Meanwhile, the third Franco-Spanish division had got across from Estremadura and invaded Alentejo.
At the beginning of September, a return gave 5,212 British troops (excepting the 16th Burgoyne's Light Horse) of whom 862 were sick. The same day, Townshend's corps reached Cabaos his new positions after a march of 240 km from Pinhel by the bridge of Murcela, then boarding bateaux on the Codes, an affluent of the Zzere. By mid-July, the small Portuguese army was mostly cantoned in the villages of Tomar, Atalaia, Tancos, Torres Novas, Golega. This page was last edited on 11 October 2021, at 19:35. These works were completed by July 30. The Count of Santiago vainly tried to recapture the place of Alfalaiates, the conduct of some officers (among which Major Francisco Antonio da Veiga Cabral of Bragana Cavalry, Major Manuel Ferreira de Seyxas of Penamacor Infantry and the aide-major of 2nd Penamacor) in this action being so despicable that they were put under arrest at Abrantes. Because no major battles were fought, even though there were numerous movements of troops, the war is known in the Portuguese history as the Fantastic War (Portuguese and Spanish: Guerra Fantstica). General Burgoyne, who was in charge of the defence of the south bank of the Tagus in this area, noticed that only a small force was guarding the Spanish battery at Vila Velha and ordered Lieutenant-colonel Lee to take the head of a detachment (100 Portuguese grenadiers, 200 men of the 85th Foot and 50 men of the 16th Light Horse), to pass the Tagus and to attack this position. On October 18, Lippe-Bckeburg's main army returned to Mao while Burgoyne's corps took position between Nisa and Montalvao. Meanwhile, the Portuguese forts on the Tagus were being repaired. France hoped that this new front would draw away British forces, now directed against France. His camp was centred around the village of Sardoal with the Tagus to his right, the Codes to his left and the Zzere in his rear. He also ordered the arrest of Joao Palha de Almeida, the former governor of Salvaterra. On his way, he reviewed with satisfaction the troops of the Count de Santiago. XII No. On November 8, Lippe-Bckeburg instructed his artillery to move closer to Portalegre. He then wrote to the Count of Lippe-Bckeburg to try to exonerate himself, blaming the workers who had deserted, pretending that he had left Vila Velha to retrieve new workers at Nisa and asking for new instructions. Burgoyne had been ordered to cover the border between Portalegre and Vila Velha de Rodao. At this date, the British contingent was encamped in the region of Punhete at Vila Nova de Constncia. This town was now the last place defending northern Portugal and the Count of Lippe-Bckeburg ordered the governor of the place to hold until the enemy had opened a 30-men wide breach. Saunders sadly recognised that his chance was gone. On July 22, the Count of Lippe-Bckeburg established his headquarters in Abrantes. On November 12, Lippe-Bckeburg, informed of manoeuvres of the Franco-Spanish army near the Portuguese border, ordered his troops wintering in Beira country to leave their quarters and to assemble in an entrenched camp near Portalegre in the Alentejo where he established his headquarters. A Spanish party forced the British to abandon this position but in this mountainous area, it was easy to find new positions to constantly delay the progress of the Spanish army. The main corps assembled at Zamora. One was thrown across the Zzere near Punhete (Constancia), several across the Tagus including the aforementioned bridge at Sa Miguel, one in the Alentejo, near Ortigas, and another in Tancos. On September 11, a column was sent to occupy a position near the mouth of the Arouce. He himself, besides his detached ships, had 15 ships of the line in Gibraltar Bay ready to sail at a moment's notice. At about this time, the Mecklenburg Cavalry left Lisbon to join Lippe-Bckeburg's army. At Lippe's arrival, the Portuguese army was under the command of Field-Marshal Marquis de Alvito, a man with absolutely no military experience. The towns of Chaves and Almeida remained in Spanish possession for another 3 months. In South America the Spanish Cevallos expedition was more successful, capturing Portuguese settlements in present-day Uruguay, including Colonia del Sacramento. Another similar bridge was planned at Santarem. Lord Loudoun was now at Sardoal; Brigadier Burgoyne at Tolosa; the Count de Santiago at Alcains and Townshend at Celorico. Meanwhile, on the pretext of Portuguese friendship with Great Britain, a Spanish army of 42,000 men concentrated in 3 divisions under the overall command of the Marquis de Sarria. He also sent Brigadier John Burgoyne, colonel of the 16th Light Horse, with a detachment of 2,800 men (400 light dragoons, 6 British infantry coys of the 3rd Regiment of Foot and 11 Portuguese grenadiers coys, with 2 howitzers and 2 light guns) upon Valencia de Alcantra, not very far from Badajoz, where the vanguard of the third division was with the main magazine. Portugal had been struck by the disastrous 1755 Lisbon earthquake. On Sunday September 5 in the morning, Colonel Bohm was waiting for a column at Tomar. The Belle-Isle transports passed into Lisbon without interruption either from Ferrol or Cadiz. On September 2, Lippe-Bckeburg was back to Abrantes where he established his headquarters. However, supplies had not followed and he was forced to retire to Chaves. This article is essentially an abridged and adapted version of texts from the following books which are now in the public domain: Francis A. D., The Campaign in Portugal, 1762 in "Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research", Vol. This put a stop to his plan to advance into Spain with his main army. On May 1, orders were sent to the British troops stationed on Belle-Isle for the despatch of 4 regiments of infantry (3rd Buffs, 67th Lambert's Foot, 75th Boscawens Foot, 85th Crawfords Light Infantry), together with 8 coys of the Royal Regiment of Artillery under Colonel Pattison and Major Forbes McBean, and the 16th Burgoyne's Light Horse, to Portugal (John Burgoyne was later to come to unfortunate prominence in America, by surrendering at Saratoga).
Besides the 16th Light Horse, he had under his command the 85th Crawfords Light Infantry, Olivenca Infantry, and Cais Cavalry. The king of Portugal rejected their repeated requests. On December 10, the Spanish Court issued orders to seize every British vessel, man-of-war or merchantman, in the Spanish ports, with an embargo on all Spanish ships, so as to prevent the news of the seizure getting abroad. On October 7, Lee's detachment surprised the Spanish camp at Villa Velha, dispersed it with considerable loss, captured 6 guns and 60 artillery mules, and burned the artillery depot, at a cost of only 1 man killed and 10 wounded. The British ambassador in Madrid had informed London that there was a squadron of 11 ships of the line in Ferrol ready for sea, and that 1,500 troops had marched to that port to embark for the West Indies. Early in November, the components of the bridge under construction at Santarem were transported to Abrantes to replace part of the bridges there which had been greatly damaged by usage. At the end of April, the first British stores arrived in Portugal. By the end of 1761, Saunders had not yet received any instruction from Great Britain. His information was that the Spaniards had 10 ships of the line in Cadiz. Two more regiments consisting mostly of raw recruits (83rd Armstrongs Foot and 91st Blayneys Foot) were added from Ireland, bringing the total up to about 7,000 men. On December 24, orders were issued to all British stations to commence hostilities. The general hospital of the British auxiliary forces was established at Santarem. At the beginning of October, the Portuguese army, who was still encamped near Abrantes, marched towards Mao to be in a position to defend the defiles. Burgoyne passed the Tagus at Abrantes. On July 14, after parting with the transports, Hawke made for Cape Clear. The Portuguese minister in London asked for 12,000 foot, about 3,500 horse, guns and arms for the whole Portuguese army, and a complete staff to organise and command it. On December 12, Lippe-Bckeburg moved his headquarters to Vila Viosa. On November 20, 7 ships of the line and 2 frigates were ordered to reinforce Saunders, bringing the Mediterranean fleet up to 19 ships of the line and a dozen frigates, and at the same time Keppel was ordered to send him 3 bomb-vessels. By August 20, General Townshend commanded a force consisting of. By mid October, the Count of Aranda, the Spanish commander-in-chief, informed that Townshend had suddenly appeared in the vicinity of Fundo, Sabugal and Penamacor; and realizing that it would not be easy to take Abrantes with his depleted forces; decided to retreat to Castelo Branco with the intention to penetrate into the Alentejo. In fact, operations required several bridges of boats. On August 26, the Anglo-Portuguese main body reached Gavia, exhausted due to bad supplies. An Anglo-Portuguese army, composed of 18,000 men, formed under the command of Wilhelm, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe was able to repel the invasion.[3]. On November 1, Fraser's Portuguese corps was reported at 5 bns totalling 1,112 men and 2 cavalry rgts totalling 210 horse. Oeiras also asked for 3 British ships from Admiral Saunder's squadron based in Gibraltar to take post at Lisbon. Some of these officers were then sent back home. On September 14, the troops of Generals Dom Rodrigo de Noronha and Dom Luis de Portugal were ordered to return to Abrantes. One regiment had already gone to Majorca, and another was on its way, and 2 vessels laden with arms and ammunition had sailed for the West Indies from Barcelona. Early in May, the northernmost Spanish division, assembled in Galicia. Meanwhile, in Beira country, Townshend occupied Penamacor and Monsanto. The French contingent advanced as far as Celorico, forcing Lippe-Bckeburg to come to the rescue of the forces in these quarters. A few days later, Torre de Moncorvo surrendered, and within a week the Spaniards were master of the Douro.
Lippe divided each of the original Portuguese regiments into two battalions. 25-43, McHugh, Don, and Mike Kirby, The Portugal Campaign 1762 - France and Spain Invade, Seven Years War Association Journal Vol. Meanwhile, Lippe-Bckeburg had instructed the Count de Santiago to abandon his positions at Alvito, 7 km from Sobreira-Formosa, and to destroy the fortifications before his departure. On August 28, Lippe-Bckeburg's main force retired to Nisa where he established his headquarters. LVIV No.237 (Spring 1981), David, Francis; Portugal 1715-1808 Joanine, Pombaline and Rococo Portugal as sees by British diplomats and traders, London: Tamesis Books, 1985, pp. The poorly trained Portuguese army then consisted of about 9,000 foot and 1,300 horse. During the war, a FrancoSpanish army, of about 40,000 men, invaded Portugal in 1762 through the border of Trs-os-Montes, conquering Miranda, Bragana and Chaves. Meanwhile, Lippe-Bckeburg moved his headquarters to Mao, in anticipation of a Spanish offensive across the Zzere against the Portuguese headquarters at Abrantes. Loudoun planned to make a junction with the Portuguese army at Abrantes but lack of suitable transports delayed him considerably. Bhm mentioned that his 5 Portuguese battalions averaged about 150 men each. On September 8, the Portuguese division finally arrived at Miranda do Corvo where Lippe-Bckeburg established his headquarters. On May 6, the 2 regiments from Ireland and a detachment of the 16th Light Horse from England arrived in Lisbon. On November 19, the British ultimatum was received in Madrid. On October 24, after ordering the destruction of the fortifications of Salvaterra and Segura, Aranda decided to evacuate Castelo Branco, leaving his sicks behind. After landing the troops which Saunders had heard of at Minorca, it sailed for Hyres and made no attempt to come out. On October 15, an engagement took place near Codos. When the Seven Years' War between France and Great Britain started in 1756, Spain and Portugal remained neutral. As soon as he was informed of this retreat, Lippe-Bckeburg detached Brigadier Fraser with 4 bns and 2 cavalry rgts to pursue the retiring Franco-Spanish army.
