BarossaMarch 5, 1811

After Marshal Massena belatedly outflanked Wellington's position at Bussaco, Napoleon ordered Marshal Soult to support Massena by invading Portugal from Andalusia. By executing this movement, Napoleon left Marshal Victor's I Corps outnumbered versus the garrison of Cadiz he was blockading. This disparity of numbers was not left unnoted by the Allies. They planned to land a large part of their garrison behind Victor's entrenchments. Together with a strong sortie by the remainder of the garrison, the French would be caught and destroyed between the two Allied forces. In the last days of February 1811, the Allies made their plan a reality by landing some 13,000 men approximately 45 miles behind Victor's lines of investment. Lead by the Spanish hero of Bailen, de la Peña, and the British General Graham, the Anglo-Spanish force started north in the rain along the old coastal road from Gibraltar to Cadiz. Due to the terrible road conditions, the Allied force made slow progress toward Cadiz. In consequence, the sortie from Cadiz on 2 March was made while the assault force was several miles distant and unable to assist. The sortie was repulsed and Victor made aware of the Allied plan. Feeling apprehensive about his current weak position, Marshal Victor decided to leave only a small covering force in front of Cadiz. With the remaining 10,000 men of his Corps, he would engage and destroy the Allied landing force. Deploying Vilatte's Division across the Cadiz road, Victor placed his other two Divisions north of the road, concealed by a pine forest and rising ground. On 5 March, La Peña, moving slightly faster than Graham, encountered Vilatte's Division barring the Cadiz road. La Peña's fire was the signal for the Cadiz garrison sortie in force. Threatened from the front and the rear, Vilatte withdrew his command to the swampy ground north of the Cadiz road. With the Allied columns spread out on the road in front of him, Victor launched his Divisions into the Allied flank. Ruffin's Division crossed the high ground to their front and fell violently onto the rear of the Allied army. La Pena's trailing brigades were plunged into disorder and confusion by this unexpected onslaught. In the meantime, Leval advanced, covered by the woods, onto the Allied center. There he encountered the fast reacting Wheatley's Brigade. The French 8th Regiment was badly mauled and lost it's Eagle. Wheatley's attack compelled Leval to withdraw his entire Division. On the Allied left-rear, Dilke's Brigade counter-attacked Ruffin vigorously. Despite the withering fire the French were pouring into his columns, Dilke's men continued to go forward. A small outflanking force deployed by Ruffin was roughly handled by the still advancing British and the French were forced to withdraw. The Allied assault had resulted in the complete lifting of the Cadiz siege, the capture of several hundred prisoners, and the capture of an Imperial Eagle. All told the French lost some 2,500 men while the Allies lost 1,800 men. During the next few days, squabbling amongst the Allies would result in Graham pulling the British contingent back into Cadiz. The Spanish were soon to follow suite, leaving an astonished Marshal Victor free to resume the siege of Cadiz.