Peninsular War Timeline

1807 July 31 - Sep 30 Copenhagen expedition  Oct 18 French troops, commanded by Junot, enter Spain to attack Portugal  Oct 27 Spain and France signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau,  Nov 30 French vanguard enters Lisbon  Oct 17 French troops enter to invade Portugal  Dec 1 Lisbon was captured The War: Consolidation, 1808-1811 1808 Invasion by stealth (Feb–July 1808)  Jan 8 Another French army invades Spain to occupy several towns in Biscay and Navarre  Feb 10 French troops enter Catalonia; Barcelona occupied on 29th * Feb 29 French troops take the Barcelona by trickery. * Feb 29 French troops capture citadel of citadel of Pamplona * March 5 Spanish fortress of San Sebastian surrenders to the French * March 18 French troops take the citadel of Figueras by trickery * Mar 23 Madrid occupied by the French under Murat * May 2 Pedro Velarde takes his last stand * May 2 Madrid revolts, Murat manage to crush the revolt * May 5 Forced royal to abdicate on giving the throne to brother Joseph. * May 25 Asturias revolts * June 7 Battle of Alcolea was a French victory over an army of Spanish volunteers outside Cordova * June 8 Action at Tudela by Span to defeat or delay French army that was marching towards Saragossa. * June 12 Battle of Cabezon: French victory against Spanish army under the command of captain-general Don Gregorio de la Cuesta. * June 13 Mallen was 2nd of three Span attempts to stop French army under Gen Lefebvre-Desnouettes from reaching Saragossa. * June 14 Battle of Alagon. * June 15 - Aug 14 First French siege of Zaragoza * June 18 Portuguese uprising * June 21 Battle at River Cabriels * June 23-24 Action of Epila. * June 24 Action at the Cabrillas Defile * June 26-28 First battle of Valencia. * July 12 Wellesley in temporary command of expeditionary force to the Peninsula * July 14 Spanish defeated at Medina de Rio Seco (north-east of Valladolid) * July 19 Battle of Baylen was a Spanish victory * July 23 Dupont surrenders 13,000 men to spanish force  July 24- Aug 16 Second French siege of Gerona * Aug 1 British landed an expeditionary force at the mouth of the Mondego river in Portugal. * Aug 14 End of the first siege of Saragossa (from 15 June) when the French abandon the siege. * Aug 17 Combat of Roliga (south of Obidos) * Aug20 British troops land in Portugal 5,000 more * Aug 21 Battle of Vimiero Arthur Wellesley defeat a French attack  Aug 30 Convention of Cintra signed, by which French forces in Portugal are to be repatriated  Sep 20 Wellesley recalled, sails for England Napoleon's campaign (Oct 1808–Jan 1809)  Oct, Marshal St. Cyr with 17,000 men to the relief of Duhesme in Barcelona.  Oct 6 Sir John Moore in command at Lisbon. Moore's troops start their advance towards the Spanish frontier  Oct 26 Moore marched into Spain  Oct 29 Spanish under Blake dispersed at Zornosa (between Durango and Bilbao)  Oct 10-11 Blake defeated at Espinosa dc los Monteros (north of Medina de Pomar)  Oct 13 Moore's vanguard enters Salamanca  Oct 22 Baird's units from Corutma reach Astorga (west of Le6n)  Oct 23 Moore concentrated at Salamanca; Spanish defeated at Tudcla (north-west of Zaragoza)  Oct 30 Spaniards scattered by Polish cavalry at the Puerto de Somosierra (north of Madrid)  Nov 5 Napoleon in Spain  Nov 6 Napoleon reaches Vitoria on his march towards Madrid  Nov 17 Blake's isolated army did an about-face on and dug in at Espinosa.  Nov 23 Tudela routing Castaños  Nov 30 Somosierra pass, Polish and Guard cavalry squadrons overrun General San Juan's artillery  Dec 1 French patrols reached Madrid on and entered the city in triumph on  Dec 3 Hope's units join up with Moore's  Dec 4 Napoleon occupies Madrid, Joseph Bonaparte was restored to his throne.  Dec 20 - Feb 20 Second French siege of Zaragoza  Dec 21 British cavalry combat at Sahagfn (south-east of Le6n) 2  Dec 22 Napoleon leads troops across the Guadarrama range north-west of Madrid in an attempt to encircle Moore  Dec 24 Moore commences his retract into Galicia  Dec 25 Battle of Sahagun  Dec 27 Minor cavalry action near Mayorga (north-east of Benevento)  Dec 29 Delaying action near Benevento (north of Zamora)  Dec 30 Battle of Mansilla was a French victory over the rearguard of a Spanish army 1809 Jan 1 Soult left in pursuit of Moore, while Napoleon returns to France  Jan 11 Moore enter Corunna  Jan 13 Spanish defeated at Ucles (south-east ofTarancon)  Jan 16-17 Battle of Corunna, evacuation by sea of Moore's army at La Coruña by Jan 18  Feb 20 Zaragoza capitulates to the French  March 14 Marshal Soult initiated the second invasion of Portugal through the northern corridor.  March 29 Spanish defeated at Medellin (east of Merida); Soult occupies Oporto  April 23 Wellesley again commanding in Portugal  May 10–11 Battle of Grijo  May 12 Passage of the Douro at Oporto  May 21-23 Battle of Aspern Essling, forcing Napoleon to withdraw from Vienna  May 23 Spanish repulse Suchet at Alcaniz (south east of Zaragoza)  May 24- Dec 11 Third, and main, siege of Gerona  June 10 Bridge at Alcantara broken. Victor retires up the Tagus valley  June 15 Spanish, under Blake, beaten at Maria, and at Belchite (18th), both south of Zaragoza  July 3 Welleslcy enters Spain at Zarza la Mayor (west of Plasencia)  July 5-6 Napoleon defeats the Austrians at Wagram  July 23 Wellington prepared for an assault, advanced next day.  July 27-28 Battle of Talavera  July 28- Dec 9 Walcheren Expedition (at mouth of Scheldt)  Aug 11 Spanish defeated at Almonacid (south-east of Toledo)  Oct, Construction commences of defensive works north of Lisbon, later known as 'The Lines of Torres Vedras'  Oct 18 French discomforted by the Spanish at Tamames (east of Ciudad Rodrigo)  Nov 19 Spanish defeated at Ocana (south-east of Aranjuez)  Nov 28 Spanish defeated at Alba de Tormes (south-east of Salamanca) Stalemate (1810–1811) 1810 1 Feb. Seville occupied by the French  Feb 5 Cadiz invested by the French  March 19- 20 Mar. Skirmish at Barba del Puerco (east of Almeida)  March 21 French invest Astorga  April 22 Apr. Astorga surrenders  May 28 May Massena enters Salamanca  June French invest Ciudad Rodrigo  July French reinvaded Portugal  July 10 July Massena takes Ciudad Rodrigo, and advances on Portugal  July 16 Combat near Barquilla and Villar de Ciervo  July 21 Fort Conception blown up  July 24 Battle of Coa (west of Ciudad Rodrigo)  July 26 The French commence investment of Almeida  Aug 15 Aug. Massena'commences bombardment of Almeida  Aug 22 Cavalry action at Ladoeiro (east of Castelo Branco)  Aug 26 Explosion of Almeida's magazine, the fortress capitulating next day  Sep 19 Sept. French vanguard enters Viseu  Sep 27 Massena defeated at Busaco  Oct 10 Oct. Massena approaches and is frustrated by The Lines of Torres Vedras  Oct 14, attack on Sobral  Nov 17 Nov. Massena withdraws to Santarem and its vicinity 1811 Jan 11-23 Soult besieges and takes Olivenza, and invests Badajoz  Feb 19 Spanish cleated at the Gebora (just north of Badajoz)  March 3 Mar. Massena's army starts its retreat from Santarem  March 5 Graham defeats Victor at Barrosa, near Chiclana (south east of Cadiz)  March 10 Soult captures Badajoz Action at Pombal (north-east of Leiria)  March 12 Action at Redinha (north of Pombal)  March 14 Action at Casal Novo (west of Miranda do Corvo)  March 15 Action at Foz de Arouce (south-east of Coimbra)  March 25 Cavalry affair at Campo Maior (north-west of Badajoz) 3  April 3 Combat at Sabugal (south east of Guarda)  April 22-23 Wellington reconnoiters Badajoz, and orders Beresford to prepare to besiege the fortress  May 3-5 Wellington repulses Massena at Fuentes de Onroro (west of Ciudad Rodrigo)  May 6-12 Badajoz invested, but the siege is raised  May 10-11 Escape via Barba del Pucrco of the garrison from Almeida  May 16 Soult is frustrated by Beresford at La Albuera (south-east of Badajoz)  May 25 Cavalry affair at Usagre (north-west of Llerena)  May 27 Badajoz re-invested and besieged  June 10 Failure of assault determined Wellington to turn siege into blockade  June 13 Wellington offers battle on the Caia (east of Elvas)  July 28 Tarragona falls to Suchet  Aug. 19 Figueras falls to the French  Sep 25 Action at El Bodon (south of Ciudad Rodrigo)  Sep 28 Wellington offers battle on the upper Coa  Oct 25 Spanish under Blake defeated at Sagunto (north of Valencia)  Oct 28 French surprised and scattered by Hill at Arroyomolinos de Montinchez (north-east of Merida)  Dec 21 - Jan 4 French ineffectually besiegeTirifa (south-west of Algeciras)  Dec 26 Spanish def'eated atValencia: Blake surrenders to Suchet on 8 Jan. The War: Attack, 1812-1814 1812 Turning of the tide  Jan, Napoleon approved the full annexation of Catalonia  Jan 8 Wellington began to advance through Spain.  Jan 8 - Feb 19 Wellington invests and recaptures Ciudad Rodrigo  Jan 24 Death of Robert Crauford, British General (1764-1812)  Mar 19 Wellington again besieges Badajoz  Apr 6 Badajos successfully stormed  Apr 11 Cavalry alfair at Villagarcia (north-west of Llerena)  May 19 Hill's succcssful raid at Almaraz (north-east of Tiujillo)  June 1 Spanish delcated at Bornos (north-east of Areos de la Frontera)  June 11 Cavalry affair at Maguilla (north-west of Llerena)  June 14 Napoleon invades Russia  June 17 America declares war on Britain  June 17 Wellington entered Salamanca with only Marmont's army in the vicinity.  July 17-18 Confrontations on the Guarena; Castrejon and Castrillo (some distance north-east of Salamanca)  July 22 Battle of Salamanca  July 23 Cavalry affair at Garcihernandez (north-east of Alba de Tormes)  Aug 11 Combat at Majadahonda (west of Madrid) during the advance on Madrid  Aug 11 Joseph abandons Madrid, retreats southeast.  Aug 12 Wellington entered Madrid  Aug 24 Siegc of Cadiz raised  Aug 27 Soult evacuates Seville, which is occupied by Skerrett  Aug 31 Leaving Madrid, Wellington advances on Burgos  Sep 10 – Oct, 22 siege of Burgos failed  Sep 19 Burgos besieged  Sep 30 Hill's troops enter Toledo  Oct 4 Soult and Joseph Bonaparte converge west of Hellin (south of Albacete)  Oct 12 Napoleon retreats from Moscow  Oct 22 Raising the siege of Burgos, Wellington retires south-west  Oct 23 Cavalry affair at Venta del Pozo (south-west of Burgos)  Oct 27 Hill receivesWellington's order to join him north of the Guadarrama  Nov 1 Soult takes back Madrid  Nov 2 French re-occupy Madrid after it is evacuated by Hill's rearguard  Nov 8 Allies concentrated near Salamanca  Nov 17 Combat at San Munoz on the Huebra  Nov 19 Allied columns re-enter Ciudad Rodrigo Allied victory (1813–1814) 1813 Feb 14 Joseph first hears of the debacle in Russia  Feb 20 Foy's raid on Bejar foiled  March 23 Joseph sets up Headquarters in Valladolid, having evacuated Madrid; Soult is recalled to France  April 13 French dispersed by Sir John Murray at Castalla  May 22 Wellington commences offensive operations  May 30 Passage of the Esla, north-west of Zamora 4  June 2 Cavalry affair at Morales (east of Toro)  June 3-12 Sir John Murray's abortive siege of Tarragona  June 4 Armistice of Pleiswitz signed between the Northern Allies and Napoleon, extending the truce until 20 July  June 10-12 Battle of Burgos  June 21 Battle of Vittoria  June 25 Pamplona blockaded, surrendering on 31Oct.  June 26 Action at Tolosa (south of San Sebastian)  June 28 San Sebastian invested  June 29 Treaty of Reichenbach: Austria agrees to re-enter the war if Napoleon does not agree to peace terms  July 1 Napoleon, at Dresden, learns of the deleat atVitoria  July 5 Suchet evacuatesValencia  July 7- Sep 8 Siege of San Sebastian  July 11 Soult returns to command French forces facing Wellington  July 22 Soult commences his counter offensive in the Pyenees  July 25 First assault on San Sebastian fails; simultaneous actions at Maya, and Roncesvalles  July 28-30 Soult defeated at Sorauren (north of Pamplona) and near Lizaso (further north-west)  July 30 - Aug. 15 Bentinck blockadesTarragona  Aug 1- 2 Soult retreats down the Bidasoa valley: actions at Sumbilla, the bridge of Yanci, and Echalar  Aug 12 Austria declares rvar on France, news of which reaches Wellington on 3 Sept.  Aug 25-27 Napoleon defeats the Allies at Dresden  Aug 30 French under Vandamme defeated at Kulm, report of which reached Wellington on 15 Scpt.  Aug 31 Spanish troops repulsc Soult at San Marcial. San Sebastian stormed, the citadel surrendering on 8 Sept.  Sep 3 Wellington hears of the rupture of the Armistice of Pleiswitz  Sep 13 Action at Ordal bctween Bentinck and Suchet  Oct 7 The Passage of the Bidasoa: Wellington sets foot in France  Oct 16-19 Napoleon defeated at Leipzig  Nov 10 General advance into France at the battle of the Nivelle  Dec 8 Wellington receives confirmation of French deleat at Leipzig  Dec 9-10 Soult's counter offensive thwarted at the battle of the Nive  Dec 10 Soult counter-attacked again after Wellington had crossed the Nive  Dec 11 FernandoVII signs Treaty of Valengay, and re-enters Spain via Catalonia on 24 March  Dec 13 Hill defeats Soult at St Pierre, south-east of Bayonne, which is invested  Dec 17 Graham's expeditionary force lands in Holland 1814 Feb 15 Combat at Garris (north-west of St Palais)  Feb 25 Hope crosses the bridge of boats west of Bavonne, now surrounded  Feb 27 Soult defeated at Orthez  March 2 Combat at Aire  March 8 Beresford detached towards Bordeaux, occupied on the 12th  March 8-9 British failure at Bergen-op-Zoom  March 20 Combat at Tarbes  March 24 Soult's troops enter Toulouse  March 25 Marmont and Mortier defeated at Fere-Champenoise (east of Sezanne)  March 31 Marmont signs Capitulation of Paris and Allied troops enter the city  April 10 The battle of Toulouse, Soult retreating east during the ensuing night  April 12 Wellington receives news of Napolcon's abdication (on the 6th)  April 14 Sortie from Bayonne  April 15 Treaty of Fontainebleau signed. Napoleon leaves for Elba on the 28th  April 27 Bavonne formally surrenders  April 30 Wellington leavesToulouse for Paris  May 3 Wellington created Duke  May 14 Wellington returns toToulouse  May 17 Wellington leavesToulouse for Madrid, remaining there from the 24th until 8 June  May 30 Treaty of Paris signed  June Start of dispersal of Allied troops in south-west France  June 13 Wellington resigns command of Spanish forces  June 14 Wellington's Farewell to his troops near Bordeaux  June 23 Wellington reaches Dover after five years and two months absence from Britain  Aug 8 Wellington leaves for Paris as ambassador  Sep Last British troops in the vicinity of Bayonne and the Spanish frontier sail for England  Dec 24 End of the American War 1815 Jan 24 Wellington leaves Paris to attend Congress of Vienna  Feb 26 Napoleon escapes from Elba 5  March 7 Nerws of the escape reachesVicnna  March 20 Napoleon enters Paris  March 29 Wellington leaves Vienna  Apr 5 Wellington reaches Brussels  Apr 18 Napoleon defeated atWaterloo