The Anglo-Portuguese Army, March 1811The Anglo-Portuguese Army, March 1811This information is mainly drawn from Oman's "Wellington's Army" with Glover as the reference for the composition of the Portuguese. I have not included the artillery, or the Portuguese cavalry as I haven't managed to work out how they were organised. The army was in a state of flux as the 6th and 7th divisions were being formed and an semi-independent southern command was being set up.
Beckwith's Brigade: 1/43rd; 1st Cacadores; 4 Cos 1/95th; 1 Co 2/95th
Drummond's Brigade: 1/52nd; 2/52nd; 3rd Cacadores; 4 Cos 1/95th; Brunswick Oels
'Black Bob' Craufurd (whose name is sometimes spelt Crawfurd or Crawford in older works) was in England on leave during Massena's retreat. In his stead Wellington used the unstable Erskine (maybe he thought the more independent 'Light Bobs' would be less affected by Erskine).
Luckily 'Black Bob' was back (just) in time for Fuentes de Onoro or heaven only knows what would have happened.
Stopford's Brigade: 1st Coldstream; 1st Scots; 1 Co 5/60th
Nightingall's Brigade: 2/24th; 2/42nd; 1/79th; 1 Co 5/60th
Low's Brigade: (KGL) 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th Line battalions; Light battalion detachment
Howard's Brigade: 1/50th; 1/71st; 1/92nd; 1 Co 3/95th
Miles Nightingall (whose name is sometimes spelt Nightingale in older sources) had fought under Wellington at Vimeiro and returned to the Peninsular during the winter. Wellington obviously trusted him, as his brigade was detached during the retreat and given the task of tracking and watching Reynier's 2nd Corps on it's trip through Espinhal.
Stewart's Brigade: 1/3rd; 2/31st; 2/48th; 2/66th; 1 Co 5/60th
Hoghton's Brigade: 29th; 1/48th; 1/57th; 1 Co 5/60th
Lumley's Brigade: 2/28th; 2/34th; 2/39th; 1 Co 5/60th
William Stewart, co-founder of the 95th Rifles, had (as senior brigade general) taken command of the Division when Rowland Hill went on sick leave. But Stewart, a brilliant battalion commander and trainer of men, was a risky divisional commander with a tendency to leap before he looked and Wellington asked Beresford to step in.
This division, which had been guarding the south bank of the Tagus, took little part in the chase of Massena. Once Wellington was convinced that the French would not stand he detached it under Beresford to go to the relief of Badajoz. (All too late, Badajoz was surrendered a few days before they arrived.)
Mackinnon's Brigade: 1/45th; 1/74th; 1/88th; 3 Cos 5/60th (HQ)
Colville's Brigade: 2/5th; 2/83rd; 94th, 2/88th
Sutton's Portuguese: 1/9th; 2/9th; 2/21st
The Portuguese Brigade was commanded by Power by the time of Fuentes de Onoro.
This Division joined with the Light Division in leading the advance, developing a habit of performing pincer movements together.
Kemmis's Brigade: 3/27th; 1/40th; 97th; 1 Co 5/60th
Myers' Brigade: 1/7th; 2/7th; 1/23rd
Collins' Portugese: 1/11th; 2/11th; 1/23rd; 2/23rd
This division was sent to join Beresford after Foz do Arouce.
Hay's Brigade: 3/1st; 1/9th; 2/38th; 1 Co Brunswick Oels
Egerton's Brigade: 1/4th; 2/30th; 2/44th; 1 Co Brunswick Oels
Spry's Portuguese: 1/3rd; 2/3rd; 1/15th; 2/15th; 2/LLL (later renamed 8th Cacadores)
Hulse's Brigade: 1/11th; 2/53rd; 1/61st; 1 Co 5/60th
Burne's Brigade: 2nd; 1/36th
Eben's Portuguese: 1/8th; 2/8th; 1/12th; 2/12th
The 6th had only been formed on 6th October 1810, the 2nd Brigade being constituted on March 5th. It was therefore still shaking down and brought up the rear during the retreat.
The orders for the formation of the 7th division were issued on March 5th. It was formed over the next few weeks of newly arrived units and took no part in the chase of Massena.
de Grey's Brigade 3rd Dragoon Guards; 4th Dragoons
Slade's Brigade: 1st Dragoons; 14th Light Dragoons
Arentschildt's Brigade: 16th Light Dragoons; 1st KGL Hussars
Unbrigaded: 13th Light Dragoons
British Light Dragoons were the equivalent of (and commonly called) Hussars.
While Erskine was nominally in command, there was not much to do as all the cavalry brigades were detached to various functions (eg de Grey was under Beresford's command).
Archibald Campbell's Brigade: 1/4th; 2nd/4th; 1/10th; 2/10th
Fonseca's Brigade: 1/2nd; 2/2nd; 1/14th; 2/14th
These were part of the force on the south bank of the Tagus and took no part in the retreat.
Pack's Brigade: 1/1st; 2/1st; 1/16th; 2/16th; 4th Cacadores
Ashworth's Brigade 1/6th; 2/6th; 1/18th; 2/18th; 6th Cacadores
Coleman's Brigade: 1/7th; 2/7th; 1/19th; 2/19th; 2nd Cacadores
Bradford's Brigade
Pack's Brigade worked with the 3rd and Light Divisions in the vanguard of the advance. Coleman's Brigade was attached to the 7th Division as it formed. Ashworth's Brigade was with the army at Fuentes and would have taken part in the advance. I have as yet found nothing about Bradford's Brigade - it may have formed part of Beresford's command.
Trant's: The Beira Militia, based at Coimbra
Wilson'sbased at Espinhal
Wellington had already rid himself of Erskine once (in 1809) but Horseguards sent him back at the end of 1810. In response to Wellesley's comment that he had "generally understood him to be a madman", Horseguards had replied "No doubt he is sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow; and I trust he will have no fit during the campaign, though he looked a little wild as he embarked." (Both quoted in Glover's "Concise History".)
Erskine was one of the generals being sent out by horseguards which brought a quote from Lord Chesterfield to Wellington's mind - "I only hope that when the enemy reads the list of their names he trembles as I do." He used this quote so often that younger officers ending up attributing it to him rather than Chesterfield.
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