again and again
Montbrun hovered about Craufurd's squares but the solid rampart of
bayonets held him back. Meanwhile Drouet assailed the village with such
fury that Wellington was compelled to concentrate. By night the lower part
of Fuentes D'Onoro had been abandoned by both combatants. Each claimed the
victory, but the fact remains that Massena did not relieve Almeida and
that he was recalled soon after.Text by
William Maxwell 1902.
The Duke of Wellington was blockading the fortress of
Ciudad Rodrigo with 32,000 troops. The French sent a force of 45,000
troops under Marshal Andre Massena to relieve the fortress. Wellington
took up a strong position at Fuentos D'Onoro and the French attacked on
May 5th with superior numbers. The British army held their ground with the
cost of 1,500 casualties, the French suffered higher losses of 2,200
troops and finally withdrew. The Duke of Wellington quickly siezed
Almeida.
