Battle of Roliça

The first battle fought by the British in the Peninsular War, on 17^th August 1808; also, the first of the string of victories over the French won by Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington

The Podcast of the Battle of Roliça: The first battle fought by the British in the Peninsular War, on 17^th August 1808; also, the first of the string of victories over the French won by Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington: John Mackenzie’s Britishbattles.com podcast on the battle.

The previous battle in the British Battles sequence is the Battle of Laswaree

The next battle in the Peninsular War is the Battle of Vimeiro

To the Peninsular War index

War: Peninsular War

Date of the Battle of Roliça:  17^th August 1808

Place of the Battle of Roliça:  On the west coast of Central Portugal.

Combatants at the Battle of Roliça: British and Portuguese troops against the French.

Commanders at the Battle of Roliça:  Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington, against General Delaborde.

Size of the armies at the Battle of Roliça: 

The British army numbered 14,000 British troops and 1,600 Portuguese troops. The British brought into the field 19 guns (ten 6 pounders, six 9 pounders and three howitzers).

The French army numbered 4,000 infantry, 250 light cavalry and 5 guns.

Winner of the Battle of Roliça: 

The French were forced to retreat from the field of battle.

Orders of Battle:

British order of battle:

20^th Light Dragoons

First Brigade: Major General Hill: 1^st/5^th, 1^st/30^th and 1^st/9^th

Regiments

Second Brigade: Major General Ferguson: 1^st/36^th, 1^st/40^th and 1^st/71^st Regiments

Third Brigade: Brigadier General Nightingall: 1^st/29^th and 1^st/82^nd Regiments

Fourth Brigade: Brigadier General Bowes: 1^st/6^th and 1^st/32^nd Regiments

Fifth Brigade: Brigadier Catlin Craufurd: 1^st/45^th, 1^st/50^th and 1^st/91^st Regiments

Sixth or Light Brigade: Brigadier General Fane: 5^th/60^th and 1^st/95^th Regiments

Colonel Nicholas Trant’s Portuguese Troops:

6th, 11th, & 12th Cavalry Regiments

12th, 21st, and 24th line Battalions

6th Caçadores

French order of battle:

2 battalions of 70^th Line Regiment

1^st Provisional Light Infantry:

1 battalion of 2^nd Light Regiment

1 battalion of 4^th Light Regiment

1 battalion of 4^th Swiss Regiment

2 squadrons of 26^th Chasseurs à Cheval

1 Company of Artillery (5 guns)

Background to the Battle of Roliça:

Sir Arthur Wellesley’s British army landed in the mouth of the River Mondego on Portugal’s Atlantic coast between 1^st and 8^th August 1808.

Wellesley’s instructions were to support the Portuguese insurrection against the occupying French army, marching first on the capital, Lisbon.

On 10^th August 1808, Wellesley broke up his camp on the River Mondego and began the march south.

The French commander in Lisbon, Marshal Junot, recalled General Loison with his division from central Portugal, at the same time sending General Delaborde, with a small force, to assist Loison in his withdrawal to Lisbon.

Delaborde arrived in Alcabaca on 10^th August 1808 and, on 13^th August 1808, fell back to Obidos and then to Roliça, leaving a rear guard in Obidos.

On 15^th August 1808, Wellesley advanced to Caldas and sent 4 companies of the 60^th and 95^th Rifles to drive Delaborde’s rear guard out of Obidos.

Pursuing the French too vigorously, the 4 companies had to be extricated by General Spencer and a brigade of infantry, leaving the 2 Rifle Regiments with 29 casualties, including Lieutenant Bunbury of the 95^th killed.

The Podcast of the Battle of Roliça: The first battle fought by the British in the Peninsular War, on 17^th August 1808; also, the first of the string of victories over the French won by Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington: John Mackenzie’s Britishbattles.com podcast on the battle.

Wellesley received news that General Loison’s Division might be near at hand and able to intervene in the attack Wellesley intended upon Delaborde.

In fact, Loison was marching south by an inland route and was too far away to assist Delaborde, but Wellesley’s concern over Loison’s whereabouts was to adversely influence the conduct of his attack on Delaborde.

Fortescue suggests that Wellesley might have begun the operation earlier and possibly captured the whole of Delaborde’s force.

Battle of Roliça:

Obidos stands at the northern end of a plain surrounded by a circle of mountains.

The village of Roliça is situated at the southern end of the plain, two miles from Obidos, behind a broad low hill.

Delaborde’s first position was on this hill.

Delaborde’s plan was, once he came under attack, to fall back on a stronger main position a mile further south, above the village of Columbeira, at the top of a steep cliff with gorges covering each flank.

The road ran from Columbeira to the right of this position on to the village of Zambugeira, a mile away and then on across a mountainous plateau to Torres Vedras in the south.

The area of Delaborde’s main position was forested with pine trees.

At the base of the steep cliff was a row of large rocks, described by Fortescue ‘as like shark’s teeth’, affording excellent cover for sharpshooters.

For the time being, Delaborde held the first position.

Wellesley observed the French above Roliça and commenced his advance.

Trant was directed well to the right, with a Portuguese force of 1,200 men, to circle behind Delaborde.

General Ferguson was despatched around the east of the French position, with the Second (1^st/36^th, 1^st/40^th and 1^st/71^st) and Fourth Brigades (1^st/6^th and 1^st/32^nd), 40 cavalrymen, 3 companies of the 60^th Regiment and a battery of guns.

Wellesley led the main body of the army straight towards the French position on the hill above Roliça.

Hill’s Brigade (1^st/5^th, 1^st/30^th and 1^st/9^th) deployed to attack on the right.

Nightingall (1^st/29^th and 1^st/82^nd) deployed in the centre and Fane’s two rifle battalions (5^th/60^th and 1^st/95^th) spread over the western hillside on the British left.

Craufurd’s Brigade (1^st/50^th and 1^st/91^st) formed the reserve, less the 45^th Regiment which took up a position on the left of Nightingall’s Brigade.

The British attack was signalled by an artillery barrage, bringing Ferguson down from the mountainside towards the French right flank and Trant on the French left, through the village of Quinta Gruga.

Delaborde did not wait for the attack.

Whilst his skirmishers engaged the advancing British, the French main body marched the mile back to the position above Columbeira, leaving Wellesley with his attack frustrated.

The new French position was very different from the first.

The French infantry were now at the top of a steep cliff, flanked on each side by a ravine.

After a reconnaissance, Wellesley decided to repeat the operation, with Trant and Ferguson again carrying out wide flanking movements, while the rest of the army advanced to a frontal assault.

This attack would be made up four steep gullies that gave access to the top of the cliff.

While the main force waited for the two flanking movements to develop, the riflemen of the 60^th and 95^th took advantage of the ‘sharks’ teeth’ rocks to engage the French from behind cover.

Before the order could be given for the main assault, Lieutenant Colonel Lake of the 29^th led his regiment forward in a lone premature attack up one of the gullies.

The 29^th reached the head of the gully, under a heavy fire from both flanks, where they met the 4^th Swiss Regiment.

The Swiss attempted to change sides, reversing their muskets and advancing to shake the hands of the British soldiers.

In the confusion that followed, the 29^th was attacked in the rear by a French battalion and driven back down the hill.

Lake, who had ridden his horse up the steep slope, was killed and 4 officers and 30 men of his regiment taken prisoner.

Led by the companies left at the bottom of the hill, the 29^th renewed its assault, supported by the 9^th Regiment.

Without waiting for the two flank attacks as originally planned, Wellesley ordered a general assault to rescue Lake and his men trapped at the top of the cliff.

The 5^th Regiment attacked the French left flank, while the 60^th and 95^th advanced on the other flank.

Delaborde launched three determined counter-attacks with his four remaining battalions, but was unable to prevent the British infantry from reaching the top of the cliff, supported as they were by heavy artillery fire.

Delaborde could now see that Ferguson’s two brigades were only a mile from his right rear and that he was in danger of being enveloped.

With considerable skill, Delaborde withdrew his battalions two at a time, while his cavalry threatened to charge the British infantry, causing them to pause in their pursuit.

After pursuing them through Zambugeira, the British infantry caught up with the French and captured 3 guns and some of the infantry.

Wellesley, concerned that Loison might be approaching the battlefield, abandoned the pursuit and Delaborde was left to march away.

Casualties in the Battle of Roliça:

French casualties in the Battle of Roliça were 600 killed, wounded and captured. General Delaborde was wounded.

British casualties were 4 officers and 66 soldiers killed: 20 officers and 315 soldiers wounded and 4 officers and 78 men missing (taken prisoner).

Regimental casualties (apparently not including the missing) were:

20^th Hussars: 3 soldiers wounded

Royal Artillery: 1officer killed and 1 soldier killed

Royal Engineers: 1 officer wounded

5^th Regiment: 2 officers wounded, 3 soldiers killed and 41 wounded

6^th Regiment: 1 officer wounded and 1 soldier wounded

9^th Regiment: Lieutenant Colonel Stuart was killed and 3 officer wounded, 4 soldiers killed, 49 wounded and 12 missing

29^th Regiment: Colonel Lake killed and 7 officers wounded, 33 soldiers killed and 111 wounded

38^th Regiment: 4 soldiers wounded

40^th Regiment: 1 soldier killed and 2 wounded

45^th Regiment: 1 officer killed and 1 wounded and 9 soldiers wounded

50^th Regiment: 2 soldiers killed and 1 wounded

60^th Rifles: 2 offices wounded and 8 soldiers killed and 39 wounded

71^st Regiment: 1 soldier killed and 1 wounded

95^th Rifles: 2 officers wounded and 17 soldiers killed and 30 wounded

The 36^th and 91^st suffered no loss.

Portuguese casualties were 33 killed and wounded.

Total: 428 casualties

Aftermath to the Battle of Roliça:

After the Battle of Roliça, Wellesley continued his march towards Lisbon, giving battle to the French army of Marshal Junot at Vimeiro, 10 miles further south, on 21^st August 1808.

Medal and Battle Honour for the Battle of Roliça:

The Military General Service Medal 1848 was issued to all those serving in the British Army present at specified battles during the period 1793 to 1840 who were still alive in 1847 and applied for the medal. The medal was only issued to those entitled to one or more of the clasps. There were 21 clasps available for service in the Peninsular War.

The Battle of Roliça (mistakenly embossed on the clasp as Roleia) was one of those clasps.

The battle honour ‘Roliça’ (initially given as ‘Roleia’) was awarded to the following regiments: 5^th, 6^th, 9^th, 29^th, 32^nd, 36^th, 38^th 40^th, 45^th, 60^th, 71^st, 82^nd, 91^st and 95^th Regiments.

Army Gold Medal:

In 1810 a Gold Medal was issued to be awarded to officers of rank of major and above for meritorious service at certain battles in the Peninsular War, with clasps for additional battles. The ‘Large Gold Medal’ was awarded to generals, the ‘Small Gold Medal’ to majors and colonels, with the medal replaced by a cross where four clasps were earned. The Battle of Roliça was one of the battles.

Anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Roliça: 

• Fortescue comments that the engagement at Obidos involving the 60^th and 95^th Rifles was the first British action of the Peninsular War.
• Fortescue comments on the battle: ‘[the battle’s] chief historic interest lies in the curious fact that he [Wellesley], who showed such surpassing skill in hiding his troops in a defensive position, should in his first action against the French have had to deal with an enemy concealed with a dexterity that he himself might have envied’.
• As the 95^th Rifles climbed the Columbeira hill they were held up by French troops holding two buildings. The riflemen took cover until a soldier shouted ‘Over, boys, over.’ The regiment responded shouting ‘Over, over,’ and rushed the two buildings at the point of the bayonet.
• Lieutenant Colonel George Lake of the 29^th Regiment, killed leading the premature attack on the heights of Columbeira, had been severely wounded at the Battle of Laswari in India on 1^st November 1803, serving under his father, Lord Lake, the British commander at the battle.
• Wellesley commented of Colonel Nicholas Trant, the British commander of the Portuguese force at the Battle of Roliça and many later actions that he was “a very good officer, but a drunken dog as ever lived.”
• The Portuguese Post Office issued a series of stamps in 1928 commemorating the Battle of Roliça.

References for the Battle of Roliça:

See the extensive list of references given at the end of the Peninsular War Index.

The previous battle in the British Battles sequence is the Battle of Laswaree

The next battle in the Peninsular War is the Battle of Vimeiro

To the Peninsular War index

The Podcast of the Battle of Roliça: The first battle fought by the British in the Peninsular War, on 17^th August 1808; also, the first of the string of victories over the French won by Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington: John Mackenzie’s Britishbattles.com podcast on the battle.