Blockade of Almeida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blockade of Almeida 1811 |
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| Part of Peninsular War | |||||
 Fortress of Almeida in Portugal |
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| Belligerents | |||||
 France |
 Britain Portugal |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Antoine Brenier |
William Erskine Alexander Campbell Luís do Rego Barreto |
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| Strength | |||||
| 1,400 | 13,000 | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 360 | 50 | ||||
The Blockade of Almeida was a military event that happened from April 14 to May 10, 1811. It was part of the Peninsular War, which was a big conflict during the Napoleonic Wars. In this blockade, a French army group, called a garrison, was trapped inside the fortress of Almeida in Portugal. About 1,400 French soldiers, led by General Antoine François Brenier de Montmorand, were surrounded. They were up against a much larger force of about 13,000 British and Portuguese soldiers. These Allied troops were led by Generals Sir Alexander Campbell, 1st Baronet and Sir William Erskine, 2nd Baronet.
Almeida is a town in Portugal, close to the border with Spain. It's about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Lisbon. The French had taken control of Almeida in 1810 during an earlier battle called the 1810 Siege of Almeida.
Contents
Why the Blockade Happened
French Retreat from Portugal
In October 1810, a French army led by Marshal André Masséna tried to invade Portugal. But they ran into very strong defenses called the Lines of Torres Vedras. These were huge walls and forts that were almost impossible to get past. Because of these defenses, the French army had to stop. They waited for more soldiers to arrive.
However, the French soldiers started to run out of food. Many became sick or starved. By early 1811, their army had shrunk from 65,000 to only 46,500 soldiers. Because of these problems, Marshal Masséna had to start pulling his troops out of Portugal on March 6.
Trapped in Almeida
As the French army retreated, a group of 1,400 French soldiers stayed behind in the Almeida fortress. Their job was to hold the fort. The British and Portuguese armies, led by Viscount Wellington, then surrounded Almeida.
The Allied army didn't have big cannons to break down the fortress walls. So, instead of a direct attack (which is called a siege), they decided to starve the French soldiers out. This is why it's called a blockade – they cut off all supplies to the fortress.
Failed Rescue Attempt
From May 3 to May 5, 1811, Marshal Masséna tried to rescue the French soldiers trapped in Almeida. This attempt led to a battle called the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro. But Masséna's efforts failed, and the blockade continued.
During this time, the British and Portuguese forces kept a close watch on Almeida. General William Erskine and General Alexander Campbell were in charge of the blockade. Campbell's soldiers guarded the south and west sides of the fortress. However, they were spread out too much and too far from the city. General Erskine also made a mistake by not sending important orders on time, which would later cause problems.
The Escape
A Daring Breakout
On the night of May 10–11, 1811, General Brenier, the French commander inside Almeida, made a very clever plan. He managed to sneak his soldiers right through the British and Portuguese lines. Before leaving, the French set up explosives inside the fortress. These explosives blew up parts of the fort after the French soldiers had safely left.
Brenier and his troops headed northwest, aiming for a bridge called Barba del Puerco. This bridge was their escape route.
The Chase and Confusion
General Campbell and Brigadier General Denis Pack quickly realized what was happening and started chasing the French. But some British officers made mistakes. One British colonel, whose soldiers were very close to where the French broke out, failed to chase them right away. Another group of British soldiers arrived at the Barba del Puerco bridge, but since the French hadn't gotten there yet, these soldiers marched off to a different spot.
Eventually, the French were caught just as they reached the bridge. Some of them were killed or captured. In total, about 360 French soldiers were lost during the night. The British 36th Foot Regiment then tried to attack the bridge, but the French soldiers defending it fought them off. The British lost 35 soldiers in this attempt.
Wellington's Anger
The British commander, Viscount Wellington, was very angry about the escape. He had 13,000 soldiers watching only 1,400 Frenchmen, and most of the French still got away. He wrote that his officers were "sleeping in their spurs," meaning they were caught off guard. He was frustrated that such a large force could not stop a smaller one from escaping.
