Busaco

Today we did Command and Colors: Napoleonics scenario Bussaco (Reynier's Attack), with Josh commanding the Angle-Portuguese army and me taking the French. The French demonstrated on the right, moving their battalions into position; the British began moving their forces up to the front of the ridge. A sharp exchange of fire between light companies forced the British artillery to retreat, but decimated the two leading voltigeur companies. I hadn't brought all of my infantry battalions up to the front but decided to launch my assault with what I had on the line, before the British were fully prepared. The drums beat the pas de charge and three battalions attacked with the bayonet. On the left, a Redcoat battalion had come down from the ridge, and my grognards broke them and sent them running. In the center, the British light company waited till the last moment and fired, causing many casualties, but my assault column maintained the attack and many a British sharpshooter fell to a French bayonet. On the right, the attack faltered and the Redcoats were able to drive back the column. Our artillery battery bombarded the exposed British Li

ght battalion in the center and broke them; on the left, the survivors of the assault column pursued the fleeing English and destroyed them.

And then the tide of Fortune turned. A Portuguese battalion took my assault column in flank and destroyed it, while long range gunnery finished off the survivors of the voltigeurs in the center, and a unit on the right as well.

The French heavy cavalry on the left swept across the battlefield in a mad charge to try to save the battle, but the Portuguese infantry formed square and the cavalry could do nothing.

As they milled around, the British dragoons countercharged; the French withdrew, but the British pursued and put them to flight. Massena saw he could do nothing against British arms, and withdrew.

Final score, 6 to 2.

French losses: 3 line infantry, 1 light infantry, 1 foot artillery, 1 heavy cavalry.

British losses: 1 line infantry, 1 light infantry.