Portuguese Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars: Combat Record

By João Centeno

Campaign of 1809

Under the Immediate Command of Beresford

Three Portuguese batteries under the command of Major Victor von Arentschild, of the King’s German Legion, with guns of 6 pounders, a light battery with of 3 pounders, and a English  with 3 pounder guns.

Siege guns from batteries of the 4th Regiment of Artillery

The 1^st Regiment (Lisbon), with one battery commanded by Capitan Barreiros, who participated in the defense of the bridge of Amarante 18 April and  2 May, also 2 batteries from the 4^th regiment (Porto), commanded by Lieutenant Bento José Vieira de Sá Barreto.

Campaign of 1810

The Portuguese Artillery consisted of four regiments of about 1,200 men each, from which batteries were formed for campaign service or for garrison duty.  In general they were organized in batteries of 5 pieces and 1 howitzer, composed of about 140 men.

The following units fought at Bussaco 

1º Regiment

2º Regiment

4º Regiment

There were also in front, but not engaged on Bussaco, two more batteries that were with the Lecor Division behind the Alva na Ponte position of Murcella

Two field batteries joined the army in the Torres Vedras Lines after its retreat:

The rest of the artillery in Lisbon was used as garrison artillery for the Lines and it received many poorly trained volunteers of the Milicias and Ordenanças, so it cannot be consider as forming part of the regular army (of Line).

The 4th Regiment of the Portuguese Artillery (Porto) only supplied a battery (the one of Captain António de Sousa Passos) for Wellington's army.  The others were with Silveira's army in the north, Trant´s Militia, or part of the garrison of Porto. The 4^th Regiment had also contributed to Almeida Fortress garrison

The 3rd Regiment did not supply any element for the field army or the garrison of the Torres Vedras Lines. It was absorbed in the garrisons of Abrantes, Elvas, Campo Maior, and other places in the South border of Tejo.

Campaign of 1811

Five Portuguese campaign batteries accompanied Wellington's Army in the pursuit of Massená and fought at Fuentes de Oñoro.

Fuentes de Oñoro (3-5 May 1811)

Commander of All Anglo-Allied Artillery: Brigadier Howorth
Commander of the Portuguese artillery force:

Two batteries, under the command of Major Dickson, were with Marshal Beresford in Estremadura and fought at Albuera on 13 May.

For the 2 sieges of Badajoz in May and June:

The 4th regiment supplied Silveira's body with two batteries under the command of Capitães F. J. de Mariz and D. G. Ferreri which saw action against  Claparéde in the beginning of the year.

The half  company that defended Campo Maior in March, came from the 3rd Regiment and it was commanded by Lieutenant J. Leal  Murteira.

Battle of Arroyo de Molinos 28 October 1811

Artillery Commander: Major Hartmann K.G.L
Commander of the Portuguese Artillery: Romão de Arriaga

The Campaign of 1812

Eight Portuguese batteries were with the Anglo-Allied Army in 1812. Five of these batteries were equipped with 5 9 pounder guns and 1 5.5 inch howitzer. The other three were armed with  5  6 Pounders and 1 5.5 inch howitzer. Eight Batteries were kept in reserve in Portugal.

Salamanca

Commander of All Anglo-Allied Artillery:  Lieutenant -Colonel Hoylet Framingham
Commander of the Portuguese Artillery:

Major Arriaga

Campaign of 1813

Vitoria  21 June 1813

Commander of Anglo-Allied Artillery: Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Dickson

Commander of the Portuguese artillery force:

July 1813

The Campaign of 1814

Battle of Nivelle

Battle of  Nive

Battle of Orthes

Battle of Toulouse 10 April 1814

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