THE BATTLE

At right, contemporary portrayal of the battle, looking from the attack of the II corps at the San Antonio pass towards the high point of the ridge where the British 1st Division was stationed.

At 06:00 hours on 27 September, Reynier set the IInd Corps on its way up the serra de busaco. It took the Frenchmen around thirty minutes to climb the rugged slopes by which time they were exhausted and their ranks were disorganised. They were bombarded by the Anglo-Portuguese artillery as they struggled up the mountainside, and the long climb up to the San Antonio pass enabled Leith's 5th Division to march along the prepared road to support the 3rd Division.

The one advantage that the attackers had -- that of being able to chose the point of attack and thereby achieve local superiority -- was lost.

Lacking impetuous and cohesion because of the difficulty of the terrain, the attack of the IInd Corps was easily repulsed and with very heavy losses.

Even though Reynier had failed to capture the ridge, Ney drove the VI Corps up the Coimbra road, pushing back the allied skirmishers on the lower slopes. To the leading regiments of the VI Corps, the hillside above them seemed unoccupied apart from a few pieces of artillery.

At right, General Craufurd signals the charge.

But as they approached the crest of the serra the Light Division suddenly appeared on the skyline just a few feet ahead of them. Before the astonished climbers could react the Light Division had charged in amongst them, sending the Frenchmen tumbling down the mountain in bloody ruin.

At left, "Craufurd's Rock." From the shelter of this rock formation poised on the crest of the ridge, General Craufurd observed the advance of VI corps with the Light Division waiting out of sight just a few paces behind.

Inside two hours the battle was over. Between them the two French corps had lost almost 4,500 men. Massena had been beaten but he had learnt his lesson, for never again would he attack a steep and lofty position.

Historical Background
The Battlefield
The Defenders (and OOB)
The Attackers (and OOB)