Busaco - 27 September 1810

Ney's Attack

Brief Summary of the actual Battle:

Objective:

To win, the French must break through the British line.

Initial Deployment:

Click here for map (slow - 127K)

British:

CinC Wellington

Light Division (Craufurd):

- Beckwith's Brigade

43rd Foot (1bn - 844 men)

95th Rifles (4 coys - 396 men)

3rd Cacadores (1bn - 656 men)

- Barclay's Brigade

52nd Foot (1bn - 975 men)

95th Rifles (4 coys - 370 men)

1st Cacadores (1bn - 546 men)

Independent Brigades of Portuguese Infantry:

- 5th Brigade (A. Campbell)

6th Line Regt (2bns - 1317 men)

18th Line Regt (2bns - 1386 men)

6th Cacadores (1bn - 546 men)

- 6th Brigade (Coleman)

7th Line Regt (2bns - 815 men)

19th Line Regt (2bns - 1124 men)

2nd Cacadores (1bn - 406 men)

Reserve:

- Loewe's KGL Brigade

1st Line (1bn - 538 men)

2nd Line (1bn - 484 men)

5th Line (1bn - 490 men)

7th Line (1bn - 453 men)

Light Infantry Detachment (1 coy - 96 men)

Artillery:

British Foot Artillery - 3 batteries (5x6lb guns, 5x6lb guns and 4x6lb guns respectively)

French:

CinC Ney

Loison's Division:

- Brigade Simon

26th Ligne (3bns - 1625 men)

Legion du Midi (1bn - 564 men)

Legion Hanovrienne (2 bns - 1158 men)

- Brigade Ferey

32nd Leger (1bn - 413 men)

66th Ligne (3bns - 1830 men)

82nd Ligne (2bns - 1236 men)

Sources:

Sir Charles Oman, A History of the Peninsular War, Vol. 3

Lt Gen Sir William Napier, English Battles and Sieges in the Peninsula

Jane Craufurd Hoyle, Bussaco and Massena - The Beginning of the End? - Age of Napoleon Magazine, Issue No. 30

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