Wellington Strikes: Salamanca 1812
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Date: 2022-09-12
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Comments and reviews: 14
Carl
It should be noted that the killing, raping, and looting of Badajoz was completely in keeping with the customs of warfare of the time.
When a city was besieged, it was summoned to surrender by the besieger. This was usually refused.
At that point, the bombardment of the city began and continued until there was an assaultable breach in the city defenses. The city was summoned to surrender again, though with more strict terms.
If they did not surrender and an assault on the breach was necessary, it was understood that the officers would lose control of the troops and everything within the city was free for the taking. There was even an elaborate system of 'paying upwards' for the looters. the troops paid up a third to the officers, the officers paid up a third of their total take to the division commanders, the division commanders paid up a third of their total to the army commander. And it was in this way that a great many noble houses and officer made their fortunes.
What made Wellington's army so different was that he had field provosts [the original Royal Military Police] who summarily hung the men who were still looting after dawn, and he was quite careful about keeping troops 'under discipline' after that one night of rapine and slaughter.
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It should be noted that the killing, raping, and looting of Badajoz was completely in keeping with the customs of warfare of the time.
When a city was besieged, it was summoned to surrender by the besieger. This was usually refused.
At that point, the bombardment of the city began and continued until there was an assaultable breach in the city defenses. The city was summoned to surrender again, though with more strict terms.
If they did not surrender and an assault on the breach was necessary, it was understood that the officers would lose control of the troops and everything within the city was free for the taking. There was even an elaborate system of 'paying upwards' for the looters. the troops paid up a third to the officers, the officers paid up a third of their total take to the division commanders, the division commanders paid up a third of their total to the army commander. And it was in this way that a great many noble houses and officer made their fortunes.
What made Wellington's army so different was that he had field provosts [the original Royal Military Police] who summarily hung the men who were still looting after dawn, and he was quite careful about keeping troops 'under discipline' after that one night of rapine and slaughter.
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Paco
Wellington and portugueses army they wouldn't anithing without the spanish army and the heroic civil spaniard people for exemple military Miguel de alava: enough of so much anglocentrism; united kingdom i never have beaten the nazis alone for exemple. In the Paint of contemporary Goya levantamiento del dos de mayoi It may look the spaniards slaughtering of elite napoleonic corps of rompers. If you think that Spain yours; you don't know
us at all.
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Wellington and portugueses army they wouldn't anithing without the spanish army and the heroic civil spaniard people for exemple military Miguel de alava: enough of so much anglocentrism; united kingdom i never have beaten the nazis alone for exemple. In the Paint of contemporary Goya levantamiento del dos de mayoi It may look the spaniards slaughtering of elite napoleonic corps of rompers. If you think that Spain yours; you don't know
us at all.
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PedanticGaming
A bit more information about the Battle of Garcia Hernandez, the reason for the remarkable feat of breaking 2 French squares with cavalry is actually shown in the image, the initial French square fired too late and a mortally wounded horse and rider crashed into it, causing it to break up. Seeing this calamity a second French square flinched at the crucial moment and allowed the cavalry to break it up as well.
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A bit more information about the Battle of Garcia Hernandez, the reason for the remarkable feat of breaking 2 French squares with cavalry is actually shown in the image, the initial French square fired too late and a mortally wounded horse and rider crashed into it, causing it to break up. Seeing this calamity a second French square flinched at the crucial moment and allowed the cavalry to break it up as well.
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Suman
Why is it that Napoleon was personally not present in the peninsular war, still confuses me, especially after Austrian mainland victory when the East was settled for a while. Sure his presence would have made a difference, what he was doing was simply communicating with his troops in Spain and Portugal.
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Why is it that Napoleon was personally not present in the peninsular war, still confuses me, especially after Austrian mainland victory when the East was settled for a while. Sure his presence would have made a difference, what he was doing was simply communicating with his troops in Spain and Portugal.
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Jolanta
Prince welli, your shoes have arrived, you might join the battlefield now.
Who do you take me for?
A simple plunt a gennet?
Not plungin in this mud for jewels of armada.
You. Make it victory ground.
Victory first. Ground after.
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Prince welli, your shoes have arrived, you might join the battlefield now.
Who do you take me for?
A simple plunt a gennet?
Not plungin in this mud for jewels of armada.
You. Make it victory ground.
Victory first. Ground after.
reply
The
Interesting fact about Wellington's brother-in-law, Pakenham. He would go on to lead British forces during the battle of New Orleans against future American president, Andrew Jackson. That battle did not end as well for him as Salamanca.
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Interesting fact about Wellington's brother-in-law, Pakenham. He would go on to lead British forces during the battle of New Orleans against future American president, Andrew Jackson. That battle did not end as well for him as Salamanca.
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Alex
Its a good narrative although with a British bias. The Spanish were very valiant in their fight against Napoleon. Why all the put downs? I believe that due to ingrained cultural bias, British historians simply cannot help themselves.
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Its a good narrative although with a British bias. The Spanish were very valiant in their fight against Napoleon. Why all the put downs? I believe that due to ingrained cultural bias, British historians simply cannot help themselves.
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Xorn
I always wonder, whether a highly mobile French army, with lots of cavalry and horse-artillery would have been better suited to counter the British advances into Spain!
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I always wonder, whether a highly mobile French army, with lots of cavalry and horse-artillery would have been better suited to counter the British advances into Spain!
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robdee81
It feels crazy watching a video on a long ago historical battle but still being able to say that my old regiment fought in it.
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It feels crazy watching a video on a long ago historical battle but still being able to say that my old regiment fought in it.
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Charles
Wellington never attacks. Defense if done properly always has advantage, I always heard you need a 5-1 to break defense army.
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Wellington never attacks. Defense if done properly always has advantage, I always heard you need a 5-1 to break defense army.
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Drink
The Spanish know this battle as the Battle of Arapiles, after the nearby set of hills. Salamanca was about 10km away.
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The Spanish know this battle as the Battle of Arapiles, after the nearby set of hills. Salamanca was about 10km away.
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El
The letter G is only pronounced weak in front of i and e. All other vocals after G means it should be pronounces hard.
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The letter G is only pronounced weak in front of i and e. All other vocals after G means it should be pronounces hard.
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Boom
Just goes to show the retreats of these huge formations is so catastrophic if done in disorder or collapse
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Just goes to show the retreats of these huge formations is so catastrophic if done in disorder or collapse
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Canario
Moraline of the story, all are welcome to visit Spain as tourists, but think twice before invading xD
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Moraline of the story, all are welcome to visit Spain as tourists, but think twice before invading xD
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