Battle of Bussaco

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Battle of Bussaco
Part of Peninsular War
Plan of the battle of Bussaco
Date 27 September 1810[1] Location Bussaco, near Luso, Portugal 40°20′N 8°20′W / 40.333°N 8.333°W / 40.333; -8.333 Result Anglo-Portuguese victory[1]
Belligerents
United Kingdom Portugal	France
Commanders and leaders
Viscount Wellington Luís do Rego	André Masséna Michel Ney Jean Reynier
Strength
32,000[1]–35,765[2]	45,774[2]–58,000[1]
Casualties and losses
1,300[3][1]–1,356[2] dead or wounded	2,456[2]–4,500[3][1] dead or wounded

Lisbon

Roliça

Vimeiro

Chaves

Braga

Grijó

Porto

Almeida

Bussaco

TorresVedras

Redinha

Sabugal

FuentesDeOñoro

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Peninsular war: Portugal
1807 1808 1809 1810 1811

The Battle of Buçaco (pronounced [buˈsaku]) or Bussaco was fought on 27 September 1810 during the Peninsular War in the Portuguese mountain range of Serra do Buçaco, resulting in the defeat of French forces by Lord Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army.^[4][5]

Having occupied the heights of Bussaco, a 10-mile (16 km) long ridge located at 40°20'40"N, 8°20'15"W, with 25,000 British and the same number of Portuguese, Wellington was attacked five times successively by 65,000 French under Marshal André Masséna. Masséna was uncertain as to the disposition and strength of the opposing forces because Wellington had deployed them on the reverse slope of the ridge, where they could neither be easily seen nor easily softened up with artillery. The actual assaults were made by the corps of Marshal Michel Ney and General of Division (Major General) Jean Reynier, but after much fierce fighting they failed to dislodge the allied forces and were driven off after having lost 4,500 men against 1,250 Anglo-Portuguese casualties. However, Wellington was ultimately forced to withdraw to the Lines of Torres Vedras after his positions were outflanked by Masséna's troops.