Massena Concentrates His Forces
March 3rd - 7th

Toward the end of February Massena starts moving his non-combatants back towards Drouet/D'Erlon at Leiria to give them a start. The rest of his Corps are stationed as follows:
Reynier
2nd Corps, both Divisions (Merle and Heudelet), holding the Santarem area
Ney
6th Corps, 1st Division (Marchand) at Thomar
6th Corps, 2nd Division (Mermet) around Golegão and Barqhinha
6th Corps, 3rd Division (Loison) at Punhete
Junot
8th Corps, 1st Division (Clausel) holding the Rio Mayor front
8th Corps, 2nd Division (Solignac) between Pernes and Torres Novas
Drouet/D'Erlon
9th Corps, 2nd Division (Conroux) at Leiria
(Oman has the first two 6 Corps Divisions the other way round in January (Vol IV) but 6C/1 definitely was the first division to move and started from Thomar.)

Massena's challenge was to get his army concentrated and organised ready to retreat, in the presence of a now numerically superior enemy, in a rough country of limited roads. Strategically it was important to keep his options as wide open as long as possible, which meant covering 3 possible routes: the main road to Coimbra, which would allow him to regroup in relatively unravaged country; the parallel road to Espinhal, which was the shortest (though rough) route back to the Ciudad Rodrigo area; and the Tagus road through Santarem and Abrantes to the Coria/Plasencia country in Spanish Estremadura. Massena apparently favoured the first two (a) because the route was identical for the first week and (b) the supply situation at the end would be more certain.

On the map, the obvious way to withdraw to cover Leiria would be for the 8th Corps to retreat along the mountain road from Rio Mayor to connect with the main road near Cavalhaes. However this route was not only vulnerable to attack from the British held main road, it was also isolated from the troops at Pernes and Torres Vedras by a rugged mountain range.

3 Mar	Massena issues orders for a retreat.
4 Mar	Marchand's Division (6C/1) moves from Thomar to join Conroux (9C/2) at Leiria where they will cover the western flank of the concentration. Leiria is on the main north-south road from Lisbon via Torres Vedras to Coimbra. While essential to the security of the French flank, it is somewhat isolated from the rest of the French position, the Serra de Candeeiros and the Serra de Aire running between the Coimbra road and the rest of the French positions as far north as the Leiria-Thomar road. A direct march from Rio Mayor to Leiria would not only be obvious to the British, it would also be a hard march over a mountain range! This goes some way to explaining the initial direction of Massena's retreat (north-east up the Tagus).
5 Mar	Merle's Division (2C/1) leave 2C/2 to hold Santarem and march north-west to the Golegão area. Solignac's Division (8C/2) concentrate at Pernes, leaving the crossroads at Torres Novas clear for Mermet's Division (6C/2) to march via Torres Novas to Ourem on the Thomar Leiria road. The French position is now hollow, and extremely vulnerable. They have taken extreme care to keep things looking normal so the British are unaware of their weakness, to the point of pulling back through the centre of their position to keep the movements invisible to the British patrols. As soon as possible Massena pulls his last remaining troops back.
5-6 Mar	Overnight Clausel (8C/1) pulls back from Rio Mayor and joins Solignac (8C/2) at Pernes while Heudelet (2C/2) pulls back from Santarem destroying the bridge at Ponte de Alviella as he goes. The French are now much safer, with no one left exposed without supports.
6 Mar	The 8 Corps (Clausel & Solignac) complete their march to Torres Novas, destroying the bridge at Pernes behind them. The 2 Corps (Merle & Heudelet) continue their march through Barquinha towards Thomar. Only Loison (6C/3) remains in his original position at Punhete. Beresford brings the 2nd Div across the Tagus (?at Abrantes) but Loison (6C) ignores him and since Beresford's orders are not to push if the French are standing firm, he stops and observes the French. Light Div & Pack's Portuguese sent after Junot (8 Corps) and reach Pernes where the broken bridge holds them up. 1st Div follow Reynier (2C) and reach the broken bridge at Ponte de Alviella. 4th Div & 6th Div occupy Santarem 3rd Div reach Rio Mayor (moving to support the Light Div at Pernes)
6-7 Mar	Overnight Loison (6C/3) burns the bridge and boats at Punhete and marches to Thomar. the 2nd Corps move towards the Thomar road while the 8th Corps start their march to Chão de Maçaas. The bulk of the French troops are concentrating in the Thomar area as if they are planning to retreat via Espinhal.
7 Mar	Reynier's 2nd Corps joins Loison (6C/3) at Thomar, from where they can reach the Mondego either by Espinhal or by Ancião-Rabaçal. Junot's 8th Corps completes its march to Chão de Maçaas from where he can reach Pombal via Arneiro Ney (with 2 of the 6th Corps Divisions) and Drouet/D'Erlon (with 9C/2) are still at Leiria covering the western end of the concentration, from whence they can reach Pombal. Beresford (2nd Div) crosses the Zezere at Punhete and moves towards Thomar Part of 1st Div (Nightingall's brigade) to Atalaya (past Galegão). Light Div to Arga and La Marosa on the Torres Novas-Thomar road. 4th Div, 6th Div reach Golegão. Rest of 1st Div march to Pernes in support of the 3rd Div who are at Alcanhede to cover Ney and Drouet at Leiria 5th Div & Portuguese move to support the 3rd and 1st Divisions.

The French are now concentrated along the Leiria-Thomar road with the bulk of the troops (6 out of the 8 divisions) clustered towards the Thomar end. To Wellinton it looks as though they are headed mainly towards Espinhal and he makes his dispostions accordingly.

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Last update 22/1/03