Battle of Sabugal

Battle of Sabugal
Part of the Peninsular War
A contemporary sketch of the battlefield
Date 3 April 1811[1] Location Sabugal, Portugal 40°21′N 7°05′W / 40.350°N 7.083°W / 40.350; -7.083 Result Anglo-Portuguese victory[1]
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom  Portugal
Commanders and leaders
André Masséna	Arthur Wellesley Sir William Erskine
Strength
12,000[1]	10,000[1]
Casualties and losses
1,500[1]	500[1]

Lisbon

Roliça

Vimeiro

Chaves

Braga

Grijó

Porto

Almeida

Bussaco

TorresVedras

Redinha

Sabugal

FuentesDeOñoro

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Peninsular war: Portugal
1807 1808 1809 1810 1811

The Battle of Sabugal was an engagement of the Peninsular War which took place on 3 April 1811 between Anglo-Portuguese forces under Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) and French troops under the command of Marshal André Masséna. It was the last of many skirmishes between Masséna's retreating French forces and those of the Anglo-Portuguese under Wellington, who were pursuing him after the failed 1810 French invasion of Portugal.

In poor weather, with heavy rain and fog, Allied forces succeeded in forcing the demoralized French force into retreat. The victory was lauded by the British; Sir Harry Smith, then a junior officer of the 95th Rifles and a participant in the battle, remarked "Oh, you Kings and usurpers should view these scenes and moderate ambition" while Wellesley later referred to the Light Division's action in the battle as "one of the most glorious that British troops were ever engaged in".^[2]