056 Albuera 16 May 1811 - WDS Bonaparte's Peninsular War

Albuera 16th May 1811 - With the key fortress of Badajoz under siege by a Anglo-Portuguese army under Beresford, Soult decided to relieve the garrison, hoping to crush the British before General Blake's Spanish army could march to their assistance. However, while Soult knew that a small Spanish force under Castanos had joined forces with the Anglo-Portuguese army, he was unaware that Blake too had managed to rendezvous with the British at Albuera, arriving after dark and carefully deploying out of sight of the French. Soult sent Godinot's brigade, supported by two batteries and Briche's cavalry, directly against the village of Albuera as a diversion, keeping Werle's brigade in reserve, meanwhile the main French attack was launched against the enemy's right flank. While the diversion failed to fool Beresford, it did nevertheless result in most of Blake's Spanish failing to redeploy promptly to meet the real threat.