There's an old saying here in Portugal "Fui à guerra no Bussaco e levei um tiro no buraco", the translation is "I went to the Bussaco battle and I've been shot in the hole". Keep up the great work.
My mother grew up in Bussaco and I have toured many times since my childhood, definitely worth the while to visit if one has an interest in the Peninsular War.
I’m pleased to see a number of trees have been removed since I was there ! There’s a small museum and the cell in the convent ( now a very good hotel) where Wellington spent the night , good battle field
I usually listen to Redcoat History Podcast while working out, bike riding, or working out then check out the maps and illustrations later on the TH-cam version. Your narration from your script is excellent and I can picture what is going on very easily. I always learn a lot. Great job as usual!
That’s great to know thanks Ken - I’m still working out the best way to describe battles for an audio only audience so it’s good to know I’m on the right track.
With the end of the Almeida fort, it was the end of the age of the great fortifications and it started the Age of the Trenchs, as the Torres Vedras Lines.
Great work, you always make me proud to have British ancestry. I also appreciate that you give the French their just dues as they fought hard and bravely. Just after you said that Line defeating Column etc., which in general is almost always likely to be true. But at about 27:28 the French General Foy gives the truth of the matter that "I could not get my troops to deploy", this was because his troops were ambushed by the British in line while the French were still in column. Deploy means form line from column, line being the fighting formation and column generally for movement, Wellington's great talent was to often make it difficult for the French to work out when to deploy which usually meant they fought at a disadvantage. Deploying under fire was exceptionally difficult as casualties frequently caused disorder and disorder invariably meant failure to change formation, this is also described as happening to the middle guard attack at Waterloo. Part of Wellington's greatness was his ability to see what his opponent's were up to tactically and to have a tactic to nullify them. Earlier you quoted a part about a British unit that arrived on the ground to be fought over just in time to wheel into line and shoot the French. The British frequently moved forward in open order column and then parallel to where they were going to deploy and shoot, they then wheeled the companies forward on a flank into line depending on whether the column was formed right or left in front.
@@eduardocoelho416 As it should, the Portugese soldiers and guerillas fought bravely and the general population suffered greatly to help defeat the French.
Excellent video, and 30+ mins these are gold man. Again its easy to tell your commitment to the military history of your country its great and a treat to watch.
Thank you so much I have only just started to paint and build a Peninsular army of both sides , your excellent reviting account of this battle has now whetted my appetite to go deeper into this amazing period of history , I am so glad I found your channel please keep up this wonderful work. Terry
Hi Terry, that’s great news. I’m really glad that you enjoyed the video and that it’s helping to whet your appetite. I look forward to seeing peninsular armies when they are finished.
Thanks Rob - we spent some time looking at the retreat from Talavera and the work of the Spanish, which had its part to play, - another excellent video. as you say, we move to Torres Vedras for a time now, a great military engineering feat in itself. You know when a military engineered defensive structure is good..... its never breached… also see Wellington learning a lot about his enemy.
Another really enjoyable and educational episode , brings the war from the soldiers point of view into focus and really like the maps and google views , they make it so much easier to follow. Keep it up.
I have flown down to Lisbon twice a year for decades. I can’t remember the time of year, but it must have been late morning. I am not sure. Sitting by a port window as we passed Coimbra where descent begins, the ridge of Buçaco was obvious. The most striking thing was that it marked a change in the weather. North the Mondego river valley was filled with mist but low lying cloud continued. To the south completely clear skies. The Buçaco ridge is a very significant feature.
Quality as always, love your work mate. I've always been interested in history, but since the first lockdown in March, I've taken a particular interest in British Millitary history after reading the book 'Redcoats' By richard Holmes. Your podcasts have really helped me further my research and I'm now writing stories based on this period. Thanks for your hard work, it's appreciated.
Hi Sean that is great mate. I'm really glad that my videos have helped. I am also keen to write fiction set in this era at some point so keep in touch and feel free to share thoughts.
It would be nice to hear mention of the 40th Foot which was one of only three regiments which served throughout the entirety of the Napoleonic campaigns and then at Waterloo.
Hi Tony, I will defintely be doing so once I reach that point in the war (I'm covering it chronologically) - for now I have just posted Albuera and am now writing my storming of Badajoz film.
@redcoathistory Fantastic channel. I have greastley enjoyed watching through these. In your opening you mention the 88th, who fought at Bussaco. Being Irish, Im always interested in watching and hearing the exploits of Irish units (on both sides of the Napoleonic Wars!). Re unifoirms, there seem to be conflicitng comments about the colour of the British units trousers in the mid-Peninsula War period: some saying white still; some a light grey; some full grey (Im setting aside the light units such as 95th). So do you have any sense of what colur the trousers of, eg, the 88th were at Bussaco. Was there in fact a mix, with differnt units doing differnt things? If so, is ther a 'definitive' record anywhere of which units wore what?
Hi there, Irish regiments on both sides (inc with the Spanish) is a fascinating story. Re trousers...to. be fair I'm not much of a uniform man but my understanding is that they very quickly became a smorgasbords (is that the right word) of patching, dirt and blood, so would have not been one colour across the board. Hope that helps? Does it fit with your research?
Brilliant as usual ! I’ve started listening to the podcast and then following up by watching the U tube version. Building my knowledge of the peninsula war
Question: In the portrait Massena has both eyes: Presumably this predates when he lost an eye hunting? Interesting to watch this as I am reading Sharpe's Escape which largely centres on this battle. IMHO Wellington /did/ only intend this as a holding battle; a) It would give the Portuguese troops experience from a relatively safe position. b) He could see how the Portuguese behaved in battle without having to rely on them in a crisis. c) If the Lines of Torres Vedras had needed it, the battle would have given them time to prepare the defences, and what general wouldn't like more time? d) He'd get to see how Massena behaved, and how his troops stood up to Wellington's tactics.
05:05 its not harsh its the reality. We portuguese do really think too much of ourselves as better than anyone that we tend to think we dont need to prove that we deserve the titles and positions that are given to us
Surprised you didn't mention the fact that Massena spent most of the battle locked in a room at a local tavern with his mistress, passing occasional orders scribbled on little scraps of paper pushed under the door to his adjutant. His hubris and laziness standing in stark contrast to the energy displayed by Wellesley, who spent the day riding furiously from one crisis point to the next. Had Massena been more active and coordinated the attacks of his three corps to assault the Anglo-Portuguese lines simultaneously, preventing Wellesley being able to shift his forces around, rather than having the corps attack one at a time, the battle could well have turned out differently.
You don't put daddy Hill on your most exposed flank if you want a delaying action. You put him where you want him to do the most utter carnage and Wellington knew that, "the best thing about Hill is I always know where to find him" ie wherever the fighting is hottest.
I had first heard of the " Battle of Talavera " when watching a great WW II film called " The Way Ahead ". There was a scene where the company Leftenant is upbraiding his men for deliberately losing a wargame exercise. He tells them in the barracks of the glorious history of their unit, the Duke of Glendon's Light Infantry which was also known as " The Dogs". He shows them the unit cap badge that shows the famous battles won by the Dogs. One was the Battle of Talavera. Wasn't I surprised to find the Duke of Glendon's " Dogs " was fictional. Haha. You can see " The Way Ahead " here on TH-cam. It is a great film with a young David Niven.
It's an interesting point that you raise, about the willingness of the Portuguese in complying with Wellington's scorched earth tactic. To be honest, I don't think any of the Portuguese willingly complied. It was probably done regardless of their resistance.
Certainly an area of study that could be looked into more...But it's also worth noting that the Portuguese had experienced French occupation once before and had developed a hatred for the French, so my understanding (happy to be challenged by an expert on the Portuguese in the Peninsular) is that while I'm sure a number resented the scorched earth policy, many would have been willing to do whatever it took to stop the French.
@@redcoathistory Ah, this is a good point. I know the Russian peasantry were particularly hostile in this regard, perhaps the Portuguese were likewise.
Portuguese (and the their ancestors) fought guerrilla wars since pre-roman times. Scorched earth policies are nothing new in peninsular wars. Almost a constant throughout the Reconquest up until the Napoleonic era (1000 years of warfare, against: Moorish kingdoms, Castille, then Spain, France, and colonial expansion). Your english word "commando" has its origin in the portuguese word "comando" for semi-regular raiding units formed in portuguese Africa (Angola and Mozambique), then adopted by the boers against the british, and subsequently, by the british against the germans. But I must admit, the major portuguese problems are organization, preparation, and coherence along time.
@@redcoathistory Portuguese people (and the their ancestors) fought guerrilla wars since pre-roman times. Scorched earth policies are nothing new in peninsular wars. Almost a constant throughout the Reconquest up until the Napoleonic era (1000 years of warfare, against: Moorish kingdoms, Castille, then Spain, France, and colonial expansion). Your english word "commando" has its origin in the portuguese word "comando" for semi-regular raiding units formed in portuguese Africa (Angola and Mozambique), then adopted by the boers against the british, and subsequently, by the british against the germans. But I must admit, the major portuguese problems are organization, preparation, and coherence along time.
IMHO the Peninsular War was a classic example of an inability to learn from failure. Throw a column against a line... didn't work. Throw a column against a line... didn't work last time so let's do the same again. Throw a column against a line... didn't work last time or the time before so let's do the same again. Rinse and repeat. Bernard Cornwell described it in mathematical terms. While /all/ the muskets of a line could shoot, only the front rank and side edges of a column could. Therefore while a column may have more men in total, it had a lot less men able to shoot. Then the new front rank trod on the dead / wounded of the old front rank and eventually couldn't move. Plus the British shot faster so 300 men in a line may get 900 shots per minute, a French column with maybe 100 men able to shoot may get 300 shots a minute. Even the inaccurate musket has to tell with 900 shots into a packed column.
Hi Tony / there was one path that would allow the french to outflank Wellington amd eventually they found it and forced him to withdrawal...I’m sure I mentioned it?
Tony I’ve just checked - I did mention it at 32 mins in...the french didn’t know it was there until they sent cavalry to scout for a way around. I guess their problem was arrogance...
Be you from the portuguese countryside or the slums of London, under british command you will fire three rounds a minute in any weather. P.S. As a portuguese, it's my contention Craufurd's Rock should be simbolically consacrated a British Overseas Territory.
We have a monument to the victories of Wellington including some mentioned in this history clip in Dublins Phoenix Park thankfully its doesn't occupy the minds of Irish citizens and is used as a play area ironically Wellington was born in Grafton St Dublin and went out of his way to insult Irish people many were in his likewise in Napoleon army time to move in Europe maybe not English nationalists glorifying 18th and 19th century wars at least Ireland is part of a progressive Europe not harping back to an Imperialist pass I think all the main European countries eg France, Germany, Spain, do not glorifying past wars as much as the English do accepting sacrifices made in the 2nd World War by many countries fighting fascism, please leave comments! PS: many in his army omission.
Strange that you think remembering history is some how ,,nashionalist,, many of the British troops discussed here were Irish,, wel remember,, you forget if you wish
There's an old saying here in Portugal "Fui à guerra no Bussaco e levei um tiro no buraco", the translation is "I went to the Bussaco battle and I've been shot in the hole". Keep up the great work.
My mother grew up in Bussaco and I have toured many times since my childhood, definitely worth the while to visit if one has an interest in the Peninsular War.
,
I'm expat American in Portugal. I'm doing all the battlefields of the Peninsular War. I really enjoy your presentations. Thanks.
I’m pleased to see a number of trees have been removed since I was there ! There’s a small museum and the cell in the convent ( now a very good hotel) where Wellington spent the night , good battle field
Thanks Graham - I'd love to visit one day - looks stunning.
I usually listen to Redcoat History Podcast while working out, bike riding, or working out then check out the maps and illustrations later on the TH-cam version. Your narration from your script is excellent and I can picture what is going on very easily. I always learn a lot. Great job as usual!
That’s great to know thanks Ken - I’m still working out the best way to describe battles for an audio only audience so it’s good to know I’m on the right track.
Great work, congrats from Coimbra. We did it once and if needed we will do it again.
The Portuguese are Britain’s oldest allies and I’ve no doubt you could do it again if you had to 💪🏼💪🏼
With the end of the Almeida fort, it was the end of the age of the great fortifications and it started the Age of the Trenchs, as the Torres Vedras Lines.
Another excellent bit of history to listen to and learn. Thanks for posting and keeping me sane during lockdown.
Cheers mate - I love making these videos so I'm really glad they are being enjoyed and helping with lockdown.
@@redcoathistory Thanks for all your hard work.
Great work, you always make me proud to have British ancestry. I also appreciate that you give the French their just dues as they fought hard and bravely.
Just after you said that Line defeating Column etc., which in general is almost always likely to be true. But at about 27:28 the French General Foy gives the truth of the matter that "I could not get my troops to deploy", this was because his troops were ambushed by the British in line while the French were still in column. Deploy means form line from column, line being the fighting formation and column generally for movement, Wellington's great talent was to often make it difficult for the French to work out when to deploy which usually meant they fought at a disadvantage. Deploying under fire was exceptionally difficult as casualties frequently caused disorder and disorder invariably meant failure to change formation, this is also described as happening to the middle guard attack at Waterloo.
Part of Wellington's greatness was his ability to see what his opponent's were up to tactically and to have a tactic to nullify them. Earlier you quoted a part about a British unit that arrived on the ground to be fought over just in time to wheel into line and shoot the French. The British frequently moved forward in open order column and then parallel to where they were going to deploy and shoot, they then wheeled the companies forward on a flank into line depending on whether the column was formed right or left in front.
And it makes me proud of my Portuguese ancestry too
@@eduardocoelho416 As it should, the Portugese soldiers and guerillas fought bravely and the general population suffered greatly to help defeat the French.
@@steveconway1948 👌
Excellent video, and 30+ mins these are gold man. Again its easy to tell your commitment to the military history of your country its great and a treat to watch.
Thanks a lot - I’m really glad you are enjoying the videos 👍🏼
Thank you so much I have only just started to paint and build a Peninsular army of both sides , your excellent reviting account of this battle has now whetted my appetite to go deeper into this amazing period of history , I am so glad I found your channel please keep up this wonderful work. Terry
Hi Terry, that’s great news. I’m really glad that you enjoyed the video and that it’s helping to whet your appetite. I look forward to seeing peninsular armies when they are finished.
There is a small, but beautiful museum at Bussaco, I visited three years ago.
Liked and subbed. Sorry I don't have any friends to share with.
Welcome to the battalion Bill.
Thanks Rob - we spent some time looking at the retreat from Talavera and the work of the Spanish, which had its part to play, - another excellent video. as you say, we move to Torres Vedras for a time now, a great military engineering feat in itself. You know when a military engineered defensive structure is good..... its never breached… also see Wellington learning a lot about his enemy.
Cheers, Andy!
Great story well told 👍
Another excellent video. I have to work during lock down. But great to watch when I am home.
Thanks Hugh.
Greetings from Chicago. Really enjoy your channel and content!
Awesome! Thank you!
Another really enjoyable and educational episode , brings the war from the soldiers point of view into focus and really like the maps and google views , they make it so much easier to follow. Keep it up.
Many thanks - appreciate your support.
I have flown down to Lisbon twice a year for decades. I can’t remember the time of year, but it must have been late morning. I am not sure. Sitting by a port window as we passed Coimbra where descent begins, the ridge of Buçaco was obvious.
The most striking thing was that it marked a change in the weather. North the Mondego river valley was filled with mist but low lying cloud continued. To the south completely clear skies. The Buçaco ridge is a very significant feature.
Great video. Thanks!
That was GREAT and really exciting. Thank you 😊👍👍👍
Cheers Jan.
Hi just to say i really like the way you have put together this video, top class old boy!really is good.👍
Thanks Billy - I did put a lot of hours into trying to make it look good so it’s great that you like it 👍🏼
Outstanding narrative. Thanks!
Thanks Gene.
Quality as always, love your work mate. I've always been interested in history, but since the first lockdown in March, I've taken a particular interest in British Millitary history after reading the book 'Redcoats' By richard Holmes.
Your podcasts have really helped me further my research and I'm now writing stories based on this period.
Thanks for your hard work, it's appreciated.
Hi Sean that is great mate. I'm really glad that my videos have helped. I am also keen to write fiction set in this era at some point so keep in touch and feel free to share thoughts.
@@redcoathistory Will do mate, keep up the good work!
It would be nice to hear mention of the 40th Foot which was one of only three regiments which served throughout the entirety of the Napoleonic campaigns and then at Waterloo.
Wellington was a brilliant general, you should do a video on his victory at Vitoria, his most audacious battle.
Hi Tony, I will defintely be doing so once I reach that point in the war (I'm covering it chronologically) - for now I have just posted Albuera and am now writing my storming of Badajoz film.
@redcoathistory Fantastic channel. I have greastley enjoyed watching through these.
In your opening you mention the 88th, who fought at Bussaco. Being Irish, Im always interested in watching and hearing the exploits of Irish units (on both sides of the Napoleonic Wars!).
Re unifoirms, there seem to be conflicitng comments about the colour of the British units trousers in the mid-Peninsula War period: some saying white still; some a light grey; some full grey (Im setting aside the light units such as 95th).
So do you have any sense of what colur the trousers of, eg, the 88th were at Bussaco. Was there in fact a mix, with differnt units doing differnt things? If so, is ther a 'definitive' record anywhere of which units wore what?
Hi there, Irish regiments on both sides (inc with the Spanish) is a fascinating story. Re trousers...to. be fair I'm not much of a uniform man but my understanding is that they very quickly became a smorgasbords (is that the right word) of patching, dirt and blood, so would have not been one colour across the board. Hope that helps? Does it fit with your research?
Brilliant as usual ! I’ve started listening to the podcast and then following up by watching the U tube version. Building my knowledge of the peninsula war
Fantastic!
congrats from Portugal
Thanks
Question: Flintlock or firelock? I thought they were different things?
A excellent documentary.
Thanks a lot. Hope all is going well with you.
It is not until you get there that you understand how steep the hill is. It is hard enough walking up the reverse slope unencumbered !
Your logo at the end would be smashing coaster, sticker
Good call!
soo good.. keep it up Sir!
Question: In the portrait Massena has both eyes: Presumably this predates when he lost an eye hunting?
Interesting to watch this as I am reading Sharpe's Escape which largely centres on this battle. IMHO Wellington /did/ only intend this as a holding battle;
a) It would give the Portuguese troops experience from a relatively safe position.
b) He could see how the Portuguese behaved in battle without having to rely on them in a crisis.
c) If the Lines of Torres Vedras had needed it, the battle would have given them time to prepare the defences, and what general wouldn't like more time?
d) He'd get to see how Massena behaved, and how his troops stood up to Wellington's tactics.
Brilliant 👍🏻👍🏻🇬🇧
Thanks a lot
Well done, clearly stated
Great mentor
Awesome
05:05 its not harsh its the reality. We portuguese do really think too much of ourselves as better than anyone that we tend to think we dont need to prove that we deserve the titles and positions that are given to us
Surprised you didn't mention the fact that Massena spent most of the battle locked in a room at a local tavern with his mistress, passing occasional orders scribbled on little scraps of paper pushed under the door to his adjutant. His hubris and laziness standing in stark contrast to the energy displayed by Wellesley, who spent the day riding furiously from one crisis point to the next. Had Massena been more active and coordinated the attacks of his three corps to assault the Anglo-Portuguese lines simultaneously, preventing Wellesley being able to shift his forces around, rather than having the corps attack one at a time, the battle could well have turned out differently.
You don't put daddy Hill on your most exposed flank if you want a delaying action. You put him where you want him to do the most utter carnage and Wellington knew that, "the best thing about Hill is I always know where to find him" ie wherever the fighting is hottest.
I had first heard of the " Battle of Talavera " when watching a great WW II film called " The Way Ahead ".
There was a scene where the company Leftenant is upbraiding his men for deliberately losing a wargame exercise.
He tells them in the barracks of the glorious history of their unit, the Duke of Glendon's Light Infantry which was also known as " The Dogs". He shows them the unit cap badge that shows the famous battles won by the Dogs. One was the Battle of Talavera.
Wasn't I surprised to find the Duke of Glendon's " Dogs " was fictional. Haha.
You can see " The Way Ahead " here on TH-cam. It is a great film with a young David Niven.
Thanks - I haven't heard of the film but will look it up.
It's an interesting point that you raise, about the willingness of the Portuguese in complying with Wellington's scorched earth tactic. To be honest, I don't think any of the Portuguese willingly complied. It was probably done regardless of their resistance.
Certainly an area of study that could be looked into more...But it's also worth noting that the Portuguese had experienced French occupation once before and had developed a hatred for the French, so my understanding (happy to be challenged by an expert on the Portuguese in the Peninsular) is that while I'm sure a number resented the scorched earth policy, many would have been willing to do whatever it took to stop the French.
@@redcoathistory Ah, this is a good point. I know the Russian peasantry were particularly hostile in this regard, perhaps the Portuguese were likewise.
@@redcoathistory , and you are right...
Portuguese (and the their ancestors) fought guerrilla wars since pre-roman times. Scorched earth policies are nothing new in peninsular wars. Almost a constant throughout the Reconquest up until the Napoleonic era (1000 years of warfare, against: Moorish kingdoms, Castille, then Spain, France, and colonial expansion). Your english word "commando" has its origin in the portuguese word "comando" for semi-regular raiding units formed in portuguese Africa (Angola and Mozambique), then adopted by the boers against the british, and subsequently, by the british against the germans. But I must admit, the major portuguese problems are organization, preparation, and coherence along time.
@@redcoathistory Portuguese people (and the their ancestors) fought guerrilla wars since pre-roman times. Scorched earth policies are nothing new in peninsular wars. Almost a constant throughout the Reconquest up until the Napoleonic era (1000 years of warfare, against: Moorish kingdoms, Castille, then Spain, France, and colonial expansion). Your english word "commando" has its origin in the portuguese word "comando" for semi-regular raiding units formed in portuguese Africa (Angola and Mozambique), then adopted by the boers against the british, and subsequently, by the british against the germans. But I must admit, the major portuguese problems are organization, preparation, and coherence along time.
IMHO the Peninsular War was a classic example of an inability to learn from failure. Throw a column against a line... didn't work. Throw a column against a line... didn't work last time so let's do the same again. Throw a column against a line... didn't work last time or the time before so let's do the same again. Rinse and repeat. Bernard Cornwell described it in mathematical terms. While /all/ the muskets of a line could shoot, only the front rank and side edges of a column could. Therefore while a column may have more men in total, it had a lot less men able to shoot. Then the new front rank trod on the dead / wounded of the old front rank and eventually couldn't move. Plus the British shot faster so 300 men in a line may get 900 shots per minute, a French column with maybe 100 men able to shoot may get 300 shots a minute. Even the inaccurate musket has to tell with 900 shots into a packed column.
Nice been there and Massena must have assumed the portugese would run at once otherwise he wouldnt have attacked its steeep
I'd love to visit. Yes, I assume over-confidence was his downfall...
@@redcoathistory Not according to the book "Massena vs Wellington" by D.Buttery. I think it is the most recent one about this topic.
Go the Devil`s Own. Erin Go Bragh. Cheers mate.
Please don't compromise on the excellent commentary - it's CaTHedral, not CaFFedral; NorTH not NORF, SouTHen not Suvvern ... etc.
😂😂😂 thanks but I’m a working class Leicester lad. I’m happy to keep my accent.
I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO WATCH!
You da man! Appreciate it.
"ere comes johnny crapaud"..... "Well. let us dust his airy knapsack for im".
Why didn't the French out flank?
Hi Tony / there was one path that would allow the french to outflank Wellington amd eventually they found it and forced him to withdrawal...I’m sure I mentioned it?
Tony I’ve just checked - I did mention it at 32 mins in...the french didn’t know it was there until they sent cavalry to scout for a way around. I guess their problem was arrogance...
Be you from the portuguese countryside or the slums of London, under british command you will fire three rounds a minute in any weather.
P.S. As a portuguese, it's my contention Craufurd's Rock should be simbolically consacrated a British Overseas Territory.
Huzzah!
We have a monument to the victories of Wellington including some mentioned in this history clip in Dublins Phoenix Park thankfully its doesn't occupy the minds of Irish citizens and is used as a play area ironically Wellington was born in Grafton St Dublin and went out of his way to insult Irish people many were in his likewise in Napoleon army time to move in Europe maybe not English nationalists glorifying 18th and 19th century wars at least Ireland is part of a progressive Europe not harping back to an Imperialist pass I think all the main European countries eg France, Germany, Spain, do not glorifying past wars as much as the English do accepting sacrifices made in the 2nd World War by many countries fighting fascism, please leave comments! PS: many in his army omission.
Strange that you think remembering history is some how ,,nashionalist,, many of the British troops discussed here were Irish,, wel remember,, you forget if you wish
Buçaco