1. Panorama South West from Joseph's and Jourdan's command post on the Knoll of Arinez. The cleft in the mountains in the centre right of the picture is where the river Zadorra enters the valley before looping around to the right. The modern motorway, (there always is one), follows the route of the old Great Road off to the left of the picture. The mountains in the distance to the left are the Heights of Puebla. It was along the slopes of these mountains and even on their tops that General Hill advanced early in the morning with the 2nd Division, Silveira'a Portuguese Division and Morillo's Spanish Division in all some 20,000 men. He was met by French forces under General Gazan and fierce fighting ensued which raged from 8.30 am to noon.
2. View West from the French command post towards the Hill of Iruna and the Valley of the Bayas where Wellingtons forces were bivouacked. Although the Knoll of Arinez has a commanding view of the battlefield it has one great drawback, the Hill of Iruna, in the middle distance, blocks the view of the River Zadorra as it passes behind it. More importantly it also hides a vital bridge over the river.
3. The hidden bridge of Tres Puentes Wellington was in personal command of the forces in this area, the Light Division and the 4th Division, approximately 15,000 men. Part of this force, Kempt's brigade, crossed the river virtually unseen by the French because a local peasant had shown the British the unguarded bridge. Unfortunately for the peasant one of the only two cannon balls fired at the advancing forces took his head off.
4. The Bridge at Villodas where the main part of the Light and 4th Divisions crossed the river.
5. Panorama North from the Knoll. Dalhousie and the 7th Division marched across the hills in the distance and then was supposed to move south to join with Picton's 3rd Division for and attack into the northern French flank across the river. This force would have approximately 15,000 men.
Unfortunately Dalhousie's men were delayed in the rough country. Picton's men, marching across relatively easier ground, were in position at about the same time as Kempt's men crossed the river at Tres Puentes. Picton was not noted for his patience and fumed at the delay caused by the 7th Divisions non arrival. When an aide arrived from Wellington enquiring about Dalhousie there ensued one of the most memorable exchanges in Picton's colourful career.
- "No sir! I have not seen his lordship [Dalhousie]: but have you any orders for me, sir!"
"None," replied the aide-de-camp.
"Then pray sir," continued the irritated general. "what are the orders you do bring?"
"Why, answered the officer, "that as soon as Lord Dalhousie, with the seventh division, shall commence an attack upon the bridge" (pointing to one on the left) [Puente de Mendoza], "the fourth and sixth are to support him.
Picton could not understand the idea of any other division fighting in his front; and, drawing himself up to his full height, he said to the astonished aide-de-camp with some passion,
"You may tell Lord Wellington from me, sir, that the third division under my command shall in less than ten minutes attack the bridge and carry it, and the fourth and sixth divisions may support if they choose."
Having thus expressed his intention, he turned from the aide-de-camp, and put himself at the head of his soldiers, who were quickly in motion towards the bridge; encouraging them with the bland appellation of "Come on, ye rascals! - Come on, ye fighting villains!" [2]
The men of the 3rd Division followed their fiery General over the Puente de Mendoza and were soon fighting their way up towards the Knoll of Arinez.
6. Looking down towards the bridge of Puente de Mendoza from Joseph's and Jourdan's command post on the Knoll.
7. Looking back to the French command post from the Puente de Mendoza, the knoll is in the centre of the photograph just to the left of the bridge. Wellington came to Picton's aide by moved his forces from the behind the hill of Iruna and driving off the French artillery. Picton's Division stormed the Knoll of Arinez, took it after a fierce fight and moved on south to cut the main road.
8/9. Graham meanwhile with the 1st and 5th Divisions, Pack's and Bradford's Portuguese, and Longa's Spaniards, some 25,000 men had marched across the hills and was descending across the river in an attempt to cut the main road. Reille's force held him up for some time but with the main British force pushing a by now shattered French main force up from the west Graham redoubled his efforts. Reille was forced off the road and the French army scattered, some to the east, others to the north along the main road.
10. The flat valley floor to the east of the Knoll of Arinez looking towards Vitoria town which is hidden in the haze and industrial smog.
Wellington's forces overran the French supply park filled with the booty of their occupation of Spain. This was the best rearguard the French could have asked for, the British army dispersed into a frenzy of looting. Wellington was dismayed that this ill-discipline allowed large numbers of the French to escape. Never the less the gains of the battle were impressive.
The French were forced to abandon much of the north of Spain and Wellington could get on with besieging San Sabastion and Pamplona. Perhaps more important however was the strategic effect on the rest of Europe. After Napoleon's impressive performance in Germany in the summer of 1813 the coalition against him had stalled. Austria sat on the fence. When news of Vitoria reached Vienna it proved to be a turning point of the 1813 campagn. Beethoven composed his Victory Symphony in Wellingtons honour and the Austrians joined the coalition against Napoleon on August 12.
Napoleon won at Dresden on 26/27 August but suffered his worst defeat at Leipzig on 16 -19 October. The Spanish ulcer had proved once again that it could have adverse effects upon the French colossus. It has often been seen mistakenly as a war on the margins, a side show. Never the less between them the British army under Wellington with the Spanish and Portuguese peoples had been a continual drain on French resources and moral. The victories won in the Peninsula spread their tentacles out to the rest of occupied Europe. They help strangle the Napoleonic tyranny and give inspiration to the subjugated peoples of Europe.
Footnotes
1 All information regarding the numbers of troops involved is taken from Jac Weller, Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814, published by Greenhill Books, Lionel Leventhal Ltd, 1992, p 247/269.
2 H. B. Robinson, Memoirs of Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, II p 208-10. Taken from Jac Weller, Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814, published by Greenhill Books, Lionel Leventhal Ltd, 1992.
Bibliography
David Chandler, Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars published by Greenhill Books, Lionel Leventhal Ltd, 1993.
Ian Fletcher, Fields of Fire Battlefields of the Peninsular War, published by Spellmount Ltd, 1994
Jac Weller, Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814, published by Greenhill Books, Lionel Leventhal Ltd, 1992.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Alan Rooney and Ian Fletcher of Midas Battlefield Tours for a most interesting and enjoyable trip to Spain in 1995. This allowed me to view many Peninsular War fortresses and battlefields including Vitoria.
Finally to my wife Elizabeth, who has to proof read this and many other efforts, her corrections of my spellings and punctuation benefit us all.
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