Nap Campaign: The Battle for Youngsport (Portugal)

The night before the battle:

Wellington selected a defensive line of hills to the north of Youngsport where he intended to hold off any French moves on the Portuguese capital, which was also the port of entry for any reinforcements from Britain. The flanks were protected by the sea on the left and a deep river on the right. The British troops were positioned on the left covering the coast road to Youngsport. The Portuguese were to hold the centre covering the main inland road to Youngsport, and the right flank. The newly arrived Spanish formed the reserve. British units were being rushed to the front line as soon as they had disembarked.





The Portuguese for the purpose of this campaign were rated as they would have been 2 or 3 years later following equipping and training by the British. 

For Lobau this would probably be the best chance to capture Portugal and secure the French southern flank before any further British forces could land. With his Corps strung out along the Youngsport road, he spent the following morning of the 16th March deploying his troops.

THE BATTLE FOR YOUNGSPORT

French v British, Portuguese, Spanish

Total French 578

CinC Lobau

Total Allies 745

CinC Wellington

Scale = 6mm (Baccus)

Rules - General de Brigade (modified)

16th March 1808

1300 hours (max 16 moves)

ORDER OF BATTLE

  

TERRAIN

6' x 3'9" table

Allies defending line of hills 21A11, 21A6

French attacking from north 15A15, 15A10

Terrain Description

From top left (figures in brackets are the capacity in figures):

15A15 – Firm grazing land.

15A10 – Flat firm grazing land.

15A5   – Flat soft ground.

21A11 – Pebble beach. Rough terrain (good going but steep slopes). Farm (cap 50). Cottage (cap 12)

21A6   – Rough terrain (good going but steep slopes). Cottage (cap 12). Farm (cap 50). River deep (impassable)

21A1  – Rough rocky terrain. (Severe Terrain on hills but othwerwise difficult) River deep (Impasssable).

NOTE: Steep Slopes are classed as difficult terrain which prevents cavalry charging up them (they become unformed). Troops move at half speed and chargers lose their bonus.

Lobau decided to concentrate his forces against two of the three hills, the centre and the east hill (bottom of the 3). His cavalry would protect the flanks.

Lobau's 6th Corps. Far left Subervie's 5th Cavalry Division. To the left of the road Teste's 21st Division with Bony's Brigade. To the right of the road, Simmer's 19th Division with Domon's 3rd Cavalry Division on the right.

Allied line from top: British 3rd Brigade with 6th Cavalry Brigade in support; Doyle's 1st Portuguese Brigade straddling the west hill; Main hill in centre Ashworth's 3rd Port Brig straddles the highest section; 2nd Cacadores from Powers'
2nd Port Brig lines lower slope of central hill with main part of that brigade on nearest east hill.
The 3 Spanish brigades and cavalry form the reserve.

Powers' Brigade in the foreground

Spanish in reserve behind Ashworth's Portuguese Brigade holding the centre.

British position on the left.

Portuguese 1st Division deployed across the 3 hills.

View towards the British line from French 5th Cavalry Division.

Three views of the French ready for the order to advance.

As the French advance it is immediately clear where their main attacks are concentrated. Thevenet's Brigade (near the road junction) is ordered to force the valley between the central and eastern hills. Lobau hopes to isolate the allied right flank before destroying it in detail. 

Wellington orders Adam's Brigade to relocate towards the centre leaving the British cavalry to hold the left flank.

The French 3rd Cavalry Division screens the left flank.

In the centre, Teste's Division with Bony's Brigade begin to climb the slopes towards the waiting Portuguese. Immediately behind the front columns, Lafitte is ordered to take his 1st Brigade out to the Division's right flank to counter threatening movement on the west hill. Thevenet's Brigade confidently moves past the road junction and enters into the valley. A Portuguese artillery battery has limbered up and retreating before them.

Adam's 3rd British Brigade hurriedly advances towards the centre while Doyle's Portuguese Brigade pivots towards the advancing French columns.

Panoramic view as the French columns close in on the Portuguese. Domon's cavalry division (bottom left) move wide to threaten the Portuguese flank with it's horse artillery battery deploying to bombard their main line. One Portuguese battalion swings around to meet the cavalry threat.

Subervie's 5th Cavalry Division decides it is now time to remove the 2 British hussar regiments holding the allied left flank. As they advance towards them, one hussar regiment about faces and starts to move to the rear. The French cavalry are not impressed!

The Spanish move up to support their Portuguese allies.

Losada's 3rd Spanish Brigade moves onto east hill to support Powers' Portuguese Brigade. The 2nd Cacadores line the eastern end of central hill ready to engage Thevenet's Brigade. Portuguese Dragoons advance into the southern end of the valley.

Bony's Brigade (centre of photo) charges uphill to be met with volley fire from Ashworth's Portuguese Brigade. Casualties were inflicted on all of Bony's battalions but it did not stop them from charging home. Two Portuguese battalions stood to receive the charge. The subsequent melee resulted in the victorious French pushing back both battalions. The attacking French however, became unformed and were unable to capitalise on their victory. They did though now hold part of the ridge. To the French right the remaining 2 battalions of Ashworth's Brigade were now pouring volleys into the advancing columns of Penne's Brigade.

The advancing columns of Thevenet's Brigade took a chance and remained in column formation in the face of the approaching Portuguese cavalry. As the cavalry charged they were met by effective fire from the front ranks causing the Dragoons to falter. The 2nd Cacadores began inflicting heavy casualties on the right of Thevenet's Brigade.

Bellair's Brigade begins its attack approaching the waiting battalions of Powers' Portuguese who were holding their fire to the last moment.

2 more views of the events on the east hill and in the valley.

As Bellair's battalions surge up the steep hill the Portuguese finally fire off a devastating volley at point blank range. 2 French battalions retreat and one falters. Domon's cavalry division decide to retreat out of musket range to avoid further casualties. In the valley Thevenet's Brigade struggles to make headway with the 2nd Cacadores continuing to fire down into the packed valley inflicting ever increasing casualties.

As Bony's Brigade reforms (top left), Penne's Brigade (bottom left) loses heart and decides to exchange volleys with the two Portuguese battalions rather than charge them. Penne is particularly concerned about the mounting threat to his right. The Portuguese are able to deliver heavier volleys, being in line formation, than the French. Carrera's Spanish Brigade (centre top) moves towards Bony's brigade aiming to cancel out the French threat. Adam's British Brigade (top right) continue to re-position towards the centre.

Meanwhile on the French right flank, Subervie continues to advance towards the two retreating British Hussar regiments.

Bellair's Brigade (on lower slopes of east hill) change tactics and deploy into line. They intend to outshoot the Portuguese from the hilltop. The 1/5th Line on the crest of the hill is not giving up easily and despites heavy casualties continues to exchange fire at close range. Thevenet's advance, down in the valley, has completely stalled and his battalions have also formed line in an effort to blast away the opposition.

In the centre, Bony's Brigade had also formed into line. 

The French attack had now stalled across the entire front. Lobau had to somehow regain 

the initiative or face possible defeat.

The French had gone from attack to essentially attempting to hold the gains already made. Thevenet's Brigade in the valley (centre of photo), although managing to see off the threat from the Portuguese Dragoons, now had no chance of completing its task of isolating the Portuguese on east hill (centre left). The 2nd Cacadores in particular had caused them untold damage. They had steadily and repeatedly out-shot one after another of the French battalions to the point where they had almost single handedly eliminated any threat posed by Thevenet. With a Spanish brigade lining the valley slopes it would have been suicidal to advance any further. 

A close look at central hill shows the precarious position of the French. One battalion of Bony's brigade has manoeuvred to a position where it is able to fire on the flank of the 2nd Cacadores and for the first time the Portuguese battalion is under serious threat.

The situation on central hill with all French battalions now in fire fights with Portuguese infantry. The 1st Cacadores from Doyle's Brigade had formed up on the left of Ashworth's line (bottom right) and immediately had an impact causing the 2/15th Line to falter having suffered heavy casualties. 

The two line battalions of Doyle's Brigade form line on the crest of west hill ready to pour fire onto any French cavalry that ventures into range. Subervie with the Lancers of Colbert's Brigade prepare to charge the British Hussars. The latter have suffered casualties from the deployed French horse artillery battery. 

An ADC is sent to take command of the 2/95th and 3/95th Rifles who are to form a defensive line in the wood protecting the left flank should the French Lancers succeed in defeating the British Hussars. 

As ripples of musket fire continue across the entire front, Simmer orders two of Bellair's battalions to form column and attempt to outflank the Portuguese (centre bottom).

The view from behind allied lines with Wellington on the hill in the centre where he has 

been for all of the battle so far.

The British 52nd and 73rd Light Infantry prepare to deploy. In front of them Morillo's Spanish infantry and cavalry move towards the valley occupied by Thevenet.

The impossibility of Thevenet's task is all too apparent here as the gap is closed by Spanish infantry. The 2nd Cacadores (centre left) are unfazed by the flanking fire and continue to decimate any French battalion daring to square off against them. 

 Wellington sees his chance and orders a general attack along the entire line.

On the allied right flank the French battalions of Bellair's Brigade break in the face of the Portuguese charge, not waiting for contact.

The 52nd and 73rd Light infantry, having formed line, now start their advance. 

On the centre hill the Portuguese launch their attack including Spanish battalions eager for revenge. Melees break out across the ridge. 

Thevenet now faces destruction in the valley as Spanish and Portuguese converge on them.

The British Hussars continue to wait as Subervie is content to let his artillery punish the British cavalry allowing Merlin to catch up with his Lancers.

The Portuguese and Spanish troops break Bony's Brigade and as the French stream from the centre hill and with only 1 hour of the day left (4 moves) it is apparent to Lobau that there is now no possibility of victory today.

Subervie, oblivious to events elsewhere, was shocked to receive an order from Lobau to fall back. All rather embarrassing for him having failed to deliver a single charge. He would have some explaining to do!

Lobau fell back to his start line where his Corps reformed. He reflected on the fact that he had become too confident after easy victories against the Spanish and underestimated the Portuguese in particular. He was aware that reinforcements were on the way and that soon Marshall Soult would arrive with the newly constituted Army of the South. The allies would soon be driven into the sea.

For the allies, the Portuguese were jubilant having succeeded in their first action. The Spanish also gained some comfort with individual units participating well in counter-attacking the French. The British forces were frustrated in not seeing any action but their confidence in the Portuguese allies had increased significantly. The Hussars though were merely bemused at spending the entire battle watching a French cavalry division mince about in front of them. 

The final positions:

CASUALTIES:

The situation by nightfall:

Although this is an allied victory in that the French were defeated in achieving their objective, for the purposes of casualty recovery it will be treated as a draw as the French were still on the field and in good order. It would be open for Lobau to continue the action the following day if he wished.

RESULT - AN ALLIED (BRITISH/PORTUGUESE/SPANISH) VICTORY

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