The Battle of Barrosa: Forgotten Battle of the Peninsular War

By the winter of 1810–11, the armies of Napoleon had overrun most of Spain and Joseph Bonaparte sat on the throne in Madrid. But the Spanish Government had found refuge in the fortress-port of Cadiz and the Spaniards refused to admit that they had been conquered. With a British army under Sir Thomas Graham helping to defend Cadiz, the Spanish cause seemed certain to prevail.

But then the Spaniards wanted to throw Graham’s force into a reckless battle against the French. If the battle was won...