After the capture of the Cape Colony Popeham planned a further expedition which seems no less incredible today as it did then. The plan was to sail to South America from the Cape and lead the South American colonists against their masters, thereby depriving Spain of £ 20 million income from the province, and gain Popeham tremendous personal advantage and fame.

Under the mistaken impression that leading government ministers and the Prime Minister would support such a scheme, Popeham set about raising the necessary troops for the expedition. Colonel Beresford of the Cape Garrison with the 71st (Highland) Foot were lent to Popeham by Baird to accompany the small squadron of ships under Popeham's command, comprising of the frigate Narcissus, Diadem and Raisonnable of the line and the 44 gun Diomede. On their stop-over at the island of St. Helena, the islands governor was persuaded by Popeham to lend him 400 men of the St. Helena Battalion.

Fight at Reduccion

Sighting Cape St. Mary on 8th June 1806, Popeham sailed into the Rio de la Plata and by the evening of the 25th had landed his force near the city of Buenos Aires. The British force comprised of 1,400 men of the 71st Foot, 400 men of the St. Helena Battalion and a small body of Marines from HMS Diadem, all under the command of Colonel Beresford.

The British were met as they advanced on the city by a Spanish force of around 1,500 at the village of Reduccion. The British made short work of this opposition and for the loss of one dead and seven Highlanders wounded the Spanish were routed leaving four cannon behind them. The same day, 25th June 1806, the city of Buenos Aires surrendered. A million dollars of prize money was sent back to England but Beresford's position was far from secure. The rich Spanish possessions showed no willingness to accept Britain as their liberator and prepared to fight the invader (the colonists took the opportunity to gain their independence from Spain during the years 1807-16). Dispatches were sent by Popeham and Beresford to England and the Cape for assistance. The unsanctioned expedition was reluctantly supported by the British government. The secretary of War, William Windham, set about organising reinforcements.

Spanish Undiscouraged

After overcoming their initial shock of defeat and seeing how small the British force actually was, the Spanish forces under Pueyreddon regrouped outside Buenos Aires and attacked the city in early August. With around 1,500 men, Pueyreddon fought a short engagement outside the city with elements of the 71st Foot and the St. Helena Battalion and were again dispersed by the British. The British captured ten further Spanish cannon for little loss.

The Spanish regrouped once again and after receiving some reinforcements attacked the city on 10th August. This time Beresford was forced to withdraw his troops inside the old fort on the bank of the Rio de la Plata in the east of the city with the loss of 250 killed and wounded. With no prospect of aid reaching the city from the Cape or England in time, Beresford surrendered to the Spanish. The uniforms of the British were taken and used to dress local units.

Help and Fancy Plans

Sir David Baird answered Beresford's plea for help and dispatched 2,200 men from his Cape forces which reached South America in November 1806. With the aid of 400 Marines and seamen, the 43rd Foot under Lt. Colonel Vassel captured the coastal town of Barda Oriental with no loss and took away a number of cannon. The Spanish defenders lost 50 killed and wounded.

The following day, Vassel's force captured the harbour batteries of Maldonado. However, determined harassment by Spanish colonists forced Vassel to entrench and his force stayed at Moldonado for the next three months, still 70 miles from Montevideo.

In England, incredible plans were drafted for a British force to capture the Spanish province of Chile and link up with Buenos Aires. Also, Sir Arthur Wellesey was to be asked to invade Spanish held Mexico with European and black troops from the west and Indian Sepoys from the east (what an interesting wargaming scenario this offers!), but fortunately sanity prevailed and the plans came to nothing.

Instead, a force under Brig. Gen. Samuel Auchmity was diverted from reinforcing the army in Portugal and sent to South America. Popeham was recalled to England.

Attack on Montevideo

When Auchmity reached South America and after picking-up Vassel's force at Moldonado, he proceeded to Montevideo. Auchmity's combined strength was around 6,300 excluding approximately 1,400 Marines and seamen. All of the units were suffering from the long journey, poor rations and sickness.

Supported by HMS Ardent and Lancaster under Sir Charles Stirling (Popeham's replacement), Auchmity advanced to seize the city but was met 9 miles outside by the Spanish who numbered around 6,000 with cannon and cavalry support. The short but fierce fight that ensued left 1,500 Spanish dead, wounded or prisoner, the credit for the British victory falling to a flanking charge made by the 40th foot and a battalion of the 95th Rifles. Montevideo was now open to attack which the British proceeded to do on 25th January 1807.

Montevideo Falls

The city was well garrisoned and defended by stout stone fortifications with over 160 cannon. However, without the aid of siege artillery or equipment the the aid of siege artillery or equipment the British did succeed in breaching the wall by the 2nd February. The main attack was mounted before sunrise on the 3rd January by a column consisting of the 95th Rifles, the light companies of the line regiments, the grenadiers of the line regiments and the 38th Foot in the van. The 40th and 87th Foot remained in support.

The British assault was eventually successful even though the column lost its direction in the dark and had to unblock the breach which had been filled with rolled cowhides. The city surrendered at daybreak. The cost to the British was 600 dead and wounded for 800 Spanish killed, 400 wounded and 2,000 prisoners. Around 1,500 Spanish troop escaped capture by boat. The British now turned their attention to Buenos Aires.

African Reinforcements

Once news of events reached London, the War Ministry responded with surprising alacrity and diverted a force destined for Africa to join the South American venture. The 1st Battalions of the 5th, 36th, 45th and 88th Foot plus five additional companies of the 95th Rifles, two squadrons of the 6th Dragoon Guards and two companies of artillery reached Montevideo on 14th June 1807. The following month a further small reinforcement arrived along with a new commander, the Inspector-General of Recruiting, Lt-Gen. John Whitelocke. He was apparently a man of little ability and coarse manners, equally disliked by his officers and men.

Marching on the city of Buenos Aires from their camp on the Rio de la Plata at Ensenada de Barragon, Whitelocke's army encountered a Spanish force on the 2nd July just beyond the village of Reduccion at Coral de Miserere. Another bayonet charge by the 95th Rifles and the light battalion forced the colonists from the field into the suburbs of the city, leaving nine cannon and a howitzer to the British.

From Rooftops and Windows

Having marched 30 miles from his camp and won a small victory, Whitelocke contemptuously called upon the city to surrender on the 3rd July. The offer was refused and Whitelocke decided to assault the city.

On the 5th July the British attacked and initially advanced through the streets of Buenos Aires. The British troops were sucked into the long and numerous streets of the city for which thq were not prepared. Spanish defenders fired upon them from the rooftops and windows, every house a bastion. Whitelock's troops were hungry and tired, their overall condition was poor to start with and Whitelock's plan was seriously flawed. He split his force into small groups which were isolated and badly assailed in detail, many were overrun or surrendered. The British not only had to fight the Spanish troops and militia but many towns people who had been incited to resist by the Spanish commander, General Liniers, a French officer in Spanish service.

The fighting continued for nearly two days during which British and Spanish troops displayed great courage. The British who had initially done well, capturing 30 cannon and 1,000 prisoners, began to falter and then grind to a halt. The battle could not be sustained and late evening on the 6th July, Whitelocke received an offer from Liniers. If Whitelocke agreed to evacuate the country, Liniers would release all British prisoners held from the previous year and taken during the present campaign and guarantee an unmolested withdrawal. Whitelocke accepted the offer and withdrew from the city and from the province.

Outcome

The British involvement in South America came to an end and Whitelocke returned home to be cashiered from the army, never to serve the crown in any capacity ever ague. Both Popeham and Whitelocke were disgraced in this badly conceived and ill-fought campaign made worse by the government's response, when immediate and complete withdrawal from the start should have been the order of the day. Popeham was court marshalled and severely reprimanded for his part in this embarrassing venture.

Salt in the Wound

The final humiliation in this chapter of British failure was the capture of the British 12 gun schooner "Belem" by the Hussars de Pueyreddon on 10th August, 1807. The exact details of this remarkable achievement by cavalry are not known, at least not to this author, but gave the Hussars de Pueyreddon an unusual uniform distinction awarded after the event of an oval metal badge of two men of war on a grey cloth background. Salt in the wound for the British without a doubt!

British Units in South America 1806-07

Colonel Beresford 1806:

71st (Highland) Foot: Most captured at Montevideo 1806
St Helena Battalion: Most captured at Montevideo 1806

Brig-Gen Auchmity 1807:

95th Rifles (3 Coys): 5 more Coys arrived July 1807
38th Foot: Capture of Montevideo Feb. 1807
40th Foot: Capture of Montevideo Feb. 1807
87th Foot: Capture of Montevideo Feb. 1807
17th Light Dragoons: Capture of Montevideo Feb. 1807
20/21st Light Dragoons (part): Capture of Montevideo Feb. 1807
71st Foot (1 Coy): Survivors from 1806 campaign
700 Marines & seamen: Capture of Montevideo 1807

Order of Battle under Whitelocke from July 1807

Auchmity's brigade; 5th, 38th, 87th Foot

Crauford's brigade; 95th Rifle. (8 Coys), light infantry (9 Coys)

Lumley's brigade; 17th Light Dragoons, 36th, 38th Foot

Col. Mahon's brigade; 6th Dragoon Guards (2 sqdns) & 9th Lt Dragoons (both dismounted), 40th, 45th Foot.

Paul Wilkinson is the editor of a wargames magazine called THE VOLUNTEER.

The uniform drawings in this and the next part are by Ron Poulter, D Smith and J Balaguer, and appear courtesy of EL DORADO, the International Journal of the South & Central American Military Historians Society. Samples of this publication can be obtained from T Hooker, 27 Hallgate, Cottingham, North Humberside, HU16 4DN, England

Part 2