Osprey Campaign 65 : Badajoz 1812 : Wellington's Bloodiest Siege

Napoleon once said that fortresses would not stop an army, but they would retard its progress. In the case of the mighty Spanish fortress of Badajoz he was absolutely correct. For not only did it prove to be a very sharp thorn in the side of the Allied army's progress in the Peninsula but it cost Wellington the flower of his army in the great assault that finally wrenched it from French hands on the night of 6 April 1812. The assault can hardly be described as successful, accompanied as it was by such great loss of life. Indeed, it was only the sheer determination of Wellington's men, driving themselves on through a maelstrom of fire against the towns massive walls, that won the day. The fall of Badajoz had terrible consequences for the town's population, and the 72-hour period of debauchery, murder and destruction brought down upon it buy the Wellington's victorious soldiers remains one of the most shameful episodes in the long history of the British army. The story of the siege and storming of Badajoz - and of its northern counterpart, Ciudad Rodrigo - is the subject of this book by Ian Fletcher and accompanied by illustrations by Bill Younghusband.

Contents

• The Peninsular War
• The Opposing Commanders
• The Opposing Armies
• Siege Warfare
• The Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo
• The March South
• Badajoz - The Town
• The Besieged and the Besiegers
• The Siege of Badajoz
• The Assault
• The sacking of Badajoz
• Aftermath
• Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz Today
• Glossary
• Bibliography